Proposal EC on Signing of Hague Choice of Court Convention

On 5 September 2008 a Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing by the European Community of the Convention on Choice-of-Court Agreements of 2005 (COM(2008) 538 final was presented. The text of the proposal reads as follows:

Article 1 – Subject to a possible conclusion at a later date, the signing of the Convention on Choice-of-Court agreements concluded at The Hague on 30 June 2005 is hereby approved on behalf of the Community. The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign, on behalf of the European Community, the Convention on Choice-of-Court Agreements concluded at The Hague on 30 June 2005, subject to the conditions set out in Article 2.

Article 2 – When signing the Convention, the Community shall make the following declaration in accordance with Article 30 of the Convention:

“The European Community declares, in accordance with Article 30 of the Convention, that it exercises competence over all the matters governed by this Convention. Its Member States will not sign, ratify, accept or approve the Convention, but shall be bound by the Convention by virtue of its conclusion by the European Community.

For the purpose of this declaration, the term “European Community” does not include Denmark by virtue of Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community [and the United Kingdom and Ireland by virtue of Article 3 of the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community]”.

Thanks to Helene van Lith for the tip-off.