The Hague Conference
on Private
International Law
HCCH
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Our Purpose
The Origin
1893
Work in
Progress
Jurisdiction and foreign
judgments in civil &
commercial matters
Indirectly held securities
Progressive Unification
of the Rules of Private
International Law
(jurisdiction, applicable
law, enforcement,
cooperation)
So far…
34 Conventions
since 1955
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Member States (61) of the Hague
Conference on Private International Law
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Member States (61) of the HCCH …
Albania
Egypt
Latvia
Slovakia
Argentina
Estonia
Luxembourg
Slovenia
Australia
Finland
Lithuania
South Africa
Austria
Former Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia
Malta
Spain
Mexico
Sri Lanka
Monaco
Suriname
Morocco
Sweden
Netherlands
Switzerland
New Zealand
Turkey
Norway
United Kingdom of
Great Britain &
Northern Ireland
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia &
Herzegovina
France
Georgia
Brazil
Germany
Bulgaria
Greece
Canada
Hungary
Chile
Ireland
China
Israel
Croatia
Italy
Cyprus
Japan
Czech Republic
Jordan
Denmark
Republic of Korea
Panama
Peru
Poland
United States of
America
Portugal
Uruguay
Romania
Venezuela
Russian Federation
Yugoslavia
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
… but there’s more to join us
States that have been admitted after voting procedure
but still need to accept the Statute:
Ukraine
States who are
studying membership:
States whose admission has
been submitted to Vote:
Costa Rica
Colombia
Lebanon
Paraguay
Tunisia
Malaysia
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Procedures to become a
Member State of the HCCH
Statute of 15 July 1955
Article 2
Article 2 (1)
States which have participated in
one or more of the earlier Sessions
may become Members of the
HCCH by accepting the Statute
Article 2 (2)
Article 2 (3)
• Letter of Intention
• Proposal Netherlands Government
• Voting Procedure
(majority, 6 months)
• Acceptance of Statute
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
The network of 114 States party
to at least one Convention
Albania
Burkina Faso
Georgia
Lesotho
Norway
Spain
Andorra
Burundi
Germany
Liberia
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Antigua &
Barbuda
Canada
Greece
Liechtenstein
Panama
Suriname
Chile
Grenada
Luxembourg
Paraguay
Swaziland
Argentina
China
Guatemala
Lithuania
Peru
Sweden
Armenia
Colombia
Holy See
Malawi
Philippines
Switzerland
Australia
Costa Rica
Honduras
Malta
Poland
Tonga
Austria
Croatia
Hungary
Marshall Islands
Portugal
Trinidad & Tobago
Bahamas
Cyprus
Iceland
Mauritius
Romania
Turkey
Barbados
Czech Republic
Ireland
Mexico
Denmark
Israel
Italy
Republic of
Moldova
Russian
Federation
Turkmenistan
Belarus
Saint Kitts & Nevis
Saint Lucia
United Kingdom
of Great Britain &
Northern Ireland
Belgium
Ecuador
Belize
Egypt
Japan
Monaco
Bolivia
El Salvador
Jordan
Mongolia
Samoa
Bosnia &
Herzegovina
Estonia
Kazakhstan
Morocco
San Marino
Fiji
Republic of Korea
Namibia
Seychelles
Kuwait
Netherlands
Singapore
Kyrgyzstan
New Zealand
Slovakia
Latvia
Nicaragua
Slovenia
Lebanon
Niger
South Africa
Botswana
Brazil
Finland
Brunei
Darussalam
Former Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia
Bulgaria
France
Niue
Ukraine
United States of
America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Yugoslavia
Zimbabwe
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
The “key” Conventions I
Judicial and Administrative Co-operation:
•
5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for
Foreign Public Documents
•
15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and
Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters
•
18 March 1970 on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or
Commercial Matters
•
25 October 1980 on International Access to Justice
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
The “key” Conventions II
The children’s Conventions:
•
•
•
25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child
Abduction
29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in
respect of Intercountry Adoption
19 October 1996 on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law
Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of
Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection
of Children
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Other Conventions…
Maintenance Obligations
Traffic Accidents
Administration of Estates
Products Liability
Trusts
etc.
(34 Conventions since 1955)
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Our Budget…
Our tasks:
Scientific Research
approximately
US $ 1.5 million
Our resources:
Negotiation
Promotion
Monitoring
Networking
Five Lawyers
Ten Permanent
Support Staff
Training
Five Temporary
Support Staff
Contacts
Stagiaires
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
The Hague Conference
on the move…
© Hague Conference on Private International Law
Questions?
Secretariat at the Permanent Bureau
Hague Conference on Private International Law
Scheveningseweg 6
2517 KT The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (70) 363 3303 or Fax: +31 (70) 360 4867
e-mail: secretariat@hcch.net
© Hague Conference on Private International Law