European Union: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

With effect from 1 October 2026, specific Family Court Proceedings Regulations, enacted by virtue of Regulation 216 of 2026, have come into effect, hence replacing the previous procedural regime. The aim of the new Regulations is to establish a more structured framework for family proceedings. The main novelties are, emphasis on early disclosure of financials and proposals, imposition of mediation timelines, structured representation of children, and multi-disciplinary support for the parties, minors and third parties involved in the process.

El Tribunal Supremo establece que las diligencias preliminares constituyen el cauce procesal exclusivo para solicitar documentación bancaria cuando el objetivo es preparar un juicio posterior.

A fire strategy is typically established at an early stage of a construction project, but its underlying assumptions are tested only once the relevant solutions are finally designed and implemented.

An order for inspection and/or preservation of evidence requires a sufficient likelihood of infringement

Three-step test for determining the scope of the disclosure of the detailed description to be prepared by an expert (confirmation of UPC_CFI_539/2024)

Mandatory fee payment under R. 333.3 is a condition precedent for lodging an application for panel review under R. 333.2 RoP (mn. 22)

The French Court of Cassation has established a critical limitation on enforcing arbitral awards against State-linked entities when EU financial stability objectives are at stake. In a landmark ruling involving Greece's asset management vehicle HCAP, the Court held that while creditors may generally pursue assets of State emanations, this doctrine must yield when enforcement would undermine EU-mandated restructuring and stabilization programs. This decision fundamentally reshapes enforcement strategy for ar

A U.S. District Court ruling in Blasket Renewable Investments v. Kingdom of Spain establishes critical boundaries for post-judgment discovery against foreign sovereigns, confirming that judgment creditors may pursue broad asset discovery while protecting sensitive military information and requiring evidentiary support before treating state-linked entities as the sovereign itself.

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Greece, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

Ireland's new High Court rules establish a clear procedural framework for representative consumer actions, while the landmark ICCL v Microsoft case clarifies key questions about admissibility requirements and the burden of proof under GDPR. These developments provide businesses and qualified entities with greater certainty about how collective redress claims will be conducted, though significant cost barriers remain despite the new court fee exemption.

Evidence of this is readily available in the U.S., where Novo Nordisk is currently facing multiple class action lawsuits from investors alleging disclosure failures relating to GLP-1 products and the weight-loss drug CagriSema.

Ireland's collective litigation landscape is rapidly evolving with new qualified entities joining the register and the country's first representative action proceeding to trial. As third-party litigation funding recommendations loom on the horizon, businesses face an increasingly complex legal environment that demands careful attention to potential exposure and strategic risk assessment.