Study on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1393/2007 on the service of judicial and extra judicial documents in civil or commercial matters Justice Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. FINAL_REPORT_1393_v150 European Commission - Directorate-General for Justice More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu) © European Union, 2014 ISBN: 978-92-79-34791-7 doi: 10.2838/84790 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium Study on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1393/2007 on the service of judicial and extra judicial documents in civil or commercial matters TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................. 5 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. 6 3 THE PROJECT .............................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................13 3.2 SCOPE.........................................................................................................................................15 3.3 TEAM ..........................................................................................................................................17 3.4 SURVEYS ...................................................................................................................................17 4 STUDY FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.1 SPEED OF TRANSMISSION AND SERVICE ..........................................................................20 4.1.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................20 4.1.2 Previous advances in the service of documents ...............................................................20 4.1.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................21 4.1.4 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................24 4.2 TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING AGENCIES ...................................................................24 4.2.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................24 4.2.2 Brief approach to the system of service of documents in Regulation 1393......................24 4.2.2.1 Transmitting and receiving agencies ............................................................................................ 24 4.2.2.2 Other means of transmission ......................................................................................................... 25 4.2.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................25 4.2.4 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................29 4.3 CENTRAL BODY.......................................................................................................................30 4.3.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................30 4.3.2 Remarks on the functions assigned ..................................................................................30 4.3.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................30 4.3.4 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................31 4.4 FORMS .......................................................................................................................................32 4.4.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................32 4.4.2 Types of Form and practical problems ............................................................................32 4.4.3 Language barriers ...........................................................................................................34 4.4.4 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................36 4.5 INFORMING ADDRESSEE OF RIGHT TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT A DOCUMENT .............37 4.5.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................37 4.5.2 Informing addressees of rights ........................................................................................37 4.5.3 Exercises of this right ......................................................................................................38 4.5.4 Practical problems arising from this right ......................................................................41 4.5.5 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................43 4.6 DATE OF SERVICE ...................................................................................................................45 4.6.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................45 4.6.2 The double-date system ...................................................................................................45 4.6.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................46 4.6.4 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................47 4.7 COST OF SERVICE....................................................................................................................47 4.7.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................47 4.7.2 Costs incurred by the Regulation.....................................................................................48 4.7.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................50 2 Study on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1393/2007 on the service of judicial and extra judicial documents in civil or commercial matters 4.7.4 Opinions and Proposals ..................................................................................................51 4.8 SERVICE BY POST....................................................................................................................52 4.8.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................52 4.8.2 Method of service by post ................................................................................................52 4.8.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................53 4.8.4 Opinions and proposals ...................................................................................................55 4.9 DIRECT SERVICE .....................................................................................................................56 4.9.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................56 4.9.2 Direct service ...................................................................................................................56 4.9.3 Practical problems ..........................................................................................................62 4.9.4 Opinions and proposals ...................................................................................................63 4.10 CONSULAR SERVICE ...........................................................................................................63 4.10.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................63 4.10.2 Indirect diplomatic and consular channels (ART. 12) .....................................................64 4.10.3 Direct diplomatic and consular channels (Art. 13) .........................................................65 4.10.4 Opinions and proposals ...................................................................................................68 4.11 ELECTRONIC SERVICE ........................................................................................................68 4.11.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................68 4.11.2 Problems dealing with its practical implementation .......................................................69 4.11.3 Opinions and proposals ...................................................................................................79