Convention on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children

Authorities Albania

18-05-2006

In accordance with the paragraph 1 of the Article 29 of the Convention, the Central Authority to discharge the duties, which are imposed by this Convention is the Ministry of Justice.

Authorities Armenia

12-02-2008

[...] that the Central Authority in the Republic of Armenia to discharge the duties for the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children, is the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia.

Authorities Australia

13-04-2010

For the Commonwealth Central Authority:
International Family Law Section
Access to Justice Division
Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department
For Western Australia:
Department for Child protection
For Queensland:
Department of Communities (Child Safety)
For Tasmania:
Disability, Child, Youth and Family Services
Department of Health and Human Services
For the Northern Territory:
The Minister for Health and Community Services

Authorities Austria

22-12-2010

The Republic of Austria informs in accordance with Article 45 paragraph 1 and Article 29 paragraph 1 that it has designated the Federal Ministry of Justice as Central Authority.
The Republic of Austria informs in accordance with Article 45 paragraph 1 and Article 44 that a query in accordance with Article 33 shall be sent to the Central Authority.

Authorities Belgium

28-05-2014

Central Authority:
Federal Public Service Justice

Authorities Bulgaria

08-03-2006

Central Authority:
Declaration under Article 29, paragraph 1: In acccordance with Article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the Republic of Bulgaria designates as a Central Authority the Ministry of Justice.

Authorities Costa Rica

22-12-2020

Central Authority:
National Children’s Board (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia)

Authorities Croatia

04-09-2009

Declaration concerning Article 29, paragraph 1
In accordance with Article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the Republic of Croatia designates the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Zagreb, Ksaver 200a, as the Central Authority to discharge the duties imposed by the Convention on such authorities.
Declaration concerning Article 44
In accordance with Article 44 of the Convention, the Republic of Croatia designates the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Zagreb, Ksaver 200a, as the Central Authority to which requests under Articles 8, 9 and 33 are to be addressed.

08-07-2021

Central Authority (modification):
Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy

Authorities Cuba

24-02-2017

Ministry of Justice

Authorities Cyprus

24-03-2011

The Republic of Cyprus has designated the Ministry of Justice and Public Order as the Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed by the Convention.

Authorities Czech Republic

13-03-2000

Pursuant to Article 29 of the Convention, the Czech Republic has the honour to designate the Office of International Legal Protection of Children, having its seat in Brno, Benesova 22, as the central authority to discharge the duties imposed by the Convention.
Pursuant to Article 44 of the Convention, the Czech Republic has the honour to designate the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic, having its seat in Praha 2, Vysehradská 16, as the authority to which requests for assuming or handing over jurisdiction under Articles 8 and 9 of the Convention, related to judicial proceeding in the Czech Republic or in another Contracting State, are to be addressed. The other requests under Articles 8 and 9 of the Convention and requests for consent to the placement of the child in a foster family or institutional care under Article 33 of the Convention are to be addressed to the Authority for International Legal Protection of Children, having its seat in Brno, Benesova 22.

Authorities Denmark

30-06-2011

In accordance with Article 44, the Kingdom of Denmark designates the Central Authority as the authority to which requests under Articles 8, 9 and 33 are to be addressed.

04-12-2012

From December 1st 2012 the Central Authority in Denmark will be the Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration.

Authorities Dominican Republic

28-04-2010

Central Authority:
National Council for Childhood and Adolescence (CONANI)

Authorities Ecuador

27-02-2006

Central Authority:
The President of the National Council for Children and Adolescents

30-05-2008

Central Authority (modification):
National Council for Children and Adolescents

Authorities Estonia

06-08-2002

Pursuant to Article 29 of the Convention the Republic of Estonia designates as the Central Authority the Ministry of Justice.

Authorities Finland

19-11-2010

Central Authority:
Ministry of Justice,
International Affairs

Authorities France

15-10-2010

Declaration pursuant to Article 29:
France declares that its Central Authority for the purposes of Convention is the 'Bureau de l'entraide civile et commerciale internationale' of the 'Sous-Direction du droit commercial' of the 'Direction des Affaires civiles et du Sceau' of the Ministry of Justice.

Authorities Georgia

01-04-2014

Central Authority:
Ministry of Justice of Georgia.

