European Small Claims Procedure in Slovakia

Abstract

The paper focuses on the peculiarities of the European Small Claims Procedure and the application of this mechanism in the Slovak Republic. The main provisions of the European Union Regulation (EC) No. 861/2007 (in full Regulation (EC) No. 861/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 establishing a European Small Claims Procedure), which introduces this procedure, are investigated, in particular the stages of consideration of the case from the submission of the application by the applicant to the execution of the court judgment and the possibility of appeal. Particular attention is paid to the provisions of the Contentious Civil Procedure Code of the Slovak Republic, which regulates the procedural actions during consideration of small cases, which are not regulated by the above-mentioned European Union Regulation (EC) No. 861/2007. The practical component is analysed on the basis of court cases considered by courts of the first instance in Slovakia. The problematic issues that arise during the application of the European Small Claims Procedure are highlighted.

Keywords

• civil law
• european small claims procedure
• small claims
• simplified proceedings
• the european union regulation (ec) no. 861/2007
• cross-border cases
• the contentious civil procedure code
• consideration of the case within a reasonable time
• access to justice
• principle of proportionality
• principle of equality of arms
• the slovak republic