1348 Final Report
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Study on the application of Articles 3(1)(C) and 3, and Articles 17 and 18 of the Council Regulation (EC) NO 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the member states in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters STUDY ON THE APPLICATION OF ARTICLES AND AND 3(1)(C) 3, ARTICLES 17 AND 18 OF THE COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) NO OF AY ON 1206/2001 28 M 2001 COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COURTS OF THE MEMBER STATES IN THE TAKING OF EVIDENCE IN CIVIL OR COMMERCIAL MATTERS Customer: European Commission Directorate General for Justice Unit A1 – Civil Justice Policy Date: June 2012 Our Reference: FINAL_REPORT_1206_A - 1 - Study on the application of Articles 3(1)(C) and 3, and Articles 17 and 18 of the Council Regulation (EC) NO 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the member states in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 5 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.1.1 Context of the study ............................................................................................................................ 6 2.1.2 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................. 7 2.1.3 SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONS OF THE EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS ........................................................ 8 2.1.4 SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONS -LEGAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................ 12 3 THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................................................. 15 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Adoption of the Regulation 1206/2001 (“the Regulation”) ............................................................. 17 3.1.3 Scope of the Regulation .................................................................................................................... 18 3.1.4 Brief analysis of the methods for the taking of evidence at the Regulation ...................................... 20 3.1.5 Purpose of the Regulation ................................................................................................................ 24 3.2 SCOPE ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.3 TEAM ...................................................................................................................................................... 29 3.4 COUNTRY REPORTS ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.5 STATISTICAL DATA FROM CENTRAL BODIES .............................................................................. 30 3.6 SURVEYS ............................................................................................................................................... 30 4 EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................. 33 4.1 STATISTICAL DATA CONCERNING THE REQUESTS (ARTICLE 1(1)(A) AND (B) OF THE REGULATION) ......... 33 4.1.1 Amount of time required for the completion of requests .................................................................. 38 4.2 REQUESTING AND REQUESTED COURTS (ARTICLE 2) ................................................................................ 44 4.3 CENTRAL BODIES (ARTICLE 3) .................................................................................................................. 46 4.4 FORMS ...................................................................................................................................................... 47 4.5 USE OF COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ................................................................................................. 49 4.6 PERFORMANCE WITH THE PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PARTIES OR OF THE REQUESTING COURT ............................................................................................................................................ 50 4.7 REFUSAL TO EXECUTE .............................................................................................................................. 51 4.7.1 Data from Central Bodies ................................................................................................................ 51 4.8 DIRECT TAKING OF EVIDENCE BY THE REQUESTING COURT (ARTICLE 17) ................................................ 54 4.8.1 Data from Central Bodies ................................................................................................................ 55 4.9 COSTS (ARTICLE 18) ................................................................................................................................. 60 5 LEGAL ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................................... 61 5.1 DEFINITION OF PROOF ....................................................................................................................... 61 5.1.1 National definitions of proof ............................................................................................................ 61 5.1.2 Practical application ........................................................................................................................ 63 5.1.3 Proposals ......................................................................................................................................... 66 5.2 TAKING OF EVIDENCE - METHODS.................................................................................................. 67 5.2.1 National methods ............................................................................................................................. 67 5.2.2 Practical application ........................................................................................................................ 71 5.2.3 Proposals ......................................................................................................................................... 72 5.3 PUBLIC/PRIVATE DOCUMENT .......................................................................................................... 73 5.3.1 Definitions of public/private documents ........................................................................................... 73 5.3.2 Access to public registers ................................................................................................................. 75 5.3.3 Proposals ......................................................................................................................................... 75 - 2 - Study on the application of Articles 3(1)(C) and 3, and Articles 17 and 18 of the Council Regulation (EC) NO 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the member states in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters 5.4 EXAMINATION OF THE PARTIES ...................................................................................................... 76 5.4.1 Probative value of the examination of the parties in national Laws ................................................ 76 5.4.2 Proposals ......................................................................................................................................... 80 5.5 WITNESS TESTIMONY ........................................................................................................................ 81 5.5.1 Giving evidence as a witness in response to a court summons ........................................................ 81 5.5.2 Payments to witnesses for participation ........................................................................................... 93 5.5.3 Preliminary lists of questions for witnesses ..................................................................................... 93 5.5.4 Proposals ......................................................................................................................................... 95 5.6 THE ROLE OF THE JUDGE ................................................................................................................... 96 5.6.1 Significant differences arise in the respective roles of judges in the taking of evidence. Should the judge have control of this process or must it always take place on the application of one of the parties? ... 96 5.6.2 Order ................................................................................................................................................ 98 5.6.3 Proposals ....................................................................................................................................... 100 5.7 VIDEOCONFERENCE AND TELECONFERENCE ........................................................................... 100 5.8 PRESENCE OF THE PARTIES AT THE