First Meetings of the Working Groups (WGs) on the Practical Handbooks and Country Profiles for the 1965 Service and 1970 Evidence Conventions
In March 2024, the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP) approved the establishment of two Working Groups (WGs), consisting of representatives from a variety of geographical regions, to review and refine updates to the Practical Handbooks and Country Profiles relevant to the 1965 Service and 1970 Evidence Conventions, respectively (see Conclusion and Decisions Nos 46-49 of CGAP 2024).
The first meeting of the WG on the Practical Handbook and Country Profile for the 1965 Service Convention was held online on 17 May, hosted by the Permanent Bureau (PB) in The Hague. The meeting was attended by 37 delegates representing 22 Members, as well as by members of the PB. The first meeting of the WG on the Practical Handbook and Country Profile for the 1970 Evidence Convention was held online a few days later, on 21 May, hosted by the PB in The Hague. The meeting was attended by 26 delegates representing 20 Members, as well as by members of the PB. During the two meetings, participants discussed the amended versions of the revised draft Practical Handbooks for the 1965 Service and 1970 Evidence Conventions, which incorporate comments provided by Members during a ten-week consultation held earlier this year.
The two WGs will meet again on 28 May to discuss the Country Profiles for the 1965 Service and 1970 Evidence Conventions. They will then present their recommendations on the Practical Handbooks and Country Profiles at the July 2024 meeting of the Special Commission (SC) on the Practical Operation of the 1965 Service, 1970 Evidence and 1980 Access to Justice Conventions. Following the meeting of the SC, the WGs will reconvene online to discuss further updates and finalise the Practical Handbooks and Country Profiles.
More information is available on the HCCH website.