Kosovo joins the Hague Apostille Convention

On 6 November 2015, Kosovo deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (the "Apostille Convention").

At the ceremony, which took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (i.e. the Depositary), H.E. Ms Vjosa Dobruna, Ambassador of Kosovo, and Counsellor Besnik Ramadanaj represented the Embassy of Kosovo. On behalf of the Depositary, Head of the Treaties Division Mr Joseph Damoiseaux, Head of the Publication Section of the Treaties Division Mr Jules van Eijndhoven and Legal Officer Mr Mark Groen also attended the ceremony. Secretary General Mr Christophe Bernasconi and Principal Legal Officer Ms Mayela Celis represented the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).

Pursuant to Article 12 of the Apostille Convention, the Depositary shall give notice to the Contracting States of the accession of Kosovo. Such accession shall have effect only as regards the relations between Kosovo and those Contracting States which have not raised any objection to its accession by 15 May 2016. The Apostille Convention currently counts 109 Contracting Parties.