Documents

Publications

• Study on Foreign Law and its Perspectives for the Future at the European level

Part I [5 MB] - Part II [3 MB] - Part III [226 KB]

• Practice Guide for the application of the Regulation on the European Order for Payment [39 MB]
• Challenges in adoption procedures in Europe: Ensuring the best interests of the child [5 MB]
• Citizens' guide to cross-border civil litigation in the EU - NEW - November 2010 [719 KB]
• Practical guide on using videoconferencing to obtain evidence in civil and commercial matters [723 KB]
• Practice guide for the application of the Regulation on the European Enforcement Order - December 2008 [1 MB]
• Civil law at your fingertips - May 2006 - A guide for legal practitioners [11 MB]
• Judicial cooperation in civil matters in the EU - May 2006 A guide for legal practitioners [5 MB]
• Practice guide for the application of the Regulation on the Taking of Evidence - March 2006 [73 KB]
• Practice Guide for the application of the new Brussels II Regulation - October 2005 [2 MB]

Reports & Studies

Disclaimer: These studies have been prepared by external contractors and do not express the views of the Commission.

2012

• Study on the question of effectiveness of an assignment or subrogration of a claim against third parties and the priority of the assigned or subrogated claim over a right of another person - Final Report [3 MB] - Annex 1 [197 KB] - Annex 2 [4 MB]
• REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE on the application of Directive 2003/8/EC to improve access to justice in cross border disputes by establishing minimum common rules relating to legal aid for such disputes
• Study concerning the application of Directive 2003/8/CE of the Council of 27th January, 2003 on legal aid and the judicial conformity of the national transposition measures - Summary [490 KB] - Final Report [8 MB]

2011

• Study for an Impact Assessment on a Draft Legislative Proposal on the Attachment of Bank Accounts [2 MB]

2010

• Eurobarometer 351/2010 in civil Justice
• Data Collection and Impact Analysis - Certain Aspects of a Possible Revision of council Regulation No.44/2001 on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters ('Brussels I'), 17 December 2010 [1 MB]
  • Appendix D - Country Fiche [579 KB]
  • Appendix E - Key Stakeholders Survey Data [405 KB]

2009

• Compendium of Community Legislation on Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial Matters [9 MB]
• Comparative study on adoption procedures in the EU countries, practical difficulties encountered in this area by European citizens in the context of a European area of justice in civil matters, and options available for resolving such difficulties and protecting children's rights:
  • Summary [32 KB]
  • Synthesis report [715 KB]
  • Legal analysis [2 MB]
  • Annexes [2 MB]
  • Statistics-comments [1 MB]
• Study on European Payment Order: Final Report [864 KB]
• ROME II Study on compensation of cross-border victims in the EU: Final Report [2 MB]
• Comparative study on the situation in the 27 EU countries as regards the law applicable to non-contractual obligations arising out of violations of privacy and rights relating to personality. [5 MB]
  • Annex I [665 KB]
  • Annex II [1 MB]
  • Annex III [1023 KB]

2008

• Study on the application of Directive 2004/80/EC relating to compensation to crime victims.
  • Final Report [857 KB]
  • Synthesis Report [3 MB]
• Comparative study on the legislation of the EU countries on civil status, practical difficulties encountered in this area by citizens wishing to exercise their rights in the context of a European area of justice in civil matters and the options available for resolving these problems and facilitating citizens' lives.
  • Final Report [2 MB]
  • Synthesis Report [790 KB]
  • Executive summary [97 KB]

