HCCH - Informe anual 2020

Hague Conference on Private International Law – Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé ANNUAL REPORTA nnual R eport 20 20AnnualReport 20 20 Foreword Each year,the publication ofthe AnnualReportoffers m e a m om entto pause and reflecton the work ofthe H CCH overthe preceding 12 m onths.Itis safe to say that2020 was a year like no other, and the challenges and accom plishm entsoftheyearwereequallyunique. W ith a characteristically busy startto the year,filled with m eetingsand m issions,ourCGAP m eeting in the firstweek of March 2020 was the last in-person event before the pandem ic disrupted ourplans.COVID-19has undoubtedly affected ourlives in ways we neverexpected,and itwill have alasting im pacton ourlivesin the future.Fortunately, the H CCH Perm anent Bureau adjusted quickly to the changes which allowed day-to-day business to continue largely uninterrupted.Irecorded an officialvideo address and the Perm anentBureau com piled resourcesto assistin navigating this new reality in a specialCOVID-19Toolkit, whichwaslatercom plem ented byatargeted Toolkitonthe 1980 Child Abduction Convention.Iam very proud ofthe staff’s reaction to these unprecedented challenges and wish to thank m y colleagues fortheircontinuing support and flexibility. The challenges of the pandem ic have highlighted the im portance and relevance ofprivate internationallaw and, by extension,the work ofthe H CCH .W e have witnessed agreaterneed forelectronicauthentication and recognition ofpublic docum ents underthe 196 1Apostille Convention, the publication and use ofourGuide on the use ofvideolink underthe 1970 Evidence Convention,as wellas the

1980Child Abduction Convention becom ing acentre ofthe internationalfam ily law discussions in tim es ofCOVID-19. These Conventions,am ong others,have provided valuable assistanceinnavigating thenew reality. Indeed, there are still m any things to celebrate. W e welcom ed three new Mem bers in 2020 and witnessed 13 new treaty actions with respectto H CCH Conventions. W e built on the m om entum of the finalisation of the 2019Judgm ents Convention with the publication of the Explanatory Report on the Convention, another step towardseffectiveglobalaccesstojustice. W e successfullytransitioned tovideoconferencing form any ofourinternationalm eetings.Throughoutthe year,we held the Council of Diplom atic Representatives, as well as three Experts’Groups and two W orking Groups,entirely online,and we continue oureffortsto m ake bestuse ofthe ITinfrastructure aswe m ake plansfor2021.Ihope thatwe cancarrythese experienceswithusinto future years.W hile these alternatives m ay never truly replace in-person m eetings,in particular for discussions on delicate policy issues,we have been able to have m eaningfulengagem ent with a widergroup as online com m unication has becom e thenorm . W hile m ovem ent m ay be restricted, legal questions continue to arise, and it is vital to have effective m echanism sto addressthese questions.The eventsofthis year have dem onstrated the benefits of international cooperation in the face ofadversity.W e willcontinue our work in fulfilm ent of our unique,global m andate,with aview to finding waysto harnessthe poweroftechnology aswe continue to prom ote effective accessto justice forall

and encouragecross-bordertradeand com m erce. In 2020 we also bid farewellto a friend and colleague, MrFrank Poon,who com pleted his tenure as the H CCH Representative forAsia and the Pacific.Overthe pastthree years,Frank greatly contributed to raising the visibility and profile ofthe H CCH and itswork in the Asia Pacific region, and Iam gratefulforthe m any fond m em ories Ihave of shared m issionsacrossthe region.W e wish Frank the best ofluck in hisretirem ent,and welcom e ProfessorYun Zhao whobeganhisroleinAugust2020withm uchenthusiasm . Finally,Iwould like to extend m y heartfeltthanks to our Mem bers fortheirunderstanding and support,em bracing the new m eans by which we conductourim portantwork. W e do notknow if2021willwelcom e the return ofatleast som e in-person events,butwe shallallcontinue to work together on achieving new goals and furthering the im portantm ission ofthe H CCH .In the m eantim e,Ihope that our colleagues,friends,and loved ones across the world staysafeand well. Dr Christophe Bernasconi Secretary GeneralAnnualReport 20 20 Contents 04 Highlights 06 Facts & Figures 08 Members 10 Treaty Actions 12 Normative Work 16 Non-Normative Work 22 Governance & Cooperation 26 Our PeopleAnnualReport 20 20 HighlightsAnnualReport 20 20 May 27 M eeting of the Councilof D iplom atic Representatives (CD R) O nline February 18-21 Third M eeting of the Experts’G roup on Jurisdiction The H ague March 3-6 M eeting of the Councilon G eneralAffairs

