PURPOSE: to adopt, in the interest of the EU, a declaration of acceptance by the Member States, of the accession of Singapore to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2015/1024 authorising certain Member States to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Singapore to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
CONTENT: under this Decision, the Member States that have not yet done so are hereby authorised to accept the accession of Singapore to the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in the interest of the Union.
The European Union has set as one of its aims the promotion of the protection of the rights of the child, as stated in Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union. Measures for the protection of children against wrongful removal or retention are an essential part of that policy.
All Member States of the Union are party to the 1980 Hague Convention.
The Union encourages third states to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention and supports the correct implementation of it.
Singapore has deposited its instrument of accession to the 1980 Hague Convention on 28 December 2010. That Convention entered into force for Singapore on 1 March 2011.
Several Member States have already accepted the accession of Singapore to the 1980 Hague Convention. The Member States that have not yet accepted the accession of Singapore should therefore be authorised to deposit their declarations of acceptance of accession of Singapore in the interest of the Union in accordance with the terms set out in this Decision.
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Sweden which have already accepted the accession of Singapore to the 1980 Hague Convention should not deposit new declarations of acceptance as the existing declarations remain valid under public international law.
To recall, the Union adopted Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 (‘Brussels IIa Regulation’), which aims to protect children from the harmful effects of their wrongful removal or retention and to establish procedures to ensure their prompt return to the State of their habitual residence, as well as to secure the protection of rights of access and rights of custody.
The United Kingdom and Ireland are bound by Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 and are taking part in the adoption and application of this Decision. Denmark, on the other hand, is not taking part in its adoption.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 1.7.2015.