The Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (HCCH 1965 Service Convention) provides for the channels of transmission to be used when a judicial or extrajudicial document is to be transmitted from one Contracting Party to the Convention to another Contracting Party for service in the latter. The Convention establishes a main channel of transmission via a designated Central Authority, as well as alternative channels of transmission. The Convention deals primarily with the expedient transmission of documents; it does not address or comprise substantive rules relating to the actual service of process.
This specialised section contains a range of information on the Convention, including its full text, current status, and other practical information per Contracting Party, amongst others.
Explanatory documents:
Mandatory Form (Request - Summary - Certificate):
The form is mandatory when the main channel of transmission is used (i.e., via a Central Authority) - the "Summary" part of the form is recommended when an alternative channel is used
- Fillable version (multiple languages)
- Instructions for filling out the "Summary" and recommended Warning
- Recommendation on the warning
- Explanatory Report on the recommendation
Special Commissions:
Expert meetings to review the practical operation of the Convention:
- 2024: Conclusions & Recommendations
- 2014: Conclusions & Recommendations
- 2009: Conclusions & Recommendations
- 2003: Conclusions & Recommendations
- 1989: Report
- 1977: Report
Questionnaires & Responses:
Seminars & Events:
- HCCH a|Bridged Edition 2019 (11 December 2019, The Hague, Netherlands)
- Other seminars relating to the Service Convention
