Press Release: Commission adopts proposal to boost mediation in civil and commercial matters

The European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive on 22 October 2004 seeking to promote the use of mediation by citizens and business for all disputes in the field of civil and commercial law. The proposal aimed to provide a predictable and clear legal framework while safeguarding the flexibility and informal nature of the mediation process. In its attempt to improve access to justice it forms part of the policy to establish the European Union as an area of freedom, security and justice.