After more than two decades, the Republic of North Macedonia has adopted a new Civil Procedure Act, representing one of the most significant reforms of the civil justice system in recent years. The Act aims to modernize civil proceedings, accelerate the adjudication process, improve court efficiency, and provide stronger protection of the rights of individuals and legal entities. At the same time, the new legislative framework is intended to bring domestic law into closer alignment with European standards and contemporary trends in the digitalization of the judiciary.

The Act constitutes the most comprehensive reform of civil procedure since the adoption of the 2005 Civil Procedure Act and introduces numerous changes that will affect the manner in which civil court proceedings are conducted.

What are the key changes?

The new Act introduces a range of changes intended to make civil proceedings faster, simpler, and more efficient. Instead of lengthy and formally complex proceedings that often continue for years, the legislature has introduced procedural mechanisms designed to shorten the duration of court disputes and enable more active case management by the courts.

One of the key changes is the more active role of the court in managing the proceedings. The new Act requires courts to conduct proceedings without unnecessary delay, within a reasonable time, and at the lowest possible cost, while also preventing abuse of procedural rights (Article 10). At the same time, the fundamental principle remains unchanged: the parties are responsible for presenting the facts and proposing the evidence on which their claims are based (Article 7).

Digitalization of Civil Court Proceedings

One of the most significant reforms introduced by the new Civil Procedure Act is the digitalization of civil court proceedings and the establishment of a legal framework for the broader use of electronic means of communication between courts and litigants.

The Act expressly recognizes electronic form as an equivalent form of written communication by providing that the term “written form” also includes electronic documents created in accordance with the law. Furthermore, an electronic document cannot be denied evidentiary value solely because it is in electronic form (Article 13(2) and (3)).

In addition, the Act introduces a system of qualified electronic registered delivery for the service of court documents. Pursuant to Articles 128–130, service on attorneys-at-law, state authorities, local self-government units, legal entities, and other designated entities must be effected electronically through their registered electronic addresses. Natural persons, on the other hand, may opt to receive court documents electronically upon request.

The Act also precisely regulates the moment at which electronic service is deemed effective. Service is considered completed on the day the confirmation of receipt is received. If the recipient fails to retrieve the electronic document within eight days from the date of dispatch, service is deemed to have been duly effected upon the expiry of that eight-day period.

Beyond electronic service, the Act establishes a legal basis for the use of modern electronic tools throughout civil proceedings, including the possibility of conducting certain procedural actions and court hearings by electronic means, provided that the applicable legal and technical requirements are satisfied.

These reforms have the potential to significantly reduce administrative costs, improve communication between courts, attorneys, and litigants, reduce the need for physical attendance at court, and contribute to shorter and more efficient court proceedings. At the same time, they represent an important step towards the modernization of North Macedonia’s civil procedural framework and its further alignment with contemporary European standards.

Representative Actions – A New Mechanism for the Protection of Collective Rights

One of the most significant innovations introduced by the new Civil Procedure Act is the establishment of a special procedure for the protection of collective interests and rights, regulated by Articles 508–516 of the Act. These provisions create a dedicated procedural framework for bringing representative actions in cases where the collective interests and rights of a larger group of persons have been infringed or are seriously threatened by a particular act or omission.

Pursuant to Article 509, such actions may relate to areas including consumer protection, the prevention of discrimination, environmental protection, health-related rights, as well as other collective interests and rights protected by law. Under Article 511, an authorized claimant may request the court to:

• declare that a particular act or omission has infringed or seriously threatened collective interests and rights;
• prohibit the defendant from continuing such conduct or from using specific contractual terms or business practices;
• order the defendant to eliminate the harmful consequences of the infringement and, where possible, restore the previous state of affairs; and
• order the publication of the judgment in the media at the defendant’s expense.

Furthermore, the Act provides for the possibility of granting interim measures before or during the proceedings (Article 515), where there is a likelihood that collective interests and rights have been infringed or are seriously threatened and such measures are necessary to prevent further harm.

Article 512 also allows natural and legal persons, in separate compensation proceedings, to rely on the legal findings contained in a judgment rendered in representative action proceedings.

By introducing these provisions, North Macedonia’s civil procedural framework gains a modern mechanism for the protection of collective rights, designed to provide more effective judicial protection where unlawful conduct affects the interests of a larger group of persons, while further aligning domestic legislation with contemporary European standards.

This mechanism also enables more effective judicial protection in situations where bringing individual proceedings would be economically unjustifiable or practically unfeasible.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

For businesses, the new rules are intended to contribute to the more efficient resolution of commercial disputes, improve communication with the courts, and reduce administrative costs through the use of electronic services.

For individuals, the reforms are designed to provide faster access to justice, shorten the duration of court proceedings, and enhance legal certainty. If consistently implemented in practice, these reforms have the potential to significantly strengthen public confidence in the judicial system.

Conclusion

The new Civil Procedure Act represents one of the most significant procedural reforms in recent years. Through the gradual digitalization of civil proceedings, a more active role for the courts in case management, simplified procedural rules, the introduction of representative actions, and closer alignment with European standards, the legislature seeks to establish a more efficient, predictable, and modern civil justice system.

Although only practical implementation will determine whether the anticipated objectives are achieved, there is little doubt that the new Act establishes a modern procedural framework that is expected to contribute to faster, more efficient, and increasingly digitalized civil justice in North Macedonia.

KEY DATES

Act adopted: 3 July 2026 | In force: 16 July 2026 | General application: 16 January 2027 | Digital provisions: 16 January 2028

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When was the new Civil Procedure Act adopted?

The Civil Procedure Act was adopted by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia on 3 July 2026 and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia No. 151/2026 on 8 July 2026.

When does the Act enter into force and when does it become applicable?

Pursuant to Article 519, the Act entered into force on the eighth day following its publication, namely 16 July 2026. Its general application begins six months after its entry into force, on 16 January 2027.

However, the provisions relating to remote hearings and the taking of evidence at a distance, electronic documents, electronic service, qualified electronic signatures, and digitized copies of court decisions and court records will become applicable 18 months after the Act enters into force, namely on 16 January 2028.

What does the new Act mean for proceedings that are already pending?

The transitional regime depends on the procedural stage of the case. Under Article 517, where a first-instance judgment or another decision concluding the proceedings before the first-instance court has been rendered before the new Act becomes applicable, any further proceedings will continue under the previous Civil Procedure Act.

If such a first-instance decision is subsequently set aside after the new Act becomes applicable, the continued proceedings will be governed by the new Civil Procedure Act. In cases where no first-instance final decision has been rendered before the commencement of the Act’s application, the provisions of the new Act will apply.

Does the Act allow electronic communication with the courts?

Yes. The Act introduces electronic documents, electronic service of court documents, qualified electronic signatures, digitized court decisions and court records, as well as the possibility of conducting court hearings and taking certain evidence remotely. These provisions will become applicable 18 months after the Act enters into force.

What are representative actions for the protection of collective interests and rights?

These proceedings allow authorized associations, foundations, institutions, and other organizations, where expressly empowered by law, to seek judicial protection where an act or omission seriously infringes or threatens collective interests and rights, including the collective rights of consumers.

Will the new Act speed up court proceedings?

Accelerating court proceedings and improving procedural efficiency are among the principal objectives of the new Act. It requires proceedings to be conducted without unnecessary delay, introduces measures to prevent abuse of procedural rights, establishes specific rules for small claims proceedings, and provides for a broader use of digital technologies.

Nevertheless, the practical success of these reforms will ultimately depend on the technical readiness of the courts and the consistent implementation of the new procedural framework.