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On 12 September 2013, the Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law formally opened the six month period for existing Members to vote on the proposal of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to admit the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Singapore as new Members of the Organisation. The Netherlands presented its proposal in response to interest expressed by both States in joining the Hague Conference. 

Under the Hague Conference Statute, existing Members have six months to submit their vote on the proposal, in this case until 11 March 2014. Once the voting period ends and the proposal to admit Azerbaijan and Singapore is affirmed by the majority of the votes cast, both States may then deposit their instrument of acceptance of the Statute. A State is formally considered a Member of the Hague Conference as of the date it deposits this instrument.

Azerbaijan is a Contracting State to the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation For Foreign Public Documents and the Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Moreover, Azerbaijan participated, as invited State, in the Special Commission meetings held in 2005 on the 1993 Intercountry Adoption Convention, in 2012 on Choice of Law in International Contracts, and in 2012 on the Apostille Convention.

Singapore is a Contracting State to the Convention of 18 March 1970 on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters and the Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. It also participated, as invited State, in the Special Commission meetings held in 2003 on the Service, Evidence and Apostille Conventions, as well as in 2011 and 2012 on the Child Abduction and Child Protection Conventions.