ELI – UNIDROIT Joint Workshop on Civil Procedure
In 2013, the European Law Institute (ELI) and UNIDROIT agreed to work together in order to adapt the 2004 Principles of Transnational Civil Procedure developed by the American Law Institue and UNIDROIT from a European perspective and develop European Rules of Civil Procedure. This project will take the 2004 Principles as its starting point and will develop them in light of: i) the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; ii) the wider acquis of binding EU law; iii) the common traditions in European countries; iv) the Storme Commission’s work; and v) other pertinent European sources.
The 1st exploratory workshop in Vienna
The 1st exploratory workshop, to be held in Vienna on 18 and 19 October 2013, aims at an initial analysis of a series of different topics, ranging from due notice of proceedings to enforcement, with a view to identifying the most promising issues and the most appropriate methodological approach for the project. The event will be divided into a public conference, scheduled for 18 October, and an in-depth workshop for invited participants following the public discussion, which should lay the foundations for the elaboration of the ultimate project design by the ELI and UNIDROIT.
The workshop will bring together leading experts from academia and legal practice in the field of civil procedural law. It is anticipated that it will both produce an inspiring debate and mark an important first step towards establishing a working group that can carry the project to a successful conclusion.
Programme: Public Conference
Friday 18 October 2013
Venue: Palace of Justice, Schmerlingplatz 11, Vienna, Austria
Chair: Loïc Cadiet (University Paris 1, President of the International Association of Procedural Law)
10:30-11:00 Opening and Welcome by the Secretary-General of UNIDROIT and the President of the ELI
11:00-12:00 The 2004 ALI/UNIDROIT Principles: Geoffrey C. Hazard and Antonio Gidi (American Law Institute)
12:00-12:30 General Discussion
12:30-13:30 Lunch break
13:30-14:00 The European Acquis of Civil Procedure: Constitutional Aspects
Alexandra (Sacha) Prechal (Court of Justice of the European Union)
14:00-14:30 European Acquis of Civil Procedure: The Existing Body of Rules
Burkhard Hess (Max Planck Institute Luxembourg)
14:30-14:45 Procedure: The Agenda of the European Commission
Paraskevi Michou (European Commission)
14:45-15:15 General Discussion
Beginning at 15:30 on Friday 18 October, and continuing on the morning of 19 October from 09:00 to 14:00 there will be a closed expert seminar. Friday’s session will be chaired by Thomas Pfeiffer from Heidelberg University, and will focus on the following topics: Structure of the Proceedings, Provisional and Protective Measures and Access to Information and Evidence. Marcel Storme will chair the session on Saturday morning and oversee discussions on: Due Notice of Proceedings, Obligation of the Parties and Lawyers and Multiple Claims and Parties. It will be followed by the afternoon session, chaired by Verica Trstenjak where the following topics will be discussed: Costs, Lis Pendens and Res Judicata and Transparency of assets and enforcement.
More information is available here.