Tag Archive for: digital

HCCH Monthly Update: April 2022

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Conventions & Instruments

On 8 April 2022, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia deposited its instrument of accession to the HCCH Apostille Convention. The Convention will enter into force for Saudi Arabia on 7 December 2022. With this accession, the Apostille Convention now has 122 Contracting Parties. More information is available here.

Meetings & Events

From 28 March to 1 April 2022, the Experts’ Group on Parentage / Surrogacy met for the eleventh time. The Group discussed the content of the final report that is to be presented to the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP) at its 2023 meeting. More information is available here.

The Permanent Bureau has announced that the inaugural CODIFI Conference will be held online from 12 to 16 September 2022. CODIFI will examine issues of private international law in the Commercial, Digital, and Financial (CODIFI) sectors, highlighting developments in the digital economy and fintech industries as well as clarifying the roles of core HCCH instruments: the 1985 Trusts Convention, the 2006 Securities Convention, and the 2015 Choice of Law Principles. 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.

HCCH Update: COVID-19 and the electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP)

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The 1961 Apostille Convention has facilitated the circulation of public documents abroad for almost 60 years. The electronic Apostille Programme (e-APP) has supported the continued operation of the Convention since 2006, facilitating the electronic issuance and verification of millions of Apostilles worldwide. 

The COVID-19 situation may have restricted cross-border mobility, but individuals, families, and companies still need to have their public documents authenticated for use abroad. Current circumstances have seen many authorities and jurisdictions around the world adopt temporary workarounds, with some exploring more permanent legislative and technological solutions. 

The e-APP is no exception. In the last few months alone, Brazil, Bulgaria, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and the United States of America have all implemented new components of the e-APP. This is testament to the success of the programme and the continuing relevance of the Apostille Convention. These developments are particularly significant given the work being conducted ahead of the 12th International Forum on the e-APP and the next meeting of the Special Commission on the practical operation of the Apostille Convention, both of which are tentatively scheduled for 2021. 

For more information, see the HCCH News Item, available here.

HCCH Updates are published by the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference of Private International Law.