The International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention 2007 etc.) Regulations 2012

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention 2007 etc.) Regulations 2012, and, subject as follows, shall come into force on the day on which the Convention enters into force in respect of the European Union, which day will be notified in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.

(2) Regulations 1, 2, 3 and 9, and Schedule 5 come into force on 7th December 2012.

(3) Regulation 6 and Schedule 2 come into force on 1st April 2013, except in so far as they apply to the enforcement of a maintenance decision registered under the Convention.

2.—(1) Subject as follows, these Regulations extend only to England and Wales.

(2) Regulations 1 to 3, 4(2), 6, 7 and 10 and Schedules 2 and 3 also extend to Scotland.

(3) Regulations 1 to 3, 4(2), 7 and 10 and Schedule 3 also extend to Northern Ireland.

(4) Any amendment, repeal or revocation made by these Regulations has the same extent as the enactment to which it relates.

Interpretation

3.  In these Regulations—

“the Convention” means the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and other forms of Family Maintenance done at The Hague on 23rd November 2007(1); and

“the Maintenance Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations(2), including as applied in relation to Denmark by virtue of the Agreement made on 19th October 2005 between the European Community and the Kingdom of Denmark(3).

Central Authority for England and Wales

4.—(1) The Lord Chancellor is designated under Article 4 of the Convention as the Central Authority in relation to England and Wales.

(2) If a person outside the United Kingdom does not know to which Central Authority in the United Kingdom a communication should be addressed, the person may address it to the Lord Chancellor.

The Convention

5.  Schedule 1 (which contains provisions relating to the establishment, modification, recognition and enforcement in England and Wales pursuant to the Convention of maintenance decisions made in States bound by the Convention which are not European Union Member States) has effect.

Enforcement

6.  Schedule 2 (which contains provisions for the enforcement in England and Wales and Scotland of certain international maintenance obligations in relation to children by way of driving disqualification orders) has effect.

Provisions relating to information

7.  Schedule 3 (which contains provisions relating to access to, and the transmission and use of, information) has effect.

Consequential amendments

8.  Schedule 4 (which makes consequential amendments) has effect.

Amendments relating to the Maintenance Regulation

9.  Schedule 5 (which contains further amendments relating to the Maintenance Regulation) has effect.

Review

10.—(1) The Secretary of State must from time to time—

(a)carry out a review of the provisions of these Regulations,

(b)set out the conclusions of the review in a report, and

(c)publish the report.

(2) In carrying out the review the Secretary of State must, so far as is reasonable, have regard to how the Convention has been given effect in other Member States.

(3) The report must in particular—

(a)set out the objectives intended to be achieved by the provisions of these Regulations,

(b)assess the extent to which those objectives are achieved, and

(c)assess whether those objectives remain appropriate, and, if so, the extent to which they could be achieved with a system which imposes less regulation.

(4) The first report under this regulation must be published before the end of the period of five years beginning with the day specified in regulation 1(1).

(5) Reports under this regulation are afterwards to be published at intervals not exceeding five years.