Commission asks EU countries to explain Mediation Directive inaction

Eight EU countries must explain to the European Commission how they will implement cross-border mediation laws, the Commission has said.

The UK had been listed by the Commission as one of the countries that had been sent a Commission letter about its failure to implement the Mediation Directive or notify the Commission of its implementation.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesman told OUT-LAW.COM, though, that this was down to "a bureaucratic error".

"The Directive was implemented in full in time for the deadline," he said.

The UK is one of nine countries that received a 'letter of formal notice', requesting information about why it had not informed the Commission that it has put the necessary rules in place.

..."Mediation is an important alternative to going to court in cross-border disputes and can help parties find an amicable settlement. It saves time, money and spares parties involved in already emotional family cases the additional trauma of going to court," said Vice-President Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Justice, in a statement.

Read the full article [HERE]

(From a tweet by @ColmBrannigan)

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Permalink Reply by Nicole Bohe on July 29, 2011 at 1:32pm

If they gave them three years to implement laws, did that mean it believed it would take the countries that amount of time to develop laws? If so, how many years are they going to allow to pass to comply with this "request"?

And if a direct order didn't prompt action, what will a "letter" do?