Where do I find official EU online forms for cross-border procedures?

Use the European e-Justice Portal’s Online forms hub and then open the dedicated form sets for each procedure (Small Claims, European Payment Order, European Enforcement Order, EAPO).

What is the official place to read EU Regulations and consolidated versions?

EUR-Lex is the official database for EU law. Use regulation numbers or CELEX identifiers and open consolidated texts where available.

Which procedure should I check first for a monetary claim across EU borders?

Start with the e-Justice Money & monetary claims section, then choose between Small Claims (where applicable) and the European Payment Order route, using the official forms pages.

Where can I verify competent courts and authorities in another EU Member State?

Use the European Judicial Atlas in civil matters on the e-Justice Portal and the procedure-specific country pages (court/authority information, filing notes, languages, fees).

Where do I find the official forms for the European Small Claims Procedure?

Use the e-Justice Small claims forms page (webgate) and open Form A (Claim form) for ESCP when starting a claim.

Where do I find the official forms for a European Payment Order?

Use the e-Justice European Payment Order forms page (webgate) and open Form A (Application for a European Payment Order).

Where do I find the official forms for a European Enforcement Order certificate?

Use the e-Justice European enforcement order forms page and the European Enforcement Order overview pages to confirm certificate use and language requirements.

Where do I find the official forms for freezing bank funds (EAPO)?

Use the e-Justice European Account Preservation Order forms page, which provides downloadable and online-fillable forms plus national guidance.

EU Litigation Resource Hub: e-Justice Forms, EUR-Lex Laws & Official Help

Who this hub is for (and what it is not)

This page is designed as a practical “starting dashboard” for EU cross-border civil & commercial disputes (claims, payments, enforcement, preservation of bank funds, service of documents, evidence). It links primarily to official EU portals and official legislation so you can verify details directly at source.

Important: national rules (fees, competent courts, filing methods, language requirements, deadlines) can change and can be nuanced. This hub provides orientation and official links, not a guarantee of correctness for any specific case. Always verify on the official page for the relevant Member State and consult counsel for case strategy.

How to use this guide in 15 minutes

Pick the right EU procedure (2 minutes): If your case is about a monetary claim, start with Money & monetary claims (e-Justice) and then open Online forms (e-Justice).
Open the official form set (3 minutes): Use the dedicated form pages for your procedure (links in the next section). If you need Form A, go straight to the “Form A” entry page.
Confirm jurisdiction and court details (4 minutes): Use the European Judicial Atlas in civil matters and the “courts/authorities” pages for the chosen Member State.
Verify the legal basis (3 minutes): Open the relevant Regulation on EUR-Lex (links below) and use the consolidated text if available.
Check national specifics (3 minutes): Go to the country page on e-Justice for court fees, languages accepted, service/enforcement info, and procedural notes.

Fast map: what you need → where to find it (official)

Need	Best official starting point	What to do there
EU online forms (fill/download)	Online forms (e-Justice)	Select procedure → generate filled-in PDF or download editable PDF
Small claims (up to €5000)	Small claims overview (e-Justice)	Confirm scope → open form set
European Payment Order (uncontested claim route)	European Payment Order overview (e-Justice)	Confirm conditions → open Form A
Enforcement abroad / certificate	European Enforcement Order overview (e-Justice)	Identify certificate forms and accepted languages
Freeze funds (bank account preservation)	EAPO forms (e-Justice)	Open application form set and national info
Read the law (official text)	EUR-Lex	Search by CELEX / regulation number; open consolidated text

EU forms & procedures you can use quickly (official form pages)

Below are the most-used EU civil/commercial procedures with official form portals. These pages typically let you fill forms online or download editable PDFs.

