The EU and Ukraine join the 2019 Judgments Convention – Ukraine ratifies the 2007 Maintenance Obligations Protocol
Today, 29 August 2022, the European Union (EU) deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (Judgments Convention), becoming the first Contracting Party to the Convention. Shortly after, Ukraine deposited its instrument of ratification of the Judgments Convention.
With the EU’s accession and Ukraine’s ratification, the Judgments Convention now has two Contracting Parties, triggering its entry into force on 1 September 2023 – just over four years after its adoption on 2 July 2019. The EU’s accession will bind all EU Member States, with the exception of Denmark. More information on this Convention is available on the Judgments Section of the HCCH website.
The same day, Ukraine deposited its instrument of ratification of the Protocol of 23 November 2007 on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations (Maintenance Obligations Protocol).
With the ratification of Ukraine, the Maintenance Obligations Protocol now has 32 Contracting Parties. It will enter into force for Ukraine on 1 December 2022. More information on this instrument is available on the Child Support Section of the HCCH website.
At the ceremony, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (the depositary), the EU was represented by H.E. Ms Katerina Sequensova, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ms Martina Filippiova, Legal Counsel at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, and Mr Didier Herbert, Head of the European Commission's Representation in the Netherlands, while Ukraine was represented by H.E. Mr Maksym Kononenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Ms Mariia Bezdieniezhna, Legal Counsel at the Embassy of Ukraine. Mr Jules van Eijndhoven, Head of the Treaties Division, Mr Rieks Boekholt, Legal Officer, Mr Stephan Hessels, Legal Officer, represented the depositary, while Ms Noura Ten Kate, Legislative Lawyer, represented the Ministry of Justice of the Netherlands. The Permanent Bureau of the HCCH was represented by Mr Philippe Lortie, First Secretary, and Ms Ning Zhao, Senior Legal Officer.
The EU has been a Member of the HCCH since 2007 and is a Contracting Party to three other HCCH instruments. In addition, the individual EU Member States are each party to many other HCCH Conventions and instruments. Ukraine has been a Member of the HCCH since 2003 and is a Contracting Party to ten other HCCH instruments.