2007

• Study to Inform an Impact Assessment on the Ratification of the Hague Convention on Choice-of-Court Agreements by the European Community [699 KB]
• Comparative study on enforcement procedures of family rights:
  • Synthesis Report [1 MB]
  • Executive summary [32 KB]
  • National reports: Austria [176 KB] ; Belgium [87 KB] ; Cyprus [138 KB] ; Czech Republic [415 KB] ; Denmark [54 KB] ; Estonia [123 KB] ; Finland [152 KB] ; France [390 KB] ; Germany [184 KB] ; Greece [123 KB] ; Hungary [219 KB] ; Ireland [82 KB] ; Italy [566 KB] Latvia [230 KB] ; Lithuania [88 KB] ; Luxembourg [408 KB] ; Malta [163 KB] ; Netherlands [164 KB] ; Poland [170 KB] ; Portugal [84 KB] ; Slovakia [487 KB] ; Slovenia [411 KB] ; Spain [153 KB] ; Sweden [182 KB] ; United Kingdom - Part A: England [141 KB] and United Kingdom - Part B: Northern Ireland [70 KB]
• The Transparency of Costs of Civil Judicial Proceedings in the EU
  • Final Report [3 MB]
  • Annex 1: Results of the public questionnaire [2 MB]
  • National reports: Austria [829 KB] ; Belgium [828 KB] ; Bulgaria [566 KB] ; Cyprus [555 KB] ; Czech Republic [702 KB] ; Denmark [559 KB] ; Germany [565 KB] ; Estonia [872 KB] ; Finland [503 KB] ; France [1 MB] ; Greece [848 KB] ; Hungary [533 KB] ; Ireland [399 KB] ; Italy [772 KB] ; Latvia [742 KB] ; Lithuania [950 KB] ; Luxembourg [550 KB] ; Malta [741 KB] ; Netherlands [701 KB] ; Poland [396 KB] ; Portugal [780 KB] ; Romania [543 KB] ; Slovakia [872 KB] ; Slovenia [722 KB] ; Spain [639 KB] ; Sweden [457 KB] and United Kingdom [448 KB]
• The use of public documents in the EU
  • Synthesis Report [2 MB]
  • Executive summary [218 KB]
  • Table of bi- and multilateral agreements [5 MB]
  • National reports: Belgium [565 KB] ; Czech Republic [198 KB] ; Germany [282 KB] ; Estonia [190 KB] ; Ireland [275 KB] ; Greece [264 KB] ; Spain [275 KB] ; France [189 KB] ; Italy [114 KB] ; Cyprus [314 KB] ; Latvia [289 KB] ; Lithuania [256 KB] ; Luxembourg [183 KB] ; Hungary [307 KB] ; Malta [151 KB] ; Netherlands [196 KB] ; Austria [180 KB] ; Poland [269 KB] ; Portugal [226 KB] ; Slovenia [291 KB] ; Slovakia [215 KB] ; Finland [157 KB] ; Sweden [186 KB] and United Kingdom [340 KB]

Studies on Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 on jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters

• Report on the Application of Regulation Brussels I in the EU countries
  • Compilation of National reports: Belgium [144 KB] ; Germany [734 KB] ; Estonia [158 KB] ; Ireland [234 KB] ; Greece [232 KB] ; Spain [252 KB] ; France [253 KB] ; Italy [213 KB] ; Czech Republic [244 KB] ; Cyprus [121 KB] ; Latvia [185 KB] ; Lithuania [114 KB] ; Luxembourg [187 KB] ; Hungary [248 KB] ; Malta [145 KB] ; Netherlands [235 KB] ; Austria [642 KB] ; Poland [315 KB] ; Portugal [476 KB] ; Slovenia [266 KB] ; Slovakia [130 KB] ; Finland [147 KB] ; Sweden [37 KB] ; England [1 MB] and Scotland [190 KB]
  • Introduction [33 KB]
  • Questionnaire 1 [229 KB]
  • Questionnaire 2 [491 KB]
  • Questionnaire 3 [4 MB]
• Study on Residual Jurisdiction [680 KB]
  • National Reports: Belgium [168 KB] ; Bulgaria [150 KB] ; Czech Republic [203 KB] ; Denmark [100 KB] ; Germany [164 KB] ; Estonia [104 KB] ; Ireland [182 KB] ; Greece [163 KB] ; Spain [145 KB] ; France [234 KB] ; Italy [122 KB] ; Cyprus [112 KB] ; Latvia [154 KB] ; Lithuania [234 KB] ; Luxembourg [129 KB] ; Hungary [265 KB] ; Malta [108 KB] ; Netherlands [197 KB] ; Austria [186 KB] ; Poland [172 KB] ; Portugal [186 KB] ; Romania [130 KB] ; Slovenia [221 KB] ; Slovakia [147 KB] ; Finland [123 KB] ; Sweden [126 KB] ; England [157 KB] and Scotland [185 KB]
• Study on the application of Council Regulation (EC) N°1206/2001, on cooperation between the courts of the EU countries in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matter [897 KB]
  • Annex I [501 KB] - Full answers received
  • Annex III [545 KB] - Questionnaires

2006

• Study to inform a subsequent Impact Assessment on the Commission proposal on jurisdiction and applicable law in divorce matters

2005

• Study: "L'indemnisation des citoyens et des résidents permanents européens victimes de la criminalité ou du terrorisme en dehors du territoire de l'Union européenne"
  • Foreword, summary and introduction [360 KB]
  • Volume I (parts I to IV) [1022 KB]
  • Volume II (annexes) [1021 KB]
• Report "Evaluation of the functionning of the European Judicial Network" from the "European Evaluation Consortium (TEEC)" [450 KB]

2004

• Study on the Application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1348/2000 on the service in the EU countries of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters [2 MB]
• Study on making more efficient the enforcement of judicial decisions within the EU [587 KB] : transparency of a debtor's assets, provisional enforcement and protective measures, attachment of bank accounts

Synopsis (annexes to the study):

