Publication of the HCCH 2022 Annual Report

The Permanent Bureau is pleased to announce the publication of the HCCH 2022 Annual Report. Throughout the past year, the HCCH continued to advance its legislative work and to promote the effective operation of its Conventions, successfully convening the meetings of two Experts’ Groups, three Working Groups, and three Special Commissions, the latter tasked with reviewing the practical...

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Publication of the Practical Guide to Access to Justice for International Tourists and Visitors

The Permanent Bureau is pleased to announce the publication of the Practical Guide to Access to Justice for International Tourists and Visitors. The Practical Guide is intended to assist international tourists and visitors to foreign countries seeking access to justice for disputes arising from their tourism experience by providing information on online dispute resolution (ODR) mechanisms that...

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Adoption Convention enters into force for Botswana

Today, 1 March 2023, the Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993 Adoption Convention) entered into force for the Republic of Botswana following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 14 November 2022. The 1993 Adoption Convention currently has 105 Contracting Parties. More information on this Convention is...

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Azerbaijan accedes to the Service Convention and Child Support Convention

The Permanent Bureau has been informed that on 17 February 2023 the Republic of Azerbaijan deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (1965 Service Convention) and the Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family...

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Fourth Meeting of the Working Group on Jurisdiction

From 13 to 17 February 2023, the Working Group on Matters Related to Jurisdiction in Transnational Civil or Commercial Litigation met for the fourth time. The meeting, held in hybrid format, was attended by 70 experts in total, of which 24 attended in person. The experts represented 24 Members and two Observers. Several staff members of the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH also attended the...

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Regional Conference – “The HCCH and the Relevance of its Work for Southern Africa”

On 7 and 8 February 2023, the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH has the pleasure of co-organising the Regional Conference “The HCCH and the relevance of its work for Southern Africa”, together with Finland and South Africa, with the participation of Namibia and Tanzania, as well as other Southern African Development Community (SADC) States, and hosted by the University of Pretoria (South...

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Child Abduction Convention enters into force for Botswana

Today, 1 February 2023, the Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980 Child Abduction Convention) entered into force for the Republic of Botswana following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 14 November 2022. The 1980 Child Abduction Convention currently has 103 Contracting Parties. More information on this Convention is available on...

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El Salvador accedes to the Evidence Convention

Today, 19 January 2023, the Republic of El Salvador deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention of 18 March 1970 on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (1970 Evidence Convention). The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Depositary of the HCCH Conventions. El Salvador was represented by H.E. Ms Carmen María...

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Publication of the Second Edition of the Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Apostille Convention

The Permanent Bureau is pleased to announce the publication of the second edition of the Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Apostille Convention (Apostille Handbook). The Apostille Handbook, first published in 2013, provides guidance on the practical implementation and operation of the 1961 Apostille Convention, applied tens of millions of times every year to the benefit of individuals,...

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