In the Preparatory Committee’s 13th meeting on 7/8 December 2015, after electing Alexander Ramsay (Sweden) as the new Chair (Paul van Beukering having stepped down) and Louise Åkerblom (Luxembourg) as Vice Chair, the Committee progressed the outstanding strands of its work.  Regarding Court fees and recoverable costs, the sub-group presented a revised proposal and it was agreed that this would be fine-tuned for agreement at the Committee’s next meeting (on 24/25 February 2016).  The Committee agreed the Mediation Rules, discussed the Rules governing the Registry and the Rules of the Advisory Committee (expecting to agree these in its next meeting) and also discussed the draft Protocol on Privileges and Immunity of the UPC.  The relevant working group presented for debate the suggested design of the judicial recruitment and training process, and will now elaborate on this for the next Committee meeting.  Following the February meeting, the next Committee meetings are planned for April, May and June 2016 – which is in line with its plan for completing its work by mid 2016 and the Court being operational at the start of 2017.