Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980): accession of Ecuador and Ukraine; acceptance by Austria

The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Mary HONEYBALL (S&D, UK) on the proposal for a Council decision authorising Austria to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Ecuador and Ukraine 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 Ecuador and Ukraine has to be taken at EU level by means of a Council Decision. Austria should thus make the declaration of acceptance concerning the accession of Ecuador and Ukraine in the interest of the European Union.

The acceptance of Austria would render the 1980 Convention applicable between Ecuador, Ukraine 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.