The Brussels II bis Regulation which contains uniform rules for jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and in matters of parental responsibility became effective as of 1st March 2005 for 24 Member States of the European Union. This book addresses the impact and application of the new rules in the form of national reports. The authors provide answers to questions such as: What is the impact of the Regulation on national private international law on the one side, and on substantive law, on the other? Does the Regulation mean that changes have to be made in the national systems? Are there any difficulties as regards the consistency of the private international law system? In how far does the Regulation match the substantive law both as regards divorce and parental responsibility? Are there any difficulties as regards the implementation of the Regulation in the national systems? Have any implementing measures been taken? A comparative synthesis of the impact and application of the Brussels II bis Regulation within the European Union and a general introduction into the Europeanisation of private international law in family matters complement the book. As a result it contains the latest update of international family law in Europe.

This book focuses on major amendments introduced in the Brussels I regulatory framework. The contributions scrutenise the changes introduced in the Brussels Ibis Regulation, a legal instrument that presents a core of the unification of private international law rules on the European Union level. It is one of the first publications addressing all the changes in the Brussels I regulatory scheme, which takes into consideration relevant CJEU case law up to July 2016. The texts, written by legal scholars who have published extensively in the field of private international law and international civil procedure, will add to the development of EU private international law. In addition, the authors’ critical analysis may open further discussions on the topic and so benefit a consistent and harmonised application of the Regulation. In this respect the book takes a different approach than the commentaries which have so far been published. It is primarily meant for legal academics in private international law and practitioners who are regularly engaged in cross-border civil proceedings. It may also be of added value to advanced students and to those with a particular interest in the subject of international litigation and more generally in the area of dispute resolution. Vesna Lazić is a Senior Researcher at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, an Associate Professor of Private Law at Utrecht University and Professor of European Civil Procedure at the University of Rijeka. Steven Stuij is an expert in Private International Law and an external Ph.D. candidate at Erasmus School of Law, Rotterdam.

This book examines the attainment of complete free movement of civil judgments across EU member states from the perspective of its conformity with the fundamental right to a fair trial. In the integrated legal order of the European Union, it is essential that litigants can rely on a judgment no matter where in the EU it was delivered. Effective mechanisms for cross-border recognition and the enforcement of judgments provide both debtors and creditors with the security that their rights, including their right to a fair trial, will be protected. In recent years the attainment of complete free movement of civil judgments, through simplification or abolition of these mechanisms, has become a priority for the European legislator. The text uniquely combines a thorough discussion of EU legislation with an in-depth and critical examination of its interplay with fundamental rights. It contains an over-view and comparison of both ECtHR and CJEU case law on the right to a fair trial, and provides a great number of specific recommendations for current and future legislation. With its critical discussion of EU Regulations from both a practical and a theoretical standpoint, this book is particularly relevant to legislators and policymakers working in this field. Because of the extensive overview of the functioning of the EU’s mechanisms and of relevant case law it provides, the book is also highly relevant to academics and practitioners. Monique Hazelhorst is Judicial Assistant at the Supreme Court of the Netherlands. She studied Law and Legal Research at Utrecht University and holds a Ph.D. in Law from the Erasmus School of Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

The Principles of European Family Law - drafted by the Commission on European Family Law (CEFL) - contain models which may be used for the harmonization of family law in Europe. This book contains the Principles regarding property relations between spouses. In these Principles, the CEFL has developed an all-inclusive set of rules for two matrimonial property regimes: the participation in acquisitions and the community of acquisitions. Both regimes have been put on an equal footing. Each matrimonial property regime, whether it functions as a default or as an optional regime, is strongly connected with the rights and duties of the spouses and the possibility for them to make a marital property agreement. These issues have also been addressed by including two common chapters on the general rights and duties of spouses and on marital property agreements, which are to be applied regardless of which of the regimes applies. (Series: European Family Law - Vol. 33)

This substantial and original book examines how the EU Private International Law (PIL) framework is functioning and considers its impact on the administration of justice in cross-border cases within the EU. It grew out of a major project (ie EUPILLAR: European Union Private International Law: Legal Application in Reality) financially supported by the EU Civil Justice Programme. The research was led by the Centre for Private International Law at the University of Aberdeen and involved partners from the Universities of Freiburg, Antwerp, Wroclaw, Leeds, Milan and Madrid (Complutense). The contributors address the specific features of cross-border disputes in the EU by undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) and national case law on the Brussels I, Rome I and II, Brussels IIa and Maintenance Regulations. Part I discusses the development of the EU PIL framework. Part II contains the national reports from 26 EU Member States. Parts III (civil and commercial) and IV (family law) contain the CJEU case law analysis and several cross-cutting chapters. Part V briefly sets the agenda for an institutional reform which is necessary to improve the effectiveness of the EU PIL regime. This comprehensive research project book will be of interest to researchers, students, legal practitioners, judges and policy-makers who work, or are interested, in the field of private international law.

Brussels I Recast (Regulation No 1215/2012 on the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters) is intended to simplify and expedite cross-border enforcement of debts. However, some existing issues remain unresolved, and new ones have already been identi?ed since the Regulation entered into force in 2015. This collection of expert essays, the ?rst book to focus systematically and comprehensively on the area of remedies in the light of Brussels I Recast, offers detailed analyses of inherent problems and includes practical hypothetical cases illustrating major issues and how they may be resolved. The aspects covered by the contributors – all well-known academics, lawyers, and judges from different EU Member States – include the following: – grounds for refusal of recognition and enforcement; – certi?cation of enforceability and timely service of the certi?cate; – adaptation of enforcement measures that are determined in the judgment but are not known in the Member State of enforcement; – effect of requesting a translation of the judgment; – ?nancial implications of remedies; and – provisional measures and their role in a timely protection of rights. Because the success of Brussels I Recast depends on a very unpredictable implementation into national systems, the extent to which national barriers represent obstacles to fair and ef?cient judicial protection is thoroughly examined. A very useful concluding chapter presents practical cases highlighting the most important, as well as problematic, issues concerning enforcement of foreign judgments. The in-depth analyses conducted by the contributors clearly de?ne serious obstacles and propose solutions that will lead to better implementation of Brussels I Recast, better protection of party's rights, and further harmonisation in this ?eld of civil justice. This book is sure to be of exceptional value to counsel for multinational enterprises, EU and Member State legislators, enforcement agencies, and academics worldwide.

The Brussels I Regulation is by far the most prominent cornerstone of the European law of international civil procedure. Every practitioner in the international field has to work with it - and its importance is still growing. The first edition of this full scale article-by-article commentary found a very warm reception. This new edition brings the book up to date, incorporating a host of developments in the four years since ist first appearance, combines in-depth analysis with a genuine and truly European perspective, authored by top experts from all over Europe, covers the jurisprudence of the ECJ and of the Member States, and integrates thorough discussion of the pending proposal for a Brussels Ibis Regulation. This truly European commentary offers invaluable guidance for lawyers, judges and academics throughout Europe.

In Universal Civil Jurisdiction ¬– Which Way Forward? leading experts of public and private international law discuss the challenges that victims of international crimes face when they seek reparation in countries other than the country where the crime was committed.