European Union: Court Procedure

Ireland's High Court has issued formal guidance on using generative AI in legal proceedings, requiring human oversight, verification, and disclosure when AI tools are employed in court documents and expert reports. While the directive specifically applies to High Court proceedings, its implications extend to Tax Appeals Commission cases, where expert evidence must remain independent and any substantial use of AI must be declared to ensure reliability and evidential weight.

The Irish High Court has clarified the standards for material non-disclosure in ex parte Letters Rogatory applications, examining when procedural omissions warrant setting aside judicial assistance orders. This decision explores the balance between full disclosure obligations and the court's discretion to maintain orders where non-disclosure was inadvertent and no prejudice resulted.

Navigating property transfers when debts to the Greek State prevent obtaining a tax clearance certificate presents significant challenges. This article examines the court-authorised private sale mechanism under Article 998(6) of the Greek Code of Civil Procedure, which enables property transfers while limiting the State's recovery to 25% of the purchase price, and explores how this procedure is reshaping real estate transactions in Greece.

Una comunidad de propietarios contrató obras de restauración de fachadas con financiación bancaria individual para cada propietario, pero la empresa contratista abandonó el proyecto tras recibir el dinero. El Tribunal Supremo debe determinar si los propietarios pueden reclamar solidariamente tanto a la empresa como al banco financiador, y si pueden oponer el incumplimiento del contrato de obra frente a sus obligaciones de pago del préstamo.

Högsta domstolen har avgjort en central fråga om hur hyresvärdar ska delge uppsägningar av lokalhyresavtal till juridiska personer enligt jordabalken.

Germany has enacted reforms establishing specialised international commercial court chambers that allow English-language proceedings and streamlined appeals directly to the Federal Court of Justice. This development positions German state courts as a competitive alternative to arbitration for cross-border commercial disputes, prompting parties to reassess their dispute resolution strategies in contracts with a German nexus.

Twelve commercial courts in France have been transformed into Economic Activity Tribunals (TAE) as part of a four-year experiment, introducing a mandatory "contribution for economic justice" fee for companies filing claims exceeding €50,000. This new financial charge, validated by the Constitutional Council with important reservations, aims to discourage abusive litigation while encouraging alternative dispute resolution.

Electronic invoicing has changed the manner in which invoices and other transaction documents are issued and circulated in commercial transactions and transactions involving self-employed professionals. It has not, however, altered the fundamental procedural requirement that a claim be evidenced in writing in order for an enforceable payment order to be issued.

The Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court recently issued a decision examining whether omitting an elastomeric sealing member from a patent claim constitutes added matter, applying the EPO's "gold standard" test while emphasizing the importance of functional and structural relationships between features. The ruling provides crucial insight into how the UPC approaches intermediate generalizations and whether its methodology differs from the notoriously strict EPO practice on added subject-matter.