1) European Small Claims Procedure (ESCP)

Form set (official): Small claims forms (e-Justice)
Direct entry to Form A (official): Form A (Claim form) – ESCP
Procedure overview: Small claims (e-Justice)
Legal basis (EUR-Lex): Regulation (EC) No 861/2007 (ESCP)

5) Service of documents and taking of evidence (recast)

When your dispute spans multiple Member States, service of documents and evidence gathering can be decisive. Start with the e-Justice “online forms” hub and open the recast form sets:

Online forms hub (official): Online forms (webgate.e-Justice)
Legal basis (EUR-Lex): Regulation (EU) 2020/1784 (service of documents – recast) and Regulation (EU) 2020/1783 (taking of evidence – recast)

Mini-flows (quick decision paths)

Flow 1: “I have a cross-border monetary claim”

Open: Money & monetary claims (e-Justice).
If you want a simplified procedure and your claim fits ESCP: go to Small claims forms.
If you want an order for payment route: go to European Payment Order forms.
Confirm competent court and filing instructions via: European Judicial Atlas (civil).
Verify the legal basis and definitions on EUR-Lex (use the regulation links above).

Flow 2: “I need to enforce or secure payment abroad”

If you already have an uncontested judgment/order: check European enforcement order forms.
If you need to freeze funds in a bank account: start at EAPO forms.
Confirm national language requirements and competent authorities using the relevant country pages inside e-Justice/Atlas.

Country resources (selective): where to verify courts, deadlines and fees

For cross-border disputes, the “same” EU procedure can still have country-specific filing channels, fees, and competent authorities. Use the official sources below for verification. This section provides orientation only.

Core EU portals to use for any Member State

European Judicial Atlas (civil matters): Access the Atlas (jurisdiction/courts/authorities, procedure-specific guidance).
Online forms hub: Online forms (fill/download).
National pages within each procedure: open your procedure’s page and select the relevant country flag (examples: Small claims, Payment order).

EU legislation “triad” most often checked in cross-border disputes

Topic	Instrument (EUR-Lex)	Typical “why you open it”
Jurisdiction & recognition/enforcement	Regulation (EU) No 1215/2012 (Brussels I bis)	Competent courts; recognition/enforcement rules
Applicable law (contracts)	Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 (Rome I)	Which national law governs contract disputes
Applicable law (torts)	Regulation (EC) No 864/2007 (Rome II)	Which national law governs non-contractual obligations

Checklist: what to verify on the country page before filing

Which court is competent (and whether electronic filing is possible)
Which languages are accepted (forms, attachments, translations)
What fees apply and how they are paid
Where service of documents occurs and which channels are required
Time limits mentioned on the official country page (always double-check against the legal text and national rules)

Practical extras (official or widely used)

EUR-Lex search (direct): Advanced search (use Regulation number or CELEX).
EU e-Justice “Online Forms” service front door: online-forms.e-justice.europa.eu.
Official EU portal entry point: e-Justice Portal home.

ANNEX (required): Linkback targets with minimal activation (prioritized)

Purpose: These are public pages with low-friction “mention” mechanics (Webmention, pingback/trackback signals, RSS/planet inclusion workflows, or self-submit pages). The goal is that when this article is cited, syndicated, or referenced, some targets may generate an automatic backlink or a visible “mention”.

Quality filter applied: excluded targets that clearly look like paid-listing schemes or obvious SEO spam. Where a workflow requires review/approval, it is still listed only if the submission mechanism is public and straightforward.

(A) Webmention-enabled sites (proof via IndieWeb “Webmention” examples)

Proof standard used: each target is listed under “IndieWeb Examples” on indieweb.org/webmention, which documents Webmention usage and discovery conventions (including rel=”webmention”).

