CGAP 2023 – New accessions and ratifications

On 8 March 2023, the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP) of the HCCH witnessed China accede to the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961 Apostille Convention) and Malta ratify the Convention of 13 January 2000 on the International Protection of Adults (2000 Protection of Adults Convention).

H.E. Mr Jian Tan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, deposited China’s instrument of accession to the 1961 Apostille Convention. China has been a Member of the HCCH since 1987 and is now a Contracting Party to four HCCH Conventions. The 1961 Apostille Convention, which has 124 Contracting Parties, will enter into force for China on 7 November 2023. The Convention is already in force in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China. More information is available on the Apostille Section of the HCCH website.

H.E. Mr Mark Pace, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, deposited Malta’s instrument of ratification of the 2000 Protection of Adults Convention. Malta has been a Member of the HCCH since 1995 and is now a Contracting Party to 13 HCCH Conventions and instruments. The 2000 Protection of Adults Convention will enter into force for Malta on 1 July 2023. With this ratification, the Convention now has 15 Contracting Parties. More information is available on the Protection of Adults Section of the HCCH website.