(1)In this Act—
“the 1968 Convention” means the Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (including the Protocol annexed to that Convention), signed at Brussels on 27th September 1968;
“the 1971 Protocol” means the Protocol on the interpretation of the 1968 Convention by the European Court, signed at Luxembourg on 3rd June 1971;
“the Accession Convention” means the Convention on the accession to the 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol of Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, signed at Luxembourg on 9th October 1978;
[F1“the 1982 Accession Convention” means the Convention on the accession of the Hellenic Republic to the 1968 convention and the 1971 Protocol, with the adjustments made to them by the Accession Convention, signed at Luxembourg on 25th October 1982;]
[F2 “the 1989 Accession Convention”means the Convention on the accession of the kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol,with the adjustments made to them by the Accession Convention and the 1982 Accession Convention, signed at Donostia-San Sebastian on 26th May 1989]
[F3“the 1996 Accession Convention" means the Convention on the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to the 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol, with the adjustments made to them by the Accession Convention, the 1982 Accession Convention and the 1989 Accession Convention, signed at Brussels on 29th November 1996,]
[F4“the 2007 Hague Convention” means the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and other forms of Family Maintenance done at The Hague on 23 November 2007;]
[F5[F6 “the Brussels Conventions” ] means the 1968 Convention, the 1971 Protocol, the Accession Convention, the 1982 Accession Convention [F7, the 1989 Accession Convention and the 1996 Accession Convention].]
[F8“the Lugano Convention” means the Convention on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, between the European Community and the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Swiss Confederation and the Kingdom of Denmark signed on behalf of the European Community on 30th October 2007 M1.]
[F9“the Maintenance Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 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;]
[F10“the Regulation” means Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2012 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (recast) as amended from time to time and as applied by virtue of the Agreement made on 19 October 2005 between the European Community and the Kingdom of Denmark on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (OJ No L 299, 16.11.2005, p62; OJ No L79, 21.3.2013, p4);]
(2)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
[F11(a)references to, or to any provision of, the 1968 Convention or the 1971 Protocol are references to that Convention, Protocol or provision as amended by the Accession Convention and the 1982 Accession Convention [F12, the 1989 Accession Convention and the 1996 Accession Convention]; and]
(aa)F13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F14[(b)any reference in any provision to a numbered Article without more is a reference—
(i)to the Article so numbered of the 1968 Convention, in so far as the provision applies in relation to that Convention, and
(ii)to the Article so numbered of the Lugano Convention, in so far as the provision applies in relation to that Convention,
and any reference to a sub-division of a numbered Article shall be construed accordingly.]
[F17“2007 Hague Convention State”, in any provision, in the application of that provision in relation to the 2007 Hague Convention, means a State bound by that Convention;]
“Contracting State”, without more, in any provision means—
in the application of the provision in relation to the Brussels Conventions, a Brussels Contracting State; and
in the application of the provision in relation to the Lugano Convention, a [F18State bound by the Lugano Convention];]
[F19“Brussels Contracting State” means a state which is one of the original parties to the 1968 Convention or one of the parties acceding to that Convention under the Accession Convention, or under the 1982 Accession Convention, or under the 1989 Accession Convention, but only with respect to any territory–
to which the Brussels Conventions apply; and
which is excluded from the scope of the Regulation pursuant to [F20Articles 349 and 355 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union];]
[F21“Maintenance Regulation State”, in any provision, in the application of that provision in relation to the Maintenance Regulation means a Member State;]
[F22“State bound by the Lugano Convention”in any provision, in the application of that provision in relation to the Lugano Convention has the same meaning as in Article 1(3) of that Convention]
[F23“Regulation State” in any provision, in the application of that provision in relation to the Regulation, means a Member State.]]
(4)Any question arising as to whether it is the Regulation, any of the Brussels Conventions, or the Lugano Convention which applies in the circumstances of a particular case shall be determined as follows—
(a)in accordance with [F24Article 64] of the Lugano Convention (which determines the relationship between the Brussels Conventions and the Lugano Convention); and
(b)in accordance with Article 68 of the Regulation (which determines the relationship between the Brussels Conventions and the Regulation).
Textual Amendments
F1Definition in s. 1(1) inserted by S.I. 1989/1346, art. 3
F2Definition in s. 1(1) inserted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1990/2591, art. 3.