Target (exact URL)	Proof	Why relevant	Best section to cite	Recommended anchor text
https://aaronparecki.com/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention (IndieWeb Examples)	IndieWeb/Webmention community leader; frequently links to practical resource hubs	“EU forms & procedures you can use quickly”	“official EU litigation forms hub” / “e-Justice form links”
https://werd.io/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Indie publishing + link conversation culture; mentions can surface via Webmention	“Fast map: what you need → where to find it”	“EU dispute resources” / “cross-border litigation resources”
https://waterpigs.co.uk/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Web standards ecosystem; tends to amplify well-linked reference pages	“Country resources (selective)”	“European Judicial Atlas link” / “verify courts & fees via e-Justice”
https://adactio.com/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	High-visibility IndieWeb site; Webmention-friendly citation culture	“Mini-flows (quick decision paths)”	“EU procedure decision flow” / “which EU form to use”
https://barryfrost.com/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Webmention-enabled personal publishing; often aggregates mentions	“EU forms & procedures”	“European Payment Order forms” / “Small claims forms”
https://bear.im/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Indie publishing; Webmention-enabled interactions can surface linkbacks	“Fast map table”	“official EUR-Lex links” / “EU litigation checklist”
https://kartikprabhu.com/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	IndieWeb implementation writing; resource hubs fit the citation pattern	“Practical extras”	“e-Justice online forms” / “EUR-Lex advanced search”
https://jeena.net/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Webmention-enabled personal site; often shows received mentions	“EU legislation triad”	“Brussels I bis / Rome I / Rome II links”
https://wwwtech.de/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	IndieWeb examples list; Webmention-friendly site interactions	“How to use this guide in 15 minutes”	“15-minute EU litigation workflow” / “quick start EU procedure”
https://ben.thatmustbe.me/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Webmention-enabled site; suitable for cross-site mention experiments	“EU forms & procedures”	“European Account Preservation Order forms” / “European Enforcement Order forms”
https://beesbuzz.biz/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Webmention ecosystem participant; can generate visible mentions	“Country resources (selective)”	“European Judicial Atlas (civil)” / “verify courts & authorities”
https://jamesg.blog/	Listed on indieweb.org/webmention	Webmention-enabled blog; frequently references structured resource pages	“Fast map table”	“official e-Justice forms” / “EU litigation resource hub”

(B) WordPress pingback/trackback signals (rel=”pingback” shown in public pages)

Note: Many WordPress sites disable pingbacks. The targets below are public pages that explicitly show or document the <link rel="pingback" href="...xmlrpc.php" /> mechanism, which is the proof requirement for this category.

Target (exact URL)	Proof in page content	Why relevant	Best section to cite	Recommended anchor text
WordPress StackExchange: rel=”pingback” explained	Page includes the literal snippet `<link rel="pingback" href="http://www.example.com/xmlrpc.php" />`	Canonical technical explanation used by WP practitioners	“ANNEX: Linkback targets”	“WordPress pingback signal” / “pingback discovery tag”
WordPress.org Documentation: Trackbacks and Pingbacks	Official WP documentation describing pingbacks/trackbacks	Official documentation (high trust)	“ANNEX: Linkback targets”	“official WordPress pingback documentation” / “trackbacks & pingbacks”
WPExplorer: Clean WordPress head (rel tags)	Page discusses auto-generated rel tags in the head (including pingback removal context)	Shows how/why pingback tags appear and may be removed	“ANNEX: Linkback targets”	“WordPress head rel tags” / “pingback tag in head”
Stack Overflow: XML-RPC pinging / pingback-enabled pages	Page discusses “pingback enabled” discovery and XML-RPC context	Widely referenced engineering Q&A; clarifies pingback mechanisms	“ANNEX: Linkback targets”	“pingback-enabled page” / “XML-RPC pingback discovery”
Developer.WordPress.org: pingback() function reference	Official developer reference describing pingback behavior and discovery calls	Primary source for WordPress internals	“ANNEX: Linkback targets”	“WordPress pingback internals” / “pingback() reference”

(C) RSS/planet/hub aggregators that can include your resource hub

Proof standard used: each target includes a public “Add your feed/blog” instruction page or README with joining steps.

