The Hague Conference on Private International Law is the preeminent organisation in the area of private international law. Since its formation in 1893, the purpose of HCCH has been to “work for the progressive unification of the rules of private international law”. It has pursued this goal by creating and assisting in the implementation of multilateral conventions promoting the harmonisation of conflict of laws principles in diverse subject matters within private international law. Sixty-five States, among them the United States of America and all Member States of the European Union are currently members of the Hague Conference.

Recent developments

The 20th and most recent Diplomatic Session of the Conference, held from 14 to 28 June 2005, saw two major developments. First, the statute of the Conference was amended (for the first time in over 50 years) to expand the possibility of membership to Regional Economic Integration Organisations such as the European Union. Secondly, the Conference concluded and opened for ratification the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements, a project which had been in negotiation for nearly 15 years. States applying this instrument agree to recognize and enforce decisions reached by courts of another signatory State if the dispute was governed by a valid choice of court agreement concluded between the parties to the dispute.

Member States

Albania | Argentina Australia Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Bulgaria Canada Chile China Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Egypt Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Japan Jordan Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Norway Panama Peru Poland Portugal Republic of Korea | Romania Russian Federation Serbia and Montenegro Slovak Republic Slovenia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Suriname | Sweden | Switzerland the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | Turkey | Ukraine | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United States of America | Uruguay | Venezuela

See also

• List of Hague Conventions on Private International Law
• Place of the Relevant Intermediary Approach

External links

• Hague Conference on Private International Law - official website

- The Members of the Hague Conference on Private International Law

• Why the Hague Convention on jurisdiction threatens to strangle e-commerce and Internet free speech, by Chris Sprigman

Hague Conventions | Conflict of laws

Haager Konferenz für Internationales Privatrecht | Conferencia de La Haya de Derecho Internacional Privado | Conférence de la Haye de Droit International Privé | 海牙国际私法会议