F3S. 1(1): definition of "the 1996 Accession Convention" inserted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 3(a)
F4Words in s. 1(1) inserted (31.7.2012) by The International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention 2007) (Rules of Court) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1770), regs. 1(1), 4(a)
F5Definition in s. 1(1) substituted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1990/2591, art. 4
F6Words in s. 1(1) substituted (1.5.1992) by virtue of Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1991 (c. 12, SIF 45:3), s. 2(2), (with s. 4); S.I. 1992/745, art. 2
F7S. 1(1): words in definition of "the Brussels Conventions" substituted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 3(b)
F8S. 1(1): definition of "the Lugano Convention" substituted (1.1.2010) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 3(2) (with reg. 48)
F9S. 1(1): definition of "the Maintenance Regulation" inserted (27.5.2011) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments (Maintenance) (Rules of Court) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1215), reg. 4(2)
F10Words in s. 1(1) substituted (10.1.2015) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/2947), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 2 (with reg. 6)
F11S. 1(2)(a) substituted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1990/2591, art. 5
F12Words in s. 1(2)(a) substituted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 4
F13S. 1(2)(aa) omitted (1.1.2010) by virtue of The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 3(3) (with reg. 48)
F14S. 1(2)(b) substituted (1.5.1992) by Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1991 (c. 12, SIF 45:3), s. 2(4), (with s. 4); S.I. 1992/745, art. 2
F15S. 1(3) substituted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1990/2591, art. 6
F16Words in s. 1(3) substituted (1.5.1992) by virtue of Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1991 (c. 12, SIF 45:3), s.2(5), (with s. 4); S.I. 1992/745, art. 2
F17Words in s. 1(3) inserted (31.7.2012) by The International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention 2007) (Rules of Court) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1770), regs. 1(1), 4(b)
F18S. 1(3): words in definition of "Contracting State" substituted (1.1.2010) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 3(4)(a) (with reg. 48)
F19S. 1(3): definition of "Brussels Contracting State" substituted (1.7.2007) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1655), reg. 2(3)(a)
F20Words in s. 1(3) substituted (1.8.2012) by The Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology or Numbering) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/1809), art. 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1 (with art. 2(2))
F21S. 1(3): definition of "Maintenance Regulation State" inserted (27.5.2011) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments (Maintenance) (Rules of Court) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1215), reg. 4(3)
F22S. 1(3): definition of "Lugano Contracting State" substituted (1.1.2010) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 3(4)(b) (with reg. 48)
F23S. 1(3): definition of "Regulation State" substituted (1.7.2007) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1655), reg. 2(3)(b)
F24Words in s. 1(4)(a) substituted (1.1.2010) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 3(5) (with reg. 48)
Marginal Citations
M1OJ No. L339, 21.12.2007 at p.3.
(1) The [F25Brussels Conventions] shall have the force of law in the United Kingdom, and judicial notice shall be taken of them.
[F26(2)For convenience of reference there are set out in Schedules 1, 2, 3, 3A [F27, 3B and 3C] respectively the English texts of—
(a)the 1968 Convention as amended by Titles II and III of the Accession Convention and by Titles II and III of the 1982 Accession Convention F28. . . by Titles II and III of, and Annex I(d) to, the 1989 Accession Convention [F29and by Titles II and III of the 1996 Accession Convention];
(b)the 1971 Protocol as amended by Title IV of the Accession Convention, by Title IV of the 1982 Accession Convention F28. . . by Title IV of the 1989 Accession Convention [F30and by Title IV of the 1996 Accession Convention];
(c)Titles V and VI of the Accession Convention (transitional and final provisions) as amended by Title V of the 1989 Accession Convention;
(d)Titles V and VI of the 1982 Accession Convention (transitional and final provisions); and
(e)Titles VI and VII of the 1989 Accession Convention (transitional and final provisions),
[F31(f)Titles V and VI of the 1996 Accession Convention (transitional and final provisions),]
being texts prepared from the authentic English texts referred to in Articles 37 and 41 of the Accession Convention, in Article 17 of the 1982 Accession Convention [F32, in Article 34 of the 1989 Accession Convention and in Article 18 of the 1996 Accession Convention].]
Textual Amendments
F25Words in s. 2 substituted (1.5.1992) by Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1991 (c. 12, SIF 45:3), s. 3, Sch. 2 para.1 (with s. 4); S.I. 1992/745, art.2
F26S. 2(2) substituted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1990/2591, art. 7
F27Words in s. 2(2) substituted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 6(a)
F28Words in s. 2(2)(a)(b) deleted (1.1.2001) by virtue of The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 6(b)
F29Words in s. 2(2)(a) inserted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 6(c)
F30Words in s. 2(2)(b) inserted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 6(d)
F31S. 2(2)(f) inserted (1.1.2001) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 6(e)
F32Words in s. 2(2) substituted (1.1.2001) by virtue of The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (Amendment) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/1824), arts. 1, 6(f)
(1)Any question as to the meaning or effect of any provision of the [F33Brussels Conventions] shall, if not referred to the European Court in accordance with the 1971 Protocol, be determined in accordance with the principles laid down by and any relevant decision of the European Court.
(2)Judicial notice shall be taken of any decision of, or expression of opinion by, the European Court on any such question.
(3)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the following reports (which are reproduced in the Official Journal of the Communities), namely—
(a)the M2reports by Mr. P. Jenard on the 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol; and
(b)the M3report by Professor Peter Schlosser on the Accession Convention [F34; and
(c)the report by Professor Demetrios I. Evrigenis and Professor K. D. Kerameus on the 1982 Accession Convention][F35; and
(d)the report by Mr. Martinho de Almeida Cruz, Mr. Manuel Desantes Real and Mr. P. Jenard on the 1989 Accession Convention,]
may be considered in ascertaining the meaning or effect of any provision of the [F33Brussels Conventions] and shall be given such weight as is appropriate in the circumstances.
Textual Amendments
F33Words in s. 3 substituted (1.5.1992) by Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1991 (c. 12, SIF 45:3), s. 3, Sch. 2 para.1 (with s. 4); S.I. 1992/745, art. 2
F34S. 3(3)(c) and preceding word inserted by S.I. 1989/1346, art. 8
F35S. 3(3)(d) and preceding word inserted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1990/2591, art. 8
Marginal Citations
M2O.J.1979 No. C59/1 and 66.
M3O.J.1979 No. C59/71.
F36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F36S. 3A repealed (1.1.2010) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 4 (with reg. 48)
F37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F37S. 3B repealed (1.1.2010) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3131), reg. 4 (with reg. 48)