Authorities Germany

17-09-2010

a) Ad Article 29 of the Convention (Central Authority)
The Central Authority pursuant to Article 29 of the Convention shall be:
Bundesamt für Justiz (Federal Office of Justice)
Zentrale Behörde (Central Authority)
b) Ad Article 44 of the Convention (Competent courts and authorities)
aa) Competent authority pursuant to Article 33 of the Convention:
The responsibility for approving the placement of a child pursuant to Article 33 of the Hague Convention of 19 October 1996 within Germany shall be the supralocal public youth welfare authority (Land Youth Welfare Office, Landesjugendamt) in whose district the requesting authority proposes to place the child, otherwise the supralocal authority with whose area the Central Authority has identified the most substantial connection. Land Berlin shall be secondarily responsible.
bb) Authorities to which requests pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of the Convention are to be directed:
In court proceedings relating to parental responsibility, the following Family Courts are responsible locally:
(a) While matrimonial proceedings are pending, the Family Court where the matrimonial proceedings are or were pending in the first instance has exclusive responsibility in so far as the proceedings affect the spouses' joint children.
(b) Otherwise responsibility lies with the Family Court within whose jurisdiction the child has its habitual residence.
(c) If there is no competence under (a) or (b) above, responsibility lies with the Family Court within whose area of jurisdiction the need for care becomes evident.
In cases concerning rights of access, parental authority or the surrender of children, the request may also be directed to the Family Court at the seat of the Higher Regional Court within whose area of jurisdiction the child is habitually resident if one parent has his/her habitual place of residence in another Member State of the European Union or in another Contracting State of the Hague Convention ("family court with specialist responsibility"). Family Courts with specialist responsibility specialize in international parent and child cases.
If an application for the recognition or enforcement of a decision pursuant to the Convention, Regulation (EC) No. 2201/2003 or the European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children of 20 May 1980 or an application under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Inter-national Child Abduction of 25 October 1980 is or becomes pending at a German Family Court with specialist responsibility, this same Family Court becomes responsible for all proceedings relating to rights of access, parental authority or surrender of children in respect of that child.
Family Courts with specialist responsibility are
a) for the district of Berlin Higher Regional Court: Pankow/Weißensee Local Court;
b) for the districts of the Higher Regional Courts in Lower Saxony: Celle Local Court;
c) otherwise: the Local Court in whose district a Higher Regional Court is located.
The Central Authority can provide help with identifying the competent court or pass requests on to the competent court.

Authorities Greece

07-02-2012

Furthermore the Central Authority of Greece: Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights, Directorate of Legislative Coordination and of Special International Legal Relations.

03-05-2012

[...] due to a reorganization of Greek Ministry of Justice Transparency and Human Rights, Central Authority for the above mentioned convention is the Directorate of Pardon Award and international Judicial Cooperation of the said Ministry.

Authorities Guyana

28-02-2019

Central Authority:
The Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General Chambers

19-05-2022

Central and Competent Authority (modification):
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security

Authorities Honduras

16-10-2017

Central Authority: Directorate for Children, Youth and Family (DINAF)

Authorities Hungary

08-01-2007

Central Authority
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment

28-09-2010

Central Authority (modification):
Ministry of National Resources
Child and Youth Care Department

Authorities Ireland

24-12-2010

Central Authority:
Minister for Justice and Law Reform
Central Authority for International Child Protection
Department of Justice and Law Reform
Furthermore, pursuant to Article 44 of the Convention, Ireland has designated its Central Authority as the authority in Ireland to which requests under Articles 8, 9 and 33 of the Convention are to be addressed.

03-10-2012

Irish Central Authority for International Child Protection:
Department of Justice and Equality

Authorities Latvia

01-07-2003

Central Authority:
Secretariat of Minister for Special Assignments for Children and Family Affairs

07-09-2009

Central Authority in accordance with Article 6 (modification):
Ministry of Justice

Authorities Lesotho

24-08-2012

Central Authority:
Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and the Correctional Services

Authorities Lithuania

29-10-2003

[...] designates the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania as a Central Authority to discharge the duties, which are imposed by the Convention;
[...] that certificate under paragraph 1 of Article 40 is issued by the child's habitual residence's district court of the Republic of Lithuania.

19-09-2006

Central Authority (art. 29)
Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania
Authority (Art. 44)
State Child Rights Protection Adoption Service
Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania
Competent Authority (Art. 40)
The District Court of the Republic of Lithuania of the child's habitual residence

Authorities Luxembourg

05-08-2010

The competent Central Authority within the meaning of article 29 of the Hague Convention of 19 October 1996 on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children is the Parquet Général (Mr Procurator General of State).

Authorities Malta

24-02-2011

In accordance with the requirement of Article 29 of the said Convention and for the purposes of this Convention, the designated Central Authority for Malta is the Director for Social Welfare Standards, Ministry for Education Employment and Family, Department for Social Welfare Standards.

