1. EEC - Judicial cooperation in civil matters – Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 - Scope - Excluded matters - Bankruptcy, proceedings relating to the winding-up of insolvent companies or other legal persons, judicial arrangements, compositions and analogous proceedings - Definition – Claim for compensation under the Companies Act - Whether included

2. EEC - Judicial cooperation in civil matters - Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 - Exclusive jurisdiction - Expression "regardless of domicile" within the meaning of Article 22 of the regulation - Interpretation – Defendant domiciled in a non-contracting State – No effect

There is a legal issue concerning the scope of Article 1(2)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 and the application of Article 22 (exclusive jurisdiction) to a defendant domiciled in a State that is not party to the regulation.

The Court of Appeal held that although the company in question was a party in "related proceedings" concerning bankruptcy and winding-up in India, the proceedings in the case in point related to a claim for compensation under the Companies Act 1985, meaning that jurisdiction was not precluded.

The phrase "regardless of domicile" in Article 22 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 must be interpreted in the context of the regulation. Consequently, Article 22 does not apply to a defendant not resident in an EU Member State.

This was the first time that the UK courts had handled a case like this.