HCCH Monthly Update: March 2025

HCCH Monthly Update: March 2025

Membership

On 5 March 2025, Rwanda deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Statute, becoming the 92^nd Member of the HCCH. On the same day, Guatemala applied to become a Member of the HCCH. More information is available here.

 

Conventions & Instruments

On 1 March 2025, the 2005 Choice of Court Convention entered into force for North Macedonia. At present, 37 States and the European Union are bound by the Convention. More information is available here.

On 5 March 2025, Costa Rica signed the 2005 Choice of Court Convention. The Convention will enter into force for Costa Rica?only after it deposits an instrument of ratification pursuant to Art. 31(2) of the Convention. On the same day, Colombia signed and ratified the 2007 Child Support Convention, which will enter into force for Colombia on 1 July 2025. More information is available here.

On 11 March 2025, the Republic of Moldova acceded to the 1996 Child Protection Convention. With this accession, the Convention now has 57 Contracting Parties. It will enter into force for the Republic of Moldova on 1 January 2026. More information is available here.

On 13 March 2025, Bahrain acceded to the 1970 Evidence and 2005 Choice of Court Conventions. The 1970 Evidence Convention, which currently has 67 Contracting Parties, will enter into force for Bahrain on 12 May 2025. As for the 2005 Choice of Court Convention, it currently binds 37 States and the European Union and will enter into force for Bahrain on 1 July 2025. More information is available here.

On 23 March 2025, the 2007 Child Support Convention entered into force for the Dominican Republic. At present, 53 States and the European Union are bound by the 2007 Child Support Convention. More information is available here.

Meetings & Events

From 4  to 7  March 2025, the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP) of the HCCH met in The Hague, with over 490 participants joining both in person and online. CGAP mandated the establishment of several new Experts’ Groups (EGs) and Working Groups (WGs) and mandated the continuation of the work of several ongoing EGs and WGs. It also approved the establishment of a Regional Office for Africa, to be hosted by Morocco in Rabat. More information is available here.

From 11 to 13 March 2025, the Regional Workshop on Intercountry Adoption: Sharing Experiences on the Effective Implementation of the 1993 Adoption Convention in Asia was held in Manila (Philippines). More information is available here.

On 19 March 2025, the sixth meeting of the Working Group established to complete the Country Profile and work on the draft Cooperation Request Recommended Model Form for the 1996 Child Protection Convention was held online, hosted by the Permanent Bureau in The Hague. More information is available here.

From 24 to 26 March 2025, the Experts’ Group (EG) on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) held its third working meeting. Pursuant to its mandate, the EG made further progress on the study of the applicable law and jurisdiction issues raised by the cross-border use and transfers of CBDCs. More information is available here.

Publications

On 4 March 2025, the Permanent Bureau announced the publication of the HCCH 2024 Annual Report. More information is available here.

Vacancies

Applications are now open for three- to six-month legal internships for the period from July to December 2025. The deadline for the submission of applications is 25 April 2025. More information is available here.

Applications are now open for a part-time, remote Communications and Outreach Internship, preferably starting in July 2025. The deadline for the submission of applications is 27 April 2025. More information is available here.

These monthly updates are published by the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), providing an overview of the latest developments. More information and materials are available on the HCCH website.