The European Commission (EC) has proposed a small-claims procedure for claimants pursuing cross-border disputes that will see cases worth less than 2,000 euros (£1,365) dealt with mainly on paper - and without the involvement of lawyers.

The EC is hoping to introduce the plans, which will also mean a six-month deadline from lodging the claim to final judgment, by October this year. The EC argues that many member states do not have streamlined procedures for small claims, which means that the cost is 'often disproportionate to the amounts at stake', particularly owing to two sets of lawyers' fees, travel costs and interpreter costs.


It is also looking into simpler arrangements for enforcing payment orders for uncontested claims between member states, and has adopted a similar scrutiny for default orders. The EC anticipates that new regulations for all three procedures will be effective from October, although it recognises that there is a debate over whether they should apply solely to cross-border litigation or be extended to domestic cases.


The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) said: 'The matter is a major issue for both claimants and their lawyers. We are currently considering the proposals.'


APIL has previously argued against any expansion of the small- claims scheme for personal injury cases in the UK on the grounds that they often involve complex evidence and can create an unlevel playing field, as clients are up against big businesses and insurers.