Informal brainstorming session on future meetings of the Special Commission on the 1980 Child Abduction and 1996 Child Protection Conventions
From 18 to 21 November 2024, an informal brainstorming session on future meetings of the Special Commission (SC) on the 1980 Child Abduction and 1996 Child Protection Conventions was held online, hosted by the Permanent Bureau (PB) in The Hague. It was attended by over 80 participants representing 29 Members, as well as by members of the PB. As mandated by the Council on General Affairs and...
Regional Workshop on Intercountry Adoption: Sharing Experiences on the Effective Implementation of the 1993 Adoption Convention in Africa
From 13 to 15 November 2024, the Regional Workshop on Intercountry Adoption: Sharing Experiences on the Effective Implementation of the 1993 Adoption Convention in Africa (Regional Workshop) was held in Lomé (Togo). It was attended by approximately 60 participants representing 11 Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention, one non-Contracting Party, one intergovernmental...
North Macedonia ratifies the 2005 Choice of Court Convention
Today, 21 November 2024, the Republic of North Macedonia deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention of 30 June 2005 on Choice of Court Agreements (2005 Choice of Court Convention). With the ratification of North Macedonia, 36 States and the European Union are bound by the 2005 Choice of Court Convention. The Convention will enter into force for North Macedonia on 1 March 2025....
Second Working Meeting of the Experts’ Group on Central Bank Digital Currencies
From 12 to 14 November 2024, the Experts’ Group (EG) on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) held its second working meeting. The meeting was held online, hosted by the Permanent Bureau (PB) in The Hague. It was attended by 25 delegates and other experts, representing 10 HCCH Members and 3 Observers, as well as by members of the PB of the HCCH. Pursuant to its mandate (C&Ds No 9-10...
Meeting of the Administrative Cooperation Working Group
On 13 November 2024, a meeting of the Administrative Cooperation Working Group (ACWG) was held online, hosted by the Permanent Bureau (PB) in The Hague. The meeting was attended by 48 delegates and other experts, representing 23 HCCH Members and one Observer, as well as by members of the PB. Pursuant to its mandate, the ACWG continued its work as a forum for discussion of issues pertaining...
Third Meeting of the Working Group on Parentage / Surrogacy
From 4 to 8 November 2024, the Working Group (WG) on Parentage / Surrogacy met for the third time. The meeting, held in hybrid format, was attended by 47 delegates and other experts, representing 25 HCCH Members and three Observers, as well as by members of the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH. Pursuant to its mandate, the WG continued its consideration of draft provisions for one new instrument on...
Seventh Meeting of the Working Group on Jurisdiction
From 28 October to 1 November 2024, the Working Group (WG) on Matters Related to Jurisdiction in Transnational Civil or Commercial Litigation met for the seventh time. The meeting was held in person in Tokyo (Japan) with the possibility for online participation, in accordance with the mandate of the Council on General Affairs and Policy (C&Ds No 4-5). It was attended by 66 delegates and other...
2007 Child Support Convention enters into force for Kyrgyzstan
On 1 November 2024, 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 Kyrgyz Republic following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 27 October 2023. At present, 52 States and the European Union are bound by the 2007 Child Support...
13th International Forum on the electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP)
On 21 and 22 October 2024, the 13th International Forum on the electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) took place in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Forum was the first to be held in Central Asia and was jointly organised by the HCCH, the Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan, and the Maqsut Narikbayev University (see Conclusion and Decision No 51 of CGAP 2024). The 13th e-APP Forum was conducted in a hybrid...
Paraguay signs and ratifies the 2007 Child Support Convention and its Protocol
On 25 October 2024, H.E. Mr Enrique Miguel Franco Maciel, Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay to the Kingdom of Belgium, signed and ratified, on behalf of Paraguay, the Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (2007 Child Support Convention) and the Protocol of 23 November 2007 on the Law Applicable to Maintenance...