and Policy

(CG AP)

The H ague July 8-10 M eeting of the W orking G roup on Preventing and Addressing IllicitPractices in Intercountry Adoption O nline October 6-9 Third M eeting of the Experts’G roup on the Tourists and Visitors (O D R) Project O nline October 12-16 Seventh m eeting of the Experts’G roup on the Parentage/Surrogacy Project O nline Novem ber 16-19 Fourth m eeting of the Experts’G roup on Jurisdiction O nline Decem ber 2 H CCH a|Bridged Edition 20 20 G olden Anniversary ofthe 1 970 Evidence Convention O nline Decem ber 14-17 M eeting of the Adm inistrative Cooperation W orking G roup on the 20 0 7 Child Support Convention O nlineAnnualReport 20 20 Facts & FiguresAnnualReport 20 20 3 N ew H CCH M em bers 7 N ew Accessions, 4 Ratifications and 2Signatures to H CCH Conventions € 3 6 9,4 79.21 in voluntary contributions received 25 .5 % average increase offollow ers across oursocialm edia platform sAnnualReport 20 20 Members Bytheendof2020,theH CCH had86 Members (85 MemberStates and the European Union) representing regions across the globe. Membersdetermine the W ork Programme of the Organisation and playan active role in the normative, non-normative and governance work.The H CCH Membership has almost doubled in the last two decades and this

growth looks set to continue,with several Statescurrentlyintheprocessofjoining.AnnualReport 20 20 Members Admitted States (the membership of Colombia, Honduras, Lebanon, Mongolia, Thailand and Namibia is currentlysubject to their acceptance of the Statute) Uzbekistan Dominican Republic

Nicaragua New M em bers: Dominican Republic (March 2020) Uzbekistan (March 2020) Nicaragua (October 2020)AnnualReport 20 20

Treaty Actions ContractingPartiestotheH CCH Conventions benefitfrom an extensive legalcooperation network and uniform internationalstandards. The Conventions are open to Members of the Organisation,butalso to non-Mem bers, ofwhich m anyhaveeithersigned orbecome Contracting Parties to one or more H CCH Conventions.Thismeansthatthereareatotal ofover150 Statesconnected to the work of theOrganisationworldwide.AnnualReport 20 20 Signatures (S), Ratifications (R) & Accessions (A) in 2020 Other Connected Parties Signatures,Ratifications& AccessionstoHCCH Conventionsin2020 1961ApostilleConvention Jam aica(A) 1965 ServiceConvention Austria(R ) MarshallIslands(A) Philippines(A) 1993AdoptionConvention SaintKittsandN evis(A) 2007 ChildSupportConvention Serbia(S &R ) UnitedKingdom ofGreatBritain andN orthernIreland(R )1 EIF:Entryintoforcein2020

