M.G.J. van 't Ende (Marjelle)

PhD-topic: 'Unilateral change clauses in standard terms and conditions in consumercontracts'

Marjelles' doctoral research deals with the legal assessment of the content of unilateral price change clauses in general terms and conditions in consumer contracts (B2C-contracts).
Amendment clauses give a party, for example a landlord or a bank, the right to make unilateral changes to the agreement. Examples include increasing agreed upon rates for energy, adjusting a rent, or increasing the interest rate on a loan. This power can have far-reaching financial consequences for consumers.

The aim of the research is to contribute to more legal clarity on the legal permissibility of unilateral price change clauses in consumer contracts, so that both consumers and businesses are better informed about their rights and obligations. Marjelle is therefore researching case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Dutch case law and decisions of the Geschillencommissie (Dispute Resolution Committee). Part of the research is therefore empirical. Comparative law research is also conducted, on German law because it can offer valuable insights for the Dutch legal system.


Marjelle has been a lecturer at Radboud University's Civil Law Department since 2018 and has been pursuing a PhD since 2020. Before that, she completed the master's degree in Dutch law (specialisations in Business Law and Private Law) and the Research Master's in Law (cum laude) at the University of Groningen. Marjelle then worked for several years as a (senior) law clerk at Rechtbank Midden-Nederland.

• Onderzoekcentrum Onderneming & Recht