Council Decision (EU) 2019/308 of 18 February 2019 authorising Austria, Luxembourg and Romania to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

What it is

to authorise Austria, Luxembourg and Romania to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan 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, Luxembourg and Romania to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan 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 Belarus and Uzbekistan has to be taken at EU level by means of a Council Decision. Austria, Luxembourg and Romania should thus make the declaration of acceptance concerning the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan 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 618 votes to 15, with 16 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision authorising Austria, Luxembourg and Romania to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Parliament has approved the authorisation for Austria, Luxembourg and Romania to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The acceptance of Austria, Luxembourg and Romania will make the 1980 Convention applicable between Belarus, Uzbekistan and all EU Member States with the exception of Denmark. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2019/308 authorising Austria, Luxembourg and Romania to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. CONTENT: under this Council Decision, Austria, Luxembourg and Romania are hereby authorised to accept, in the interest of the Union, the accession of Belarus and Uzbekistan to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction…

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