This two-day seminar offers a thorough understanding of the legal consequences of cross-border civil and commercial matters within the European Union by providing a detailed account of the Regulation (EC) 1215/2012 (Brussels I-bis) that will be applicable from 10 January 2015. The purpose of this Regulation is to facilitate and speed up the circulation of judgments in civil and commercial matters within the Union, in line with the principle of mutual recognition. The recast Brussels I Regulation will substantially simplify the system that has been put in place by ‘Brussels I’ as it will abolish the exequatur, i.e. the procedure for the declaration of enforceability of a judgment in another EU Member State. The seminar will analyse in depth the effect of the abolishment of the exequatur and deal with issues of special jurisdiction, choice-of-court agreements, lis pendens and related actions, as well as disputes involving third country defendants.