Hague Conference on Private International Law

The Hague Conference on Private International Law (or HCCH, for Hague Conference/Conférence de la Haye) is the preeminent organisation in the area of private international law.

HCCH was formed in 1893 to "work for the progressive unification of the rules of private international law". It has pursued this goal by creating and assisting in the implementation of multilateral conventions promoting the harmonisation of conflict of laws principles in diverse subject matters within private international law. Seventy-one nations are currently members of the Hague Conference, including the United States, Brazil, Russia, India, China and all 27 member states of the European Union (the European Union itself is also a member of the Conference, so the total number of members is listed as 72 on the HCCH's website).

Recent developments

The 20th Diplomatic Session of the Conference, held from 14 to 28 June 2005, saw two major developments:

• The statute of the Conference was amended (for the first time in over 50 years) to expand the possibility of membership to Regional Economic Integration Organisations such as the European Union;
• The Conference concluded and opened for ratification the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements, a project which had been in negotiation for nearly 15 years. States applying this instrument agree to recognize and enforce decisions reached by courts of another signatory state if the dispute was governed by a valid choice of court agreement concluded between the parties to the dispute.

Members

State	Member since
Albania	2002-06-04 !June 4, 2002
Argentina	1972-04-28 !April 28, 1972
Australia	1973-11-01 !November 1, 1973
Austria	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Belarus	2001-07-12 !July 12, 2001
Belgium	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Bosnia and Herzegovina	2001-06-07 !June 7, 2001
Brazil	2001-02-23 !February 23, 2001
Bulgaria	1999-04-22 !April 22, 1999
Canada	1968-10-07 !October 7, 1968
Chile	1986-04-25 !April 25, 1986
China	1987-07-03 !July 3, 1987
Costa Rica	2011-01-27 !January 27, 2011
Croatia	1995-06-12 !June 12, 1995
Cyprus	1984-10-08 !October 8, 1984
Czech Republic	1993-01-28 !January 28, 1993
Denmark	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Ecuador	2007-11-02 !November 2, 2007
Egypt	1961-04-24 !April 24, 1961
Estonia	1998-05-13 !May 13, 1998
European Union	2007-04-03 !April 3, 2007
Finland	1955-12-02 !December 2, 1955
France	1964-04-20 !April 20, 1964
Georgia	2001-05-28 !May 28, 2001
Germany	1955-12-14 !December 14, 1955
Greece	1955-08-26 !August 26, 1955
Hungary	1987-01-06 !January 6, 1987
Iceland	2003-11-14 !November 14, 2003
India	2008-03-13 !March 13, 2008
Ireland	1955-08-26 !August 26, 1955
Israel	1964-09-24 !September 24, 1964
Italy	1957-06-26 !June 26, 1957
Japan	1957-06-27 !June 27, 1957
Jordan	2001-06-13 !June 13, 2001
Latvia	1992-08-11 !August 11, 1992
Lithuania	2001-10-23 !October 23, 2001
Luxembourg	1956-03-12 !March 12, 1956
Malaysia	2002-10-2 !October 2, 2002
Malta	1995-01-30 !January 30, 1995
Mauritius	2011-01-19 !January 19, 2011
Mexico	1986-03-18 !March 18, 1986
Monaco	1996-08-08 !August 8, 1996
Montenegro	2007-03-01 !March 1, 2007
Morocco	1993-09-06 !September 6, 1993
Netherlands	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
New Zealand	2002-02-05 !February 5, 2002
Norway	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Panama	2002-05-29 !May 29, 2002
Paraguay	2005-06-28 !June 28, 2005
Peru	2001-01-29 !January 29, 2001
Philippines	2010-07-14 !July 14, 2010
Poland	1984-05-29 !May 29, 1984
Portugal	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Republic of Korea	1997-08-20 !August 20, 1997
Republic of Macedonia	1993-09-20 !September 20, 1993
Romania	1991-04-10 !April 10, 1991
Russia	2001-12-06 !December 6, 2001
Serbia	2001-04-26 !April 26, 2001
Slovakia	1993-04-26 !April 26, 1993
Slovenia	1992-06-18 !June 18, 1992
South Africa	2002-02-14 !February 14, 2002
Spain	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Sri Lanka	2001-09-27 !September 27, 2001
Suriname	1977-10-07 !October 7, 1977
Sweden	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
Switzerland	1957-05-06 !May 6, 1957
Turkey	1955-08-26 !August 26, 1955
Ukraine	2003-12-03 !December 3, 2003
United Kingdom	1955-07-15 !July 15, 1955
United States	1964-10-15 !October 15, 1964
Uruguay	1983-07-27 !July 27, 1983
Venezuela	1979-07-25 !July 25, 1979

The Permanent Bureau

Located in a mansion on Scheveningseweg near the Peace Palace in the Hague, the Permanent Bureau is the Conference's secretariat. its Secretary General is Mr J.H.A. (Hans) van Loon.

See also

• List of Hague Conventions on Private International Law
• Place of the Relevant Intermediary Approach

External links

• Hague Conference on Private International Law - official website
  • The Members of the Hague Conference on Private International Law
• INCADAT: the International Child Abduction Database - official website