Despite the best efforts of organisations such as Unidroit, there is no generally accepted way of regulating franchising internationally.
Twenty-nine different nations have franchise-specific laws, and the lack of any common approach creates real challenges for companies seeking to franchise their businesses internationally, and for their legal advisors. In addition, general commercial law can have a substantial impact on franchising.
Franchise Specific Laws
There are three different types of franchise regulation in these other jurisdictions, each with a distinct purpose and characteristics. These are: anti-trust regulations; foreign trade and investment regulations; and pure franchise regulations.
National franchise laws can be placed into these categories by reference not only to their substantive content, but also their origins.