39 Reasons for the approach adopted

The coverage of the DCFR is thus considerably broader than what the European Commission seems to have in mind for the coverage of the CFR (see paragraph 59 below). The ‘academic’ frame of reference is not subject to the constraints of the ‘political’ frame of reference. While the DCFR is linked to the CFR, it is conceived as an independent text. The research teams began in the tradition of the Commission on European Contract Law but with the aim of extending its coverage. When this work started there were no political discussions underway on the creation of a CFR of any kind, neither for contract law nor for any other part of the law. Our contract with the Research Directorate-General to receive funding under the sixth European Framework Programme on Research reflects this; it obliges us to address all the matters listed above. The relatively broad coverage of the DCFR may be seen as advantageous also from a political perspective. Only a comprehensive DCFR creates a concrete basis for the discussion of the coverage of the political CFR and thereby allows for an informed decision of the responsible political institutions.