Consumer Rights Directive – Council and EP diverge

The Council has agreed its approach on the draft consumer rights directive, limiting it to distance and off-premises contracts between trader and consumer; and harmonizing the consumer information requirements and the right of withdrawal. However, the European Parliament (EP) is trying to reinstate some provisions on remedies and unfair contract terms. Interesting times.


Brussels I regulation review

The Bar responded to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on the proposal reviewing regulation 44/2001 on recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and
commercial matters, recommending UK opt in, and underlining issues of concern, including adequate safeguards if exequatur is abolished; and exclusion of arbitration.

 

EU horizontal consultation on collective redress

The Commission is conducting a horizontal consultation leading to the development of principles to be applied to private enforcement in different EU fields, including consumer protection, competition law, environmental policy, etc. Deadline 30 April 2011. The Bar will respond.

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/dgs_consultations/ca/collective_redress_consultation_en.htm


European Judicial Network (EJN) (civil) – legal profession now included

Evanna Fruithof, the Bar’s representative in Brussels, recently addressed the first annual meeting of the EJN following its extension to include the legal professions. The EJN had hitherto been limited to the judiciary and ministries of justice in the Member States. It examines the effectiveness of existing EU law and whether further EU / international action is needed. See its useful website:

http://ec.europa.eu/civiljustice/index_en.htm


Identification and Freezing of Debtor’s assets – Bar ideas are taken up

The EP is asking the Commission to propose a regulation creating respectively:

  • European order for the preservation of assets (EOPA); and
  • European order for the disclosure of assets (EODA).

These ideas can be traced back to the Bar’s response to the 2008 Green Paper.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/draftReportsCom/comparlDossier.do?dossier=JURI%2f7%2f01379&body=JURI&language=EN


EP looking at the implementation of the Mediation Directive

The EP’s Legal Affairs Committee will examine the implementation of Directive 2008/52/EC on mediation in civil and commercial matters, and its take-up by national courts. See:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:136:0003:0008:EN:PDF


Succession

The Hungarian Council Presidency wants to secure agreement on the sensitive 2009 proposal for a regulation on jurisdiction and PIL aspects of succession (reference COD(2009)0157). There are many hurdles: probate, whether and how to define habitual residence; national positions on forced heirship; passing of title in immovable property; definition of a court and clawback.


Procedural Rights for suspects and defendants – information

The EU institutions are nearing agreement on the proposed directive on the right to information (COD(2010)0215). The EP wants it to cover all cases of limitation of personal freedom, for the letter of rights to be expanded and provided to the accused immediately.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5866242


Sexual abuse and exploitation of children

Hopes are high that the March 2010 proposal for a directive on combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (COD(2010)064) could be adopted formally by the end of June. See:

http://tinyurl.com/6evl5ng


Money laundering back on the agenda

The Commission is considering the Deloitte report on the application of the 3rd Anti-Money Laundering Directive 2005/60/EC, and plans a fourth version, for 2012.

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/company/financial-crime/index_en.htm


Belgian / French / Luxembourg Bar seminar on police custody in Europe

Evanna Fruithof recently addressed a meeting of lawyers from the above three Member States on UK law on police custody and the effect of recent ECHR
jurisprudence, notably Salduz v Turkey [2008] ECHR 36391/02.


Revamp of EU data protection policy

The Bar Council submitted a positive response to the Commission’s consultation on its planned overhaul of the existing EU data protection rules. See:

http://tinyurl.com/6yfe5te

The Council has also endorsed Commission plans:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/119461.pdf


New EU agenda for the rights of the child

The Bar responded to the Commission’s 2010 consultation on the rights of the child. The Commission has now published an EU agenda for reinforcing the rights of the child, setting out 11 actions it intends to pursue. See

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52011DC0060:EN:NOT


Single Market Act

In late 2010 the Commission issued a Communication entitled “Towards a Single Market Act” (COM(2010) 608 fi nal/2) containing 50 proposals in areas as diverse as IP, environment, services, taxation, company law, and fundamental rights:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0608:REV1:EN:PDF

It is now being debated in the EP:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/subjectFilesCom/subjectFileCom.do?language=EN&id=20101214CDT09688&body=IMCO


Modernisation of EU public procurement policy

The Commission has completed a consultation on updating the EU’s public procurement legislation:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:DKEY=556316:EN:NOT


EU consultation on ADR

The Commission has completed a consultation on the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution for resolving disputes related to commercial transactions in the EU.

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/dgs_consultations/ca/adr_consultation_18012011_en.htm


VAT consultation

The Commission is consulting ahead of its planned Communication on simplifying and streamlining the VAT system EU-wide;. Deadline 31 May 2011.

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/common/consultations/tax/2010_11_future_vat_en.htm


Combating late payments in Commercial Transactions

Directive 2011/7/EU laying down new rules on late payment in commercial transactions is now in force and must be implemented into Member State law within
2 years. See: OJ L 48/1 of 23/02/2011 or

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:048:0001:0010:EN:PDF



EU Patent – green light for enhanced cooperation

Plans to allow 12 Member States to press ahead with a unitary patent system in the EU, should have been endorsed by the time of reading. If so, the Commission will table two legislative proposals - one on the language regime and the other establishing the single patent. Will this end 30 years of circular debate?



Company law - Interconnection of Business Registers

The Commission has adopted a proposal for a directive on the interconnection of business registers, to facilitate EU-wide searches by businesses and consumers:

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/company/business_registers/index_en.htm



EP call for Independent Impact Assessments

The EP’s Legal Affairs Committee is calling for guaranteed independent impact assessments to precede Commission proposals. See:

http://tinyurl.com/644lmfc



Luxembourg Courts dealing with references more quickly

The ECJ has reported an overall increase in the number of cases heard during 2010, apparently complemented by welcome improvements in their duration.

http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-03/cp110013en.pdf



Developments on these and other current issues are reported on in Brussels News, the regular newsletter of the Brussels Office for members of the Bar of England & Wales. Please email: evanna.fruithof@barcouncil.be

Evanna Fruithof
Consultant Director
Bar Council of England & Wales
Brussels Office