Council Decision (EU) 2019/305 of 18 February 2019 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

What it is

to authorise 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 (the 1980 Convention). ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion. BACKGROUND: the 1980 Convention has been ratified by 98 countries including all EU Member States. Its purpose is to restore the status quo by means of the prompt return of wrongfully removed or retained children through a system of cooperation among central authorities appointed by its Contracting Parties. As the prevention of child abduction is an essential part of the EU policy to promote the rights of the child, the European Union is active at international level to improve the application of the 1980 Convention and encourages third States to accede it. 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 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. The European Parliament adopted by 616 votes to 17, with 14 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision authorising Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, 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. Parliament approved the authorisation granted to Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Cyprus, 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. The acceptance of Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom, in the interest of the European Union, will make the 1980 Convention applicable between the Dominican Republic and all EU Member States with the exception of Denmark. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2019/305 authorising Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom to accept, in the interest of the…

Frequently asked