Commission Expert Subgroup on Brussels I bis holds First Meeting

The European Commission has established an expert sub-group on the Brussels Ia Regulation composed of 28 members representing as widely as possible the Member States and including some scholars based in Switzerland and England.

The sub-group’s tasks shall be:

• to assist DG JUST in the preparation of legislative proposals/policy initiatives in the field of jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters and other related subjects.
• to facilitate an exchange of experience and good practice in the field of of  jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters  and other related subjects.

The sub-group held its first meeting on 21 May 2026 in Brussels.

The main purpose of the meeting was to define thematic clusters on which the experts will focus in the coming months.

The clusters which were identified at this stage are:

• The scope of the exclusion of arbitration
• The scope of the exclusion of insolvency
• Jurisdiction in contractual matters
• Jurisdiction in tort matters
• Jurisdiction with respect to defendants domiciled in third States
• Collective redress and multiparty litigation
• Consumer protection
• Recognition and enforcement of judgements

The Commission made clear, however, that the experts are expected to propose to the Commission one or several solutions to possibly address the problems identified. The potential solutions may include preserving the status quo, clarification through the case-law, or legislative intervention in the form of amendments to the Brussels Ia Regulation, and that where a proposed solution involves legislative intervention in the form of amendments to the Brussels Ia Regulation, the experts should ensure that such solution is legally feasible under the appropriate legal basis and proportionate.

The work of the subgroup is expected to go well into 2027.