Authorities Monaco

07-11-2005

Central Authority:
Direction des Services Judiciaires
Palais de Justice

Authorities Montenegro

14-02-2012

Montenegro declares that:
a) in accordance with article 29 paragraph 1 of the Convention, Montenegro declares that [the] Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare is designated as Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed by the Convention on such authorities;
[...]
c) in accordance with article 44 of the Convention, Montenegro designates [the] Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare as authority to which requests under articles 8, 9 and 33 are to be addressed.

Authorities Morocco

22-05-2012

[...] the competent Moroccan authorities designated the Ministry of Justice and Liberties as the national Central Authority.

Authorities Netherlands, the Kingdom of the

31-01-2011

The Central Authority for the European part and the Caribbean part of the Netherlands is the Ministry of Security and Justice.
The Central Authority for Curaçao is the Ministry of Justice.

12-09-2019

Modification with respect to the Caribbean part of the Netherlands:
The Central Authority for the Caribbean part of the Netherlands (the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) is the Guardianship Council (Voogdijraad).

Authorities Nicaragua

16-04-2019

Central Authority:
The Ministry of Family, Children and Youth

Authorities Norway

30-03-2016

Central authority:
Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs

Authorities Poland

27-07-2010

In the Republic of Poland, in the meaning of Article 29 par. 1 of the Convention, the Ministry of Justice will be the Central Authority (Article 29 par. 1).

Authorities Portugal

09-06-2011

General Directorate of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Justice
Portuguese Central Authority

16-02-2024

Central Authority (modification):
Direção-Geral da Administração da Justiça - Ministério da Justiça
(Directorate¬General for the Administration of Justice - Ministry of Justice)

Authorities Romania

08-09-2010

1. In accordance with Article 29, paragraph 1 of the Convention, the National Authority for the Protection of Child's Rights is designated as the Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed by this Convention;
2. In accordance with Article 40, paragraph 3 of the Convention, the competent Romanian authority to draw up the certificate provided in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 40 is the Bucharest Tribunal;
3. In accordance with Article 44, the requests provided in Articles 8 and 9 shall be addressed to the Ministry of Justice and the requests provided in Article 33 shall be addressed to the National Authority for the Protection of Child's Rights;

14-09-2011

Central Authority (Art. 29)
Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection
General Department for the Protection of Child
Central Authority (Art. 40)
Tribunalul Bucuresti
Central Authority (Art. 44)
For requests under Art. 8 and 9
Ministry of Justice
Department of International Law and Judicial Cooperation
Service of International Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial Matters
For requests under Art. 33 only, the Central Authority remains competent.

Authorities Russian Federation

13-08-2013

[...] has the honour, in accordance with Article 29 of the Convention of 19 October 1996 [...] to convey that the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation has been designated as the Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed on such authorities by the said Convention.

Authorities Serbia

15-01-2016

Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs,
Sector for Family and Social Protection

Authorities Slovakia

21-09-2001

In accordance with Articles 29, 40 and 44 of the Convention the Slovak Republic has designated the following authorities:
1. as the Central Authoritiy under Article 29:
Ministerstvo spravodlivosti Slovenskej republiky
(Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic)
2. Under Article 44 as the Central Authority to which requests under Article 33 shall be addressed:
Ministerstvo práce,
sociálnych vecí a rodiny Slovenskej republiky
(Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic)
3. as the Central Authority competent to draw up the certificate under Article 40:
Central pre medzinárodno-právnu ochranu detí a mládeže
(Centre for International Legal Protection of Children and Youth)

Authorities Slovenia

11-10-2004

Central Authority:
Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs

Authorities Spain

06-09-2010

For the purposes of article 29, paragraph 1 of the Convention, Spain designates as its Central Authority the Directorate-General of International Legal Cooperation (Dirección General de Cooperación Jurídica Internacional) of the Ministry of Justice.

Authorities Sweden

04-02-2013

Central Authority:
Ministery for Foreign Affairs
Department for Consular Affairs and Civil Law

Authorities Switzerland

14-07-2009

Central Authority:
Federal Office of Justice
International Private Law Unit

25-05-2010

For Cantonal central authorities, see:
http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=831

Authorities Türkiye

02-01-2018

Central Authority:
Ministry of Justice
General Directorate of International Law and Foreign Relations

Authorities Ukraine

03-04-2007

In accordance with Article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention Ukraine determines the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine as the central executive authority empowered according to the provisions of this Convention.

29-03-2023

[…] the National Social Service of Ukraine is the Central Authority of Ukraine for the implementation of this Convention as from 01 January 2023.

Authorities United Kingdom

08-08-2012

Central Authorities
England
The International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU)
Official Solicitor and Public Trustee
Wales
Welsh Government
Children's Social Services
Scotland
Scottish Government
Central Authority and International Law Team
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Courts & Tribunals Service
Central Business Unit

06-09-2012

Central Authority in Gibraltar
Minister for Justice