EIF: Entryintoforcein2021

Costa Rica Marshall Islands Jamaica 2000 ProtectionofAdultsConvention Belgium (R ) 2005 ChoiceofCourtConvention UnitedKingdom ofGreatBritain

andN orthernIreland(A)1 Saint Kitts and Nevis Philippines 1970 EvidenceConvention Vietnam (A) Vietnam Ukraine SerbiaAustria Belgium UK 1996 ChildProtectionConvention CostaR ica(A) 2019Judgm entsConvention Ukraine(S) 1 Convention previouslyapplied to the United Kingdom byvirtue of its former membership of the European Union.AnnualReport 20 20 Normative Work As partofits m andate working toward the progressiveunificationoftherulesofprivate internationallaw,conductinglegislativework isa core function ofthe H CCH .In 2020,the Organisation continued thisnorm ative work, exploring areaswhich m aybenefitfrom the developm entofan internationalinstrum ent, in the contextofsom e ofthe projectslisted inthissection.AnnualReport 20 20 Jurisdiction Following the successfulconclusion ofthe 2019Judgm ents Convention,the Experts’Group onJurisdictionresumeditsworkin2020,withmeetingsinFebruary inTheH agueandinN ovem berbyvideoconference,chaired byProfessorKeisuke TakeshitaofJapan. TheGroupcontinueditsexploratorydiscussionswithaview todevelopinganew instrum entto help determ ine the basisupon which aState’scourtscan assum e jurisdiction in a specific civilorcom m ercialm atter.The basic elem ents ofa possible future instrum ent were discussed,both in the context of direct jurisdiction and parallelproceedings,as wellas the inclusion ofcooperation / coordinationm echanism s. Policy considerations on the necessity,desirability,and feasibility of a new instrum entwillbe the subjectofthe Group’s nextm eeting in early 2021,the

outcom esofwhichwillbesubm ittedtoCGAPatitsMarch2021m eeting. . Third M eeting ofthe Experts'Group on Jurisdiction (18-21 February 20 20 ,The H ague)AnnualReport 20 20 Parentage/Surrogacy The Experts’Group on Parentage/Surrogacy continued its work this year, m eeting in October2020 by videoconference with Ms Joëlle Schickel-Küng of SwitzerlandasChair. The focusofthe Group’swork isthe developm entofpotentialprovisionsfora possible future Convention on the recognition offoreign judicialdecisions on legalparentage generally,aswellasa separate protocolon the recognition of foreign judicial decisions on legal parentage rendered as a result of an internationalsurrogacyarrangem ent. In relation to the form er,the Group discussed potentialruleson applicable law and theacceptanceoflegalparentagerecorded inapublicdocum ent.Itnoted a num ber of m atters for further consideration,including the effects of legal parentagewhenestablishedbyoperationoflaw orbyanact(suchasnationality), and whetherto include legalparentage established as a resultofdom estic adoptions in any future Convention.W ith respectto the possible protocol,the discussions of the Group centred around scope,safeguards,and various approachestoensurecom pliancewithsuchsafeguards. Pursuantto itsm andate,the Group willcontinue itswork throughout2021and presentafullreporttoCGAPatits2022 m eeting. . Seventh M eeting ofthe Experts'Group on Parentage/ Surrogacy (12-16 O ctober20 20 ,online)AnnualReport 20 20 TouristsandVisitors(OnlineDisputeResolution) In October2020,the Experts’Group on the Tourists and Visitors (ODR )Project

