Europe Signs Up To Hague Conference On Private International Law

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

11 April 2007

The European Community last week became a member of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, a global international organisation in the field of civil law.

Commenting on the move, Vice-President Franco Frattini, the Commissioner responsible for Freedom, Security and Justice, stated that:

"Our aim is to facilitate EU citizens' life setting clear rules as regards jurisdiction of the courts, applicable law and the recognition and enforcement of judgments not only within the EU territory, but also at international level. The accession of the European Community to the Hague Conference will allow for increased consistency as regards private international law, making life easier for those who decide to move and reside abroad."

The Hague Conference on Private International Law is a global inter-governmental organisation with 65 Member States representing all continents, including all Member States of the European Union.

The statutory objective of the Conference is to work for the "progressive unification of the rules of private international law". This involves finding internationally agreed approaches to issues such as jurisdiction of the courts, applicable law and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in a wide range of areas, from international civil procedure and commercial law to matters of marriage and personal status and the protection of the family and children.

Over the years, the Conference has adopted a substantial number of conventions, which are increasingly also being ratified by non-members of the Conference. As a result, the work of the Conference encompasses more than 120 countries around the world.

In a statement on the accession to the Conference published last week, the EC explained that:

"The work of the Hague Conference coincides to a considerable extent with the Community instruments in the area of judicial cooperation in civil matters which have been adopted or are under negotiation since the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam. The adoption of these instruments resulted in a transfer of external competences from the Member States to the Community in the areas covered. In view of these newly acquired external powers and its increasing involvement in the work of the organisation, it became essential for the Community to become a full member of the Hague Conference."

Recommended