From March 2002 a new regime dealing with questions of jurisdiction shall come into force throughout Europe replacing the Brussels Convention. In short form it is known as the ‘Brussels 1 Regulation’, the long form of which is ‘Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters’ (‘Brussels 1’). Among other things, Brussels 1 will deal with the question of jurisdiction for electronic consumer contracts.
Brussels 1 provides for the ‘free movement’ of judgments in civil and commercial matters in the EU. Its policy is to ensure that rules of jurisdiction and enforcement of judgments are dealt with consistently in the EU.
