Procedural time limits – general information

When you are involved in a civil dispute and think you may have to litigate, you must be aware that there is certain deadline for taking action. All modern legal systems including those of the 28 Member States provide for the temporal limitation of civil claims. The laws governing limitation or prescription periods vary greatly with respect to the length of the time limits, when exactly the time limit starts and depending on which act or event suspends or interrupts the time limit. The law applicable to the claim also governs the limitation period affecting the claim.