Switzerland to Apply Lugano Convention in 2011

Switzerland has announced its willingness to apply the 2007 Lugano Convention on jurisdiction and judgments starting January 1st, 2011.

The Swiss Ratification and Implementation Act was adopted by the parliament on 11 December 2009. In accordance with a decision of the Swiss Federal Council of 31 March 2010 , the Convention will now be ratified with effect on 1st January 2011.

This means that Switzerland will have to ratify the Convention three months before, as Article 69 (5) of the Convention provides that once the Convention entered into force between the European Community and one EFTA state, it will “enter into force in relation to any other party on the first day of the third month following the deposit of its instrument of ratification”.

We reported earlier that the Convention entered into force between the Member States of the EU (including Danemark) and Norway on January 1st, 2010.

Thanks to Didier Boden for the tip-off