Overview The European Council’s Brussels Regulation
came into force on 1 March 2002. It impacts on jurisdiction and the
recognition and enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters.
It does not seek to regulate the choice of law. It replaces the Brussels
Convention 1968 for all EU Member States except Denmark (for which the
provisions of the old Brussels Convention will continue to apply). The
European Free Trade Association countries will continue to apply the rules
of the 1988 Lugano Treaty which is similar to the Brussels Convention.
(The EU Member States are France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands,
Luxembourg, UK, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria,
Finland and Sweden; and the European Free Trade Association countries are
Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland).
