Which Law Governs Egypt Contract Disputes?

For contractual disputes, Article 19 of the Egyptian Civil Code sets out a clear hierarchy for determining the applicable law. First, if both parties share a common domicile in the same country, the law of that country applies. If there is no common domicile, the law of the country where the contract was concluded will govern — which in your case would be Egyptian law if the contract was signed in Egypt.

Importantly, the parties also have the freedom to choose a different governing law by mutual agreement, and Egyptian courts will generally respect that choice. If you and your Egyptian counterpart expressly agreed in the contract that the laws of another country (such as England or France) would apply, that clause carries legal weight.

From a practical standpoint, if no governing law clause exists in your contract with an Egyptian company, you should assume Egyptian law will apply to any dispute. This makes it essential to understand your rights and obligations under the Egyptian Civil Code before signing. Consider including an explicit governing law and dispute resolution clause (such as arbitration) in any significant commercial contracts to provide clarity and predictability.