7. THE MONTREUX AGREEMENT: ABOLITION OF FOREIGN CONCESSIONS AND PROMULGATION OF MODERN EGYPTIAN LEGISLATIONS
Abolition of foreign concessions and the establishment of national liberation and independence were at the core of national aspirations. Thus, the most important achievement of the glorious national movement was the agreement reached with the concession countries on their elimination.
In fact Egypt succeeded in concluding the Montreux Agreement in 1937, by virtue of which consular courts were to be abolished and their jurisdiction was to devolve on the mixed courts. These were to remain in existence for another twelve years, after introducing modifications into their system, thus bringing them closer to national courts.After the expiry of the period determined by the Agreement, mixed courts were to be replaced by national courts in all the areas of their jurisdiction. Paragraph One of Article Two of the Agreement reads as follows:
“Subject to the principles of international law, foreigners are to be governed by Egyptian legislation in the criminal, civil, commercial, administrative and financial fields, etc....”
This meant the elimination of one of the abnormal features of Egyptian law. The judicial system and Egyptian law were unified, initiating a new stage in the history of modern Egyptian law. The most salient change in this connection was the drafting of modern bodies of law which were to apply to social relations following the unification of the legal and judicial systems.