Following a debate on 10 December 2007, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on European contract law and welcomed the completion of the research draft Common Frame of Reference (CFR), The Commission intends this to be a 'toolbox' or handbook for the EU legislator, to be used when revising existing and preparing new legislation in the area of contract law. It called on the Commission to submit a clear plan for the process – to start after the research draft CFR has been provided – of selecting those parts of the research CFR which are to form part of the final Commission CFR. The Commission was urged to involve Parliament in this process before any procedural steps are taken.

Parliament urged the Commission to decide on the scope of the final CFR only after a broad discussion process with all the relevant groups, researchers and stakeholders, and also with the participation of Parliament. When deciding on the scope of the CFR, the Commission must take into account the position of Parliament, already set out in several resolutions. The latter reiterated its strong support for an approach based on a wider CFR on general contract-law issues going beyond the field of consumer protection. It underlined its conviction that a better-regulation approach to the CFR means that the CFR cannot be limited to merely consumer-contract-law-related issues and has to focus on general contract-law-related issues, for which a consistent approach to the review of the consumer acquis, and in particular a possible horizontal instrument in this area, must be ensured. It also reiterates its request to the Commission that all the various possible options regarding the purpose and legal form of a future CFR instrument, including an optional instrument, should be kept open.

The House held a debate on Oral Question O-0073/2007 to the Commission on European contract law.

A motion for a resolution winding up this debate was due to be put to the vote on 12 December 2007.