Meeting of the Working Group on Preventing and Addressing Illicit Practices in Intercountry Adoption
From 21 to 23 May 2019, the Working Group on Preventing and Addressing Illicit Practices in Intercountry Adoption met at the offices of the Permanent Bureau (PB) of the HCCH in The Hague. The meeting was attended by 31 experts and members of the PB. The experts represented 18 States, both from States of origin and receiving States, as well as three international organisations. The mandate...
HCCH Child Abduction Convention: Practice of Application, Minsk, Belarus
On 17 May 2019, the United Nations’ Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of the Republic of Belarus co-organised the Conference on the HCCH Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: Practice of Application, in Minsk, Belarus. The event witnessed not only the formal signature of the cooperation plan between Belarus and UNICEF, but also the amendment of the...
HCCH and the World Justice Forum – Committing to Justice for All
From 29 April to 2 May, the HCCH Permanent Bureau was represented at the World Justice Forum VI, which was held in the Hague, the Netherlands. The Forum presented an invaluable opportunity to introduce the work of the HCCH to a wider audience and to showcase the important contribution of the organisation to cross-border access to justice for individuals, families and companies. On the final day...
Apostille Convention enters into force for Philippines
On 14 May 2019, the HCCH Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) entered into force for Philippines, following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 12 September 2018. The Apostille Convention currently has 117 Contracting Parties. Member State of the HCCH since 2010, Philippines is currently...
Volume XXIII of the Judges’ Newsletter (Winter 2018-Spring 2019)
The Permanent Bureau is pleased to announce the publication of Volume XXIII of the Judges’ Newsletter (Winter 2018-Spring 2019) with a Special Focus on “The 20th Anniversary of the International Hague Network of Judges (IHNJ)” which was celebrated on the occasion of the 3rd IHNJ Global Meeting held in Miami from 24 until 26 October 2018. This “Anniversary”...
The Child Abduction Convention enters into force in Guyana
On 1 May 2019, the HCCH Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (“Child Abduction Convention”) entered into force for Guyana, following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 5 February 2019. The Child Abduction Convention currently has 100 Contracting Parties. In addition to the Child Abduction Convention, Guyana is a Contracting...
The Evidence Convention enters into force for Nicaragua
On 28 April 2019, the HCCH Convention of 18 March 1970 on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (Evidence Convention) entered into force for Nicaragua, following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 27 February 2019. The Evidence Convention currently has 62 Contracting Parties. While not a Member State of the HCCH yet, Nicaragua is currently Party to...
Nicaragua accedes to the 2007 Child Support Convention
Today, the Permanent Bureau (PB) was informed that on 8 March 2019 Nicaragua had deposited its instrument of accession to the HCCH Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (“Child Support Convention”). This brings the number of Contracting Parties to 41 (incl. REIOs and States bound as a result of approval by an...
Apostille Convention enters into force for Guyana
On 18 April 2019, the HCCH Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention) entered into force for Guyana, following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 30 July 2018. The Apostille Convention currently has 117 Contracting Parties. While not a Member State of the HCCH yet, Guyana is currently Party to...
African Regional Conference on the HCCH Children’s Conventions
From 2 to 3 April 2019, 149 senior government officials, judges, legal practitioners, academics, social service practitioners, researchers and other experts from Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guinea, Israel, Japan, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom (England and Scotland), United States of...