The Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge, 1997 ("the 1997 Code") was approved by the World Bridge Federation and the European Bridge League in Montecatini Terme, Italy in June 1997 and formally promulgated by the World Bridge Federation in Hammamet, Tunisia in October 1997, immediately prior to the 1997 Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup.

The 1997 Code supersedes the, previous, 1987 Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge1987 Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. Each National Contract Bridge Organisation (NCBO) which is a member of the European Bridge League has discretion as to the effective date when the 1997 Code is introduced, but in any event it must not be later than the end of the 1997/98 Bridge Playing Season of that NCBO.

The Copyright of the 1997 Code in all non-English speaking countries in Europe (other than Spain and Portugal) is vested in the European Bridge League.

The Copyright in the area of the British Commonwealth past and present (other than the Western Hemisphere), the Continent of Africa, Spain, Portugal and all English speaking countries in the Eastern Hemisphere is vested in the Portland Club.

The Copyright in the Western Hemisphere and in the Republic of the Philippines is vested in the American Contract Bridge League.

Extracts from these Laws either verbatim or paraphrased are not permitted without the sanction of the Authority holding the Copyright.

Within those areas where the Copyright is vested in the European Bridge League, the League sanctions, without charge, the translation and verbatim reproduction of the 1997 Code both in written and electronic forms, provided the European Bridge League's Copyright is acknowledged.

European Bridge League
Montreux, Switzerland
October 1997