Abstract
<jats:p>The principle of party autonomy remains a fundamental pillar of international contract law, allowing commercial actors to designate the legal regime governing their relations. However, in the context of international commercial agency agreements, this freedom frequently intersects with mandatory statutory regimes designed to protect the commercial agent, who is traditionally viewed as the economically weaker party. This article explores the tension between the freedom of contract and the mandatory protective provisions established by the European Union through Directive 86/653/EEC. By examining the doctrinal foundations of overriding mandatory rules and the pertinent jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union, this study analyzes how courts navigate the conflict between a principal’s choice of non-EU law and an agent’s right to statutory indemnification or compensation upon termination. The article aims to clarify the boundaries of party autonomy in cross-border agency contracts and evaluate the effectiveness of the Directive in maintaining a protective baseline in the globalized market.</jats:p>