European Commission Open issues for a European area of civil justice Directorate-General Freedom, Security and Justice Living in an area of freedom, security

European CommissionEuropean Commission

Open issues for a European area of civil justiceOpen issues for a European area of civil justice

Directorate-General Directorate-General Freedom, Security and Freedom, Security and JusticeJustice

Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

Open issues in the creation Open issues in the creation

of a European area of civil justiceof a European area of civil justice

Karen Vandekerckhove

Kranjska Gora, 16 November 2007


The Future of Judicial Cooperation in Civil MattersThe Future of Judicial Cooperation in Civil Matters


Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

Overview

A. Milestones on the way to a European area of justice

B. The agenda for the next few years (and beyond)

C. Ongoing and future projects

D. Particular questions for the future




Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

A. Milestones on the way to a European area of justice

• 1993 Maastricht Treaty

• 1998 Amsterdam Treaty

• 1999 Tampere Programme

• 2000 Programme on Mutual Recognition

• 2004 Hague Programme




Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

B. The agenda for the next years

I. Hague Programme for strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union, 2004:

The main challenges for the future of Civil Justice:

• Completing the Programme of Mutual Recognition

• Implementing the acquis communautaire

• Enhancing cooperation in the area of civil justice

• Ensuring coherence with international legal order

II. Action Plan implementing the Hague Programme, 2005→ EU work programme until 2010.




Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

C. Ongoing and future projects

I. Completing the Programme of Mutual Recognition

1. Private international law

● Jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement

▪ Review of Brussels I Regulation

● Applicable Law

▪ Rome I – Law applicable to contractual obligations




Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

● Jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement and applicable law

▪ Maintenance obligations

▪ Rome III – applicable law and jurisdiction for divorce

▪ Wills and successions

▪ Matrimonial property regimes




Living in an

area of freedo

m, securit

yand

justice

2. European civil procedure

● Certain aspects of mediation

● Review of service of documents Regulation

● Review of taking of evidence Regulation




Living in an

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• Enforcement

▪ Attachment of bank accounts

▪ Provisional and protective measures

▪ Transparency of the debtor’s assets

• Minimum standards of civil proceduree.g. service of documents, commencement of proceedings, transparency of costs




Living in an

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3. New area: e-justice

• European portal on justice• Electronic access to court• Interconnexion of national networks

4. Other ongoing studies

• Civil status• Legalisation• Adoption




Living in an

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II. Enhancing cooperation

● Strengthening the European Judicial Network in civil and

commercial matters

● Promoting knowledge of the acquis communautaire in civil justice

● Promoting cooperation between members of the legal professions




Living in an

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m, securit

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justice

III. International Legal Order

● Hague Conference

▪ Choice of court agreements▪ Maintenance obligations

● Council of Europe

▪ European Day of Civil Justice▪ Biannual Conference

● Lugano Convention

● Others




Living in an

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D. Particular questions for the future

I. ImplementationII. Impact of the Treaty on the functioning of the EU

• Genuine political objective

• “Matters having cross-border implications”

• The « passerelle » in family law

• Power of the ECJ

• Protocols on the position of UK/IE/DK

III. External Community competenceECJ opinion 1/03

Documents

European Commission Open issues for a European area of civil justice Directorate-General Freedom, Security and Justice Living in an area of freedom, security