Enforcing Foreign Judgements and Arbitration Awards in England and Wales

The first step in enforcing a judgment or award is to ascertain which set of rules apply. England is a party to several reciprocal regimes which allow for the enforcement of foreign judgments in England, without the need to commence fresh proceedings. Not all jurisdictions are covered by these reciprocal regimes. Accordingly, there are broadly four categories:

Judgments

The European Regime

Under the Brussels Regulation 44/2001, a claimant who has obtained a judgment in one EU member state may enforce it in another member state without issuing separate proceedings. The regulation covers all judgments in civil and commercial matters obtained on or after 1 March 2002 except, amongst other things, insolvency and arbitration. Applications for registration should be made within 6 years of the date of the original judgment.