Revising Brussels I: An Overview of the Commission's Proposal

On 14 December 2010, the European Commission published its proposal in respect of the reform of the 'Brussels I' Regulation (44/2001), which governs the courts' jurisdiction and the recognition of judgments in the EU.  The publication of this proposal represents the latest step in a reform process which was initiated by the Commission in April 2009, and should give rise to a final text in two years.  The amendments  to the Regulation are aimed at increasing the efficiency of the judicial framework in the EU, by reducing the costs and bureaucracy associated with cross-border litigation, and in so doing, creating the necessary legal environment for the European economy to recover.  The UK Government has launched a consultation ending in February 2011 on how the UK should approach the negotiations on the revision of the Brussels I Regulation, which can be accessed by clicking here.  You can also access the Commission's Proposal  by clicking here.