• The transparency of a debtor's assets on the basis of an enforceable title [58 KB]
• The transparency of a debtor's assets before obtaining an enforceable title [87 KB]
• The transparency of the debtor's address [49 KB]
• Garnishment 1 [57 KB]
• Garnishment 2 [103 KB]
• Provisional Enforcement [77 KB]
• Provisional Measures:
  • Classification and the trans-border context [83 KB]
  • Securing the enforcement of judgment [107 KB] (attachment/freezing injunctions)
  • Temporary injunctions [57 KB] (measures maintaining the status quo pending determination of the issues at trial)
  • Provisional measures allowing the satisfaction of the claim [61 KB] (interim payment/interim performance)

2003

• Comparative study on the recovery of maintenance claims in the EU countries [2 MB]
• Study in comparative law on the rules governing conflicts of jurisdiction and laws on matrimonial property regimes and the implementions for property issues of the separation of unmarried couples in the EU countries [3 MB]
  • National reports:
    • Austria: Report [271 KB] and Addendum [535 KB]
    • Belgium: Report [48 MB]
    • Denmark: Report [6 MB] and Addendum [132 KB]
    • Finland: Report [401 KB] and Addendum [164 KB]
    • France: Report [3 MB] and Addendum [134 KB]
    • Germany: Report [418 KB] and Addendum [296 KB]
    • Greece: Report [136 KB]
    • Ireland: Report [209 KB] and Addendum [367 KB]
    • Italy: Report [57 MB]
    • Luxembourg: Report [5 MB]
    • Portugal: Report [15 MB] and Addendum [188 KB]
    • Spain: Report [155 KB] and Addendum [180 KB]
    • Sweden: Report [12 MB] and Addendum [230 KB]
    • The Netherlands: Report [634 KB] and Addendum [265 KB]
    • UK England: Report [138 KB] and Addendum [336 KB]
    • UK Scotland: Report [33 MB]

2002

• Practical Problems Resulting from the Non-Harmonization of Choice of Law Rules in Divorce Matters [418 KB]
• Les modes de signification et notification des actes [435 KB]
• Etude de droit comparé sur les règles de conflits de juridictions et de conflits de lois relatives aux testaments et successions dans les Etats membres de l'Union Européenne [738 KB]
  • Executive summary [129 KB]
  • National Reports: Belgium [287 KB] ; Denmark [229 KB] ; Germany [360 KB] ; Ireland [238 KB] ; Greece ; Spain [651 KB] ; Italy [301 KB] ; Luxembourg [293 KB] ; Netherlands [272 KB] ; Austria [527 KB] ; Portugal [388 KB] ; Finland [249 KB] ; Sweden [283 KB] ; United Kingdom [282 KB]

• Annexe III: "Synopsis (jurisdiction, recognition, private international law, domestic law of succession)"
  • International Treaties (Part 2) [60 KB]
  • Bilateral Conventions and Nordic Convention [52 KB]
  • Acceptance and waiver [59 KB]
  • Acquisition of succession [52 KB]
  • Capacity [70 KB]
  • Assignment [70 KB]
  • Material scope of application to requests [64 KB]
  • Material scope of application [62 KB]
  • Simultaneous decease [84 KB]
  • Offsetting [50 KB]
  • International jurisdiction in matters of succession [71 KB]
  • Multilateral Conventions [71 KB]
  • Order of succession [54 KB]
  • Order of succession - State [77 KB]
  • Order of succession - Specific points [58 KB]
  • Order of succession - Examples [58 KB]
  • Testamentary dispositions [81 KB]
  • Domestic law - Sources [73 KB]
  • Ordinary forms of will [76 KB]
  • Forum Hereditatis [98 KB]
  • Foreign judgments [74 KB]
  • Limitations [74 KB]
  • Law applicable to matrimonial property schemes
  • Law applicable to successions on death [87 KB]
  • Law applicable to testamentary dispositions [77 KB]
  • Law applicable / special rules [65 KB]
  • Public order / Intervention [63 KB]
  • Opening [54 KB]
  • Multiple heirs [54 KB]
  • Multiple legal orders [56 KB]
  • Evidence of status as heir [64 KB]
  • Preliminary questions [54 KB]
  • Admissibility / inadmissibility in relation to the individual person [58 KB]
  • Recognition of wills [60 KB]
  • Recognition and enforcement [63 KB]
  • Review [63 KB]
  • Register of wills [64 KB]
  • Renunciation of future succession [71 KB]
  • Renvoi in matters of succession [71 KB]
  • Statutory reserve [78 KB]
  • Liability [67 KB]
  • Joint wills / agreement on future succession to a living person [76 KB]
  • Verification of jurisdiction [76 KB]

2001

• Des procédures de traitement judiciaire des demandes de faible importance ou non contestées dans les droits des Etats-membres de l'Union européenne [561 KB]

1995

• The valued added by a EU instrument on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in matrimonial causes in the light of existing conventions
  • Introduction [544 KB]
  • Chapter 1 [998 KB]
  • Chapter 2 [1 MB]
  • Chapter 3 [1 MB]
  • Annexes [9 MB]