Target (exact URL)	Submit/Add instructions	Why relevant	Best section to cite	Recommended anchor text
https://identosphere.net/	Page includes an “Add Your Feed” section with submission instructions	Active “planet” style aggregator; can surface citations as links	“Fast map” + “EU forms & procedures”	“official EU forms hub” / “e-Justice & EUR-Lex resource page”
Planet GNOME joining instructions	Public steps to add a blog/feed (file an issue / config change)	Well-known community aggregator with documented process	“ANNEX” (methodology) or “Practical extras”	“resource hub (official links)” / “EU litigation checklist”
Fedora “Planet” wiki page	Includes “How to join the Planet” instructions	Public join workflow; credible project wiki	“ANNEX”	“EU litigation resource hub” / “official legal forms links”
Ubuntu Wiki: PlanetUbuntu	Includes “Adding Your Blog” instructions and conditions	Public join workflow; credible project wiki	“ANNEX”	“cross-border EU litigation resources” / “e-Justice forms hub”
PlanetPowerShell (GitHub)	README states you can add your blog to the feed	Public “add blog” workflow; link inclusion is typical	“ANNEX”	“EU legal forms resource hub” / “official EUR-Lex links”
Planet Xamarin (GitHub)	README invites adding your blog and sets guidelines	Public add workflow; aggregators commonly include links	“ANNEX”	“official e-Justice forms” / “EU procedure quick links”
Planet Plone (GitHub)	README describes “Add your feed” and contribution paths	Public repo process; link inclusion is typical	“ANNEX”	“EU litigation resource hub” / “e-Justice + EUR-Lex”
planet.bluesabre.org (GitHub)	Repository includes “Adding Your Blog” steps	Public add workflow; good for “minimal activation” submissions	“ANNEX”	“EU legal resources (official links)” / “EU litigation forms hub”

(D) Self-submit “resource inclusion” pages (no outreach; public submit path)

These targets provide a public, low-friction submission path (issue/PR template or public “add feed/blog” mechanism). Inclusion may still require moderator review, but the submission action is minimal and does not require private outreach.

Target (exact URL)	Submit page (exact)	Why relevant	Best section to cite	Recommended anchor text
Planet Plone	https://github.com/plone/planet.plone.org/issues	Public issue tracker is a minimal submission path for inclusion requests	“Fast map table”	“official EU litigation resource hub” / “EU forms & EUR-Lex links”
Planet Xamarin	https://github.com/planetxamarin/planetxamarin/issues	Public issues/PR flow; minimal activation	“EU forms & procedures”	“European Payment Order forms” / “Small claims forms”
PlanetPowerShell	https://github.com/planetpowershell/planetpowershell/issues	Public issues/PR flow; minimal activation	“EU legislation triad”	“Brussels I bis / Rome I / Rome II”
planet.bluesabre.org	https://github.com/bluesabre/planet.bluesabre.org/issues	Public repo workflow; minimal submission action	“How to use this guide in 15 minutes”	“15-minute EU litigation workflow” / “quick start guide”
Planet GNOME joining page	Use the “file a GitLab issue” step described here	Documented public path; no private outreach needed beyond the stated step	“Practical extras”	“e-Justice online forms” / “EUR-Lex advanced search”
Fedora Planet wiki	Use the “How to join the Planet” section	Documented public path; minimal activation	“Fast map table”	“official EU links hub” / “EU litigation resources”
PlanetUbuntu wiki	Use “Adding Your Blog” section	Documented public path; minimal activation	“Country resources (selective)”	“verify courts and fees” / “European Judicial Atlas”
Example public “add me to the planet” issue	https://github.com/NottingHack/website/issues/39	Shows the typical “submit via issue” pattern used by planet sites	“ANNEX”	“resource hub submission via public issue” / “planet inclusion request”

FAQ (quick answers)

These FAQs are informational and link-first. Always verify on the official page for your Member State and the relevant EU instrument.

Where do I find the official EU online forms?

Start at Online forms (e-Justice) and then open the specific procedure’s form set (small claims, payment order, enforcement order, EAPO).

Where do I read the official text of an EU Regulation?

Use EUR-Lex. If available, open the consolidated version and confirm the regulation number (e.g., 861/2007 for ESCP; 1896/2006 for EPO; 1215/2012 for Brussels I bis).

How do I verify which court is competent in another EU country?

Use the European Judicial Atlas in civil matters and the country pages inside the procedure you plan to use.