Hague Convention (2005) on Choice of Court Agreements

The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Pavel SVOBODA (EPP, CZ) on the draft Council decision on the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Hague Convention of 30 June 2005 on Choice of Court Agreements.

Members considered that the European Union (EU) should participate in this convention as it would ensure greater legal certainty for international exclusive choice-of-court agreements and thus foster trade between participating States. They recommended therefore that the Parliament should give its consent to this convention.

They also called on the Parliament to approve the Council's draft decision, which exempts consumer insurance contracts from the convention, thus preventing consumers from unwittingly agreeing to a choice-of-court clause. The declaration annexed to the draft decision formalises that exemption, and also preserves freedom for major commercial insurance and re-insurance contracts.