Entry into force of amendments to the Statute of the Hague Conference on Private International Law

On 1 January 2007, a revised version of the Statute of the Hague Conference - in French and English, both texts from then on being equally authentic - entered into force.

The original Statute, adopted during the Seventh Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law on 31 October 1951 (in French only), entered into force on 15 July 1955. Amendments were adopted during the Twentieth Session on 30 June 2005, and approved on 30 September 2006 (see Final Act of the Twentieth Session, under C 1-3).

The main purpose of the amendments is to make it possible for certain Regional Economic Integration Organisations to become a Member of the Hague Conference (Article 3). The admission procedure of the European Community – in addition to its 27 States all of which are already Members of the Conference -  is expected to be finalised during 2007  (see also Final Act of the Twentieth Session, under C 5-6).

In addition, the amendments include revisions of the text so that it conforms with existing practices that have developed since the Statute initially came into force more than 50 years ago.

Also, on 1 January 2007, new Rules of Procedure entered into force, in accordance with the decision of the Twentieth Session  (see Final Act of the Twentieth Session, under C 4).