14/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the JHA Council adopted a common position on the regulation setting up a procedure for resolving civil and commercial claims under €2000. The aim of the regulation is to simplify and accelerate the settlement of small claims, both pecuniary and non-pecuniary, and to reduce costs by setting up a European procedure, which claimants will be able to use alongside the procedures provided for in member states' legislations. The regulation gets rid of the exequatur. Thus, any legal decision will automatically be recognised and carried out in all other member states, with no possibility of challenging its recognition. Parliament gave its backing to the proposal in December 2006 (see EUROPE 9329). The new procedure will apply from 1 January 2009. (bc)