Service Convention enters into force for Singapore
Today, 1 December 2023, the Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (1965 Service Convention) entered into force for the Republic of Singapore following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 16 May 2023. The 1965 Service Convention has 82 Contracting Parties. More information on this Convention is...
First Meeting of the Working Group on Parentage / Surrogacy
From 13 to 17 November 2023, the Working Group on Parentage / Surrogacy met for the first time. The meeting was held in person, with the possibility for online participation. It was attended by 54 participants in total. The participants represented 49 delegates from 30 Members and five participants from three Observers. Several staff members of the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH also attended the...
Child Support Convention enters into force for Botswana
Today, 16 November 2023, the Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (2007 Child Support Convention) entered into force for the Republic of Botswana following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 14 November 2022. At present, 48 States and the European Union are bound by the 2007 Child Support Convention....
Apostille Convention enters into force for the People’s Republic of China
Yesterday, 7 November 2023, the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961 Apostille Convention) entered into force for the People’s Republic of China. China deposited its instrument of accession on 8 March 2023, during the annual meeting of the Council on General Affairs and Policy. Prior to this date, the 1961...
Canada ratifies and Kyrgyzstan accedes to the Child Support Convention
The Permanent Bureau has been informed that, on 27 October 2023, Canada deposited its instrument of ratification of, and the Kyrgyz Republic its instrument of accession to, the Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (2007 Child Support Convention). With the ratification of Canada and the accession of Kyrgyzstan, 48...
Eighth Meeting of the Special Commission on the Practical Operation of the 1980 Child Abduction Convention and the 1996 Child Protection Convention
From 10 to 17 October 2023, the Eighth Meeting of the Special Commission (SC) on the Practical Operation of the 1980 Child Abduction Convention and the 1996 Child Protection Convention was held at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The meeting was attended by 471 delegates, in person and via videoconference, representing HCCH Members, non-Member Contracting Parties, and Observers, as well as by...
25th Anniversary of the International Hague Network of Judges
On 14 October 2023, on occasion of the 25th anniversary of the International Hague Network of Judges (IHNJ), Members of the IHNJ from over 30 jurisdictions met in The Hague. The meeting was held during the Eighth Meeting of the Special Commission on the Practical Operation of the 1980 Child Abduction and the 1996 Child Protection Conventions (SC). The IHNJ facilitates international cooperation...
Second Meeting of the HCCH-UNIDROIT Digital Assets and Tokens Joint Project
From 2 to 4 October 2023, the second meeting of the HCCH-UNIDROIT Joint Project on Law Applicable to Cross-Border Holdings and Transfers of Digital Assets and Tokens was held at the premises of the Secretariat of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) in Rome, in hybrid format. The Joint Project examines the desirability of developing coordinated guidance and...
25th anniversary of the HCCH website
Today, we joyfully celebrate 25 years of the HCCH’s online presence! On Thursday, 8 October 1998, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Mr D.J. van den Berg, officiated the launch of the new website of the HCCH, developed through a generous voluntary contributions from the Government of the Netherlands. For twenty-five years, our...
Rwanda accedes to the Apostille Convention and applies to become a Member of the HCCH
Today, 6 October 2023, the Republic of Rwanda deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961 Apostille Convention). With the accession of Rwanda, the 1961 Apostille Convention now has 126 Contracting Parties. It will enter into force for Rwanda on 5 June 2024. More information on this...