European Small Claims Procedure: Report with Evidence; 23rd Report of Session 2005-06

The European Commission has recently adopted a proposal for the a Regulation crating a European Small Claims Procedure, which seeks to secure consumers' access to justice and settlement of disputes in the single market. The ESCP would provide a procedure available in the courts of all Member States to deal with cross-border cases and simple enforcement across national boundaries. In its examination of the Regulation the Committee identifies three main difficulties: differences between the Commission and Member States, most importantly on costs; the need for the practicalities of the scheme to be given more attention; lack of clarity in some parts of the text of the Regulation.