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What is the EJN-civil?
The European Union's wide variety of national legal systems and this diversity, together with new Union legislation, has led to a need to provide support and information through a specific network to authorities dealing with cross-border cases. These cases may cover business, consumer or employment disputes, divorce, child custody or succession issues. The Network brings together national authorities responsible for assisting local courts and was set up to facilitate judicial and legal cooperation between Member States. The EJN-civil was established by Council Decision 2001/470/EC of 28 May 2001 and started operating on 1 December 2002. This legal basis was modified once in 2009 (the consolidated version is available here). All Member States except Denmark participate in the EJN-civil.
Have a look at the EJN's infographic!
The objectives of EJN-civil
Since its inception, the EJN-civil has been an important tool for providing support for the implementation of EU civil justice instruments in daily legal practice. The EJN-civil facilitates and supports relations between national judicial authorities through contact points in each Member State and thereby helps to facilitate cross-border cases. This cooperation between authorities aims to provide help for people involved in cross-border civil and commercial judicial cases.
Who are the EJN-civil members?
There are more than 500 members of the Network who fall under the five categories mentioned below. Each Member State has at least one contact point.
The Network is composed of
- contact points designated by Member States;
- bodies and central authorities specified in Union law or in international instruments whereby Member States are party, or in domestic law relating to judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters;
- liaison magistrates with responsibilities for cooperation in civil and commercial matters;
- other judicial or administrative authorities responsible for judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters whose membership is deemed to be useful by the Member State;
- professional associations representing legal practitioners directly involved in the application of Union law and international instruments in civil and commercial matters at national level in the Member States
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