Increasing attention has been given at the national, regional, and international levels to the establishment of effective protection order regimes for victims or potential victims of domestic violence, domestic abuse, family violence and other forms of harmful interpersonal behaviour.
Protection orders are intended to help safeguard individuals at risk by enabling authorities to impose preventive and protective measures in situations involving violence, coercion, threats, harassment, or other harmful conduct. Jurisdictions around the world have developed legal frameworks providing for such measures.
The possible utility of further international work in this area was first raised within the HCCH in 2011, in the context of the Sixth Meeting of the Special Commission on the practical operation of the 1980 Child Abduction and 1996 Child Protection Conventions, in connection with the return of children accompanied by an at-risk parent. Between 2011 and 2018, the Permanent Bureau carried out extensive research and preliminary work on the recognition and enforcement of foreign civil protection orders. All this work remains accessible on the HCCH website here.
In 2018, the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP) decided to remove the topic from the Agenda, with the understanding that it may be revisited at a later stage.
Around the world, many children and adults, especially women, continue to face domestic violence and other violent, coercive, controlling, or intimidatory behaviours both online and offline, including in cross-border situations. Coupled with increasing global mobility, these developments continue to demonstrate the practical relevance of effective cross-border co-operation in this area.
Against this background, and building on the Sandton (South Africa) and Fortaleza (Brazil) Fora on Domestic Violence and the Operation of Article 13(1)(b) of the 1980 Convention, CGAP mandated the establishment of a Working Group (WG) on a potential future Convention on cross-border recognition and enforcement of protection orders (REPO).
Council on General Affairs and Policy 2026
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Welcoming the proposal from the United Kingdom, CGAP mandated the establishment of a Working Group on a potential future convention on cross-border recognition and enforcement of protection orders (REPO).
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This Working Group will build on previous work by the PB in 2011-2018 and the Experts’ Group in 2014 and further explore the feasibility of, and initially develop policy aims for, a potential future convention on REPO. The Working Group will report to CGAP 2027.
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To facilitate the work of the Working Group, CGAP mandated the PB to:
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update its 2012 Questionnaire with a view to collecting information from Member States on civil protection orders available in their States and laws applicable available in their States for cross-border recognition and enforcement of protection orders;
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circulate this Questionnaire in June 2026 and request responses by the end of September 2026.
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CGAP further mandated the PB to make arrangements for an in-person Working Group meeting with the possibility for online participation, ahead of CGAP 2027. CGAP thanked the United Kingdom for its offer to host this Working Group meeting including to cover travel costs for HCCH staff, and supports this proposal.