REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision amending Annexes II and III of Council Decision of 9 June 2011 on the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of The Hague Convention of 23 November 2007, on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance

21.3.2013 - (COM(2013)0035 – C7‑0045/2013 – 2013/0019(NLE)) - *

Committee on Legal Affairs
Rapporteur: Antonio López-Istúriz White

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council decision amending Annexes II and III of Council Decision of 9 June 2011 on the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of The Hague Convention of 23 November 2007, on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance

(COM(2013)0035 – C7‑0045/2013 – 2013/0019(NLE))

(Consultation)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the proposal for a Council decision (COM(2013)0035),

–   having regard to the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance,

–   having regard to Article 81(3) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (b), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C7‑0045/2013),

–   having regard to Rules 55 and 90(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A7-0091/2013),

1.  Approves the amendment of Annexes II and III to Council Decision 2011/432/EU as proposed by the Commission;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States, as well as to the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance of 23 November 2007 is an important instrument for citizens, as it provides for a mechanism under which child support obligations can be applied for and enforced against a debtor resident in a third country.

Parliament has already approved the Convention, which was signed on behalf of the European Union on 6 April 2011. However, for the Convention to become applicable to the European Union, it is necessary for an instrument of approval to be deposited.

As is customary with such international conventions, the deposit of the instrument of approval has to be accompanied by information on national central authorities, as well as any reservations which may apply to certain articles of the convention.

Following consultations with the Member States, it is now necessary to make certain amendments to Annexes II and III of the decision approving the convention, thus allowing the instrument of approval to be deposited.

In particular, the changes concern the situation of Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Portugal.

The rapporteur recommends speedy approval of the changes, thus allowing the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance to enter into force with regard to the European Union as soon as possible.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted	19.3.2013
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	17 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Raffaele Baldassarre, Luigi Berlinguer, Sebastian Valentin Bodu, Marielle Gallo, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, Sajjad Karim, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Alajos Mészáros, Bernhard Rapkay, Evelyn Regner, Dimitar Stoyanov, Rebecca Taylor, Alexandra Thein, Cecilia Wikström, Tadeusz Zwiefka
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Piotr Borys, Axel Voss