Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980): accession of the Dominican Republic; acceptance by Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom

The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Mary HONEYBALL (S&D, UK) on the proposal for a Council decision authorising Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of the Dominican Republic to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

As the matter of international child abduction falls within the exclusive external competence of the European Union, the decision whether to accept the accession of the Dominican Republic has to be taken at EU level by means of a Council Decision. Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom should thus make the declaration of acceptance concerning the accession of the Dominican Republic in the interest of the European Union.

The acceptance of Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom, in the interest of the European Union would render the 1980 Convention applicable between the Dominican Republic and all EU Member States except Denmark.

The committee called on the European Parliament to approve the proposal without amendment, in order to ensure that EU-wide protection is afforded to the children in question.