Ukraine accedes to the 1980 Access to Justice Convention
On 21 May 2026, Ukraine deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention of 25 October 1980 on International Access to Justice (1980 Access to Justice Convention).
At the ceremony, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, depositary of the HCCH Conventions, Ukraine was represented by H.E. Mr Andriy Kostin, Ambassador to the Netherlands, and Ms Mariia Bezdieniezhna, Legal Counsel at the Embassy of Ukraine. The depositary was represented by Mr Jules van Eijndhoven, Head of the Treaties Division, Mr Rieks Boekholt, Senior Legal Officer at the Treaties Division, Mr Vincent Sprokholt, Senior Policy Officer at the Europe Department, and Ms Kedi Negede, Policy Officer at the Europe Department. The Permanent Bureau of the HCCH was represented by Ms Melissa Ford, First Secretary (Diplomat Lawyer) and Head of the Transnational Litigation and Apostille Division.
With the accession of Ukraine, the 1980 Access to Justice Convention now has 29 Contracting Parties. It will enter into force for Ukraine on 1 August 2026. More information on this Convention is available on the Access to Justice Section of the HCCH website.
Ukraine has been a Member of the HCCH since 2003 and is now a Contracting Party to 14 HCCH instruments.