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Problems of Recognition of Foreign Judgments not Having a Reasoned Rationale: Access to Justice, Avoidance of Litigation and Issues of Efficiency

Gilles Cuniberti, 
Professor of Private International Law of the Faculty of Law, 
Economics and Finance of the University of Luxembourg 

Recognition of foreign judgments not having a reasoned rationale raises a number of political issues. A reasoned rationale of the decision is crucial to the European Court of Human Rights in order to ensure effective access to justice. However, foreign judgments often do not provide a reasoned rationale because the defendant had not appeared before the court and thus was punished for avoidance of judicial proceedings. Finally, the European Union began implementing its policy of improving the efficiency of cross-border enforcement of decisions, which encourages states to recognize foreign judgments regardless of any other judgments. This article examines the possibility of reaching an agreement on these issues, and is also considered another example of the openness of the French judicial system. For more than 30 years, French courts regularly recognize and enforce English judgments in absentia. Practice of making decisions without consideration of the merits and without detailed justification is unknown to French civil procedural legislation.

Keywords: recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments; civil procedure; efficiency of proceedings.

References 

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Information about the author: 

Gilles Cuniberti (Luxembourg) – Professor of International Private Law of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance of the University of Luxembourg (4, rue Alphonse Weicker L-2721 Luxembourg; e-mail: [email protected]).

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Gilles Cuniberti