m etbyvideoconference,withMrAndréStem m etofSouthAfricaasChair. Pursuantto the Group’sm andate,thism eeting centred around consideration of the necessity,desirability,and feasibility ofa softlaw instrum entconcerning onlinedisputeresolutionofclaim sbyinternationaltouristsandvisitors.W hilethe Group was unable to reach a consensus in this regard,itconcluded thatthe developm entofaguide m ayprovide usefulassistance to touristsand visitorsin pursuingclaim s. Such a guide would seek to em phasise the relevance of existing H CCH Conventionsand instrum entsto the resolution ofclaim sbyinternationaltourists and visitors, with appropriate references to other instrum ents. It would enum eratetheODR platform satthedisposalofinternationaltouristsandvisitors, providing objective guidance to assist tourists and visitors in assessing the platform sthatbestsuittheirneeds. TheGroup’srecom m endationinrelationtoaguidewillbepresentedfordecision toCGAPatitsMarch2021m eeting. Third M eeting ofthe Experts'Group on the Tourists and Visitors (O DR)Project (6-9 O ctober20 20 ,online)AnnualReport 20 20 Non-Normative Work Over 40 Conventions and other legal instrum ents have been adopted underthe auspicesoftheH CCH .Ensuringtheeffective im plem entation and operation of these Conventions is essential and benefits all Contracting Parties.Thisisfacilitated bythe provisionofpost-Conventionservices,aspart ofthe “non-norm ative work”ofthe Organisation. The m ajor developm ents in the H CCH ’s non-norm ative work from 2020 are assem bledinthissection.AnnualReport 20 20

1965 Serviceand1970 EvidenceConventions Following the success ofthe Edition 2019ofHCCH a|Bridged,which centred around theService Convention in the Era of Electronic and Information Technology, the post-eventpublication was released in N ovem ber2020.The publication buildson the discussionsfrom the inauguraledition,with contributionsfrom its speakersillustrating how the use ofinform ation technologycan furtherenhance theoperationoftheServiceConvention. W ith the Evidence Convention celebrating its5 0th anniversaryin 2020,itwasa naturalcandidate forthe focus ofEdition 2020 ofHCCH a|Bridged.Organised togetherwith the Germ an Presidency ofthe Councilofthe European Union, Edition 2020 appropriately celebrated the “Golden Anniversary”.The eventwas held entirely online and livestream ed to over200 participantsfrom alloverthe world.Like itspredecessor,Edition 2020 broughttogetherinternationalexperts from governm ent,the judiciary,academ ia,and private practice,exchanging views and experiences on the operation ofthe Convention.The participants discussed practicalchallenges relating to the cross-bordertaking ofevidence and explored possible solutions.The outcom esofthe eventwillinform the work ofthe SpecialCom m ission on the practicaloperation ofthe Service,Evidence andAccesstoJusticeConventions. The H CCH also m arked the anniversary ofthe Evidence Convention with two im portantpublications.TheGuide to Good Practice on the Use of Video-Link under the Evidence Convention was published in April 2020.Its publication was extrem ely tim ely,with the increased use of videoconferencing tools and inform ation technology in judicialoperations broughtaboutby the pandem ic. The Guide presents the ways in which video-link can be used in the taking of evidence underboth Chapters ofthe Evidence Convention and outlines good

practices to be followed,with appropriate references to internallaw and other international agreem ents. It com plem ents the Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Evidence Convention,ofwhich the 4th edition was released in Decem ber 2020.This special 5 0th anniversary edition incorporates recent developm entsindom esticandinternationallegalinstrum entsandcaselaw. .AnnualReport 20 20 1980 ChildAbductionConvention The Child AbductionConventioncelebrated its40thanniversaryin2020.Several im portanteventshighlighted the continuing relevance ofthe Convention,which hasbeenreaffirm edbytheyear’sunprecedentedcircum stances. First,in March 2020,the Guide to Good Practice under the 1980 Child Abduction Convention: Part VI – Article 13(1)(b) waspublished,following itsapprovalin late 2019.The Guide seeksto prom ote the consistentapplication ofArticle 13(1)(b), underwhichthereturnofachildcanberefused,inexceptionalcases,ifthereisa grave risk that his or her return would expose the child to physical or psychologicalharm orotherwise place the child in an intolerable situation.In recentyears,the increasing use ofthis defence in child abduction cases has raised concern am ong the expertcom m unity overits possible m isapplication. ThroughthisGuide,authoritieswillbebetterpositionedtom akeaninform edand prom pt decision in relation to the return of the child,strengthening the im plem entationoftheConvention. Secondly,in July2020,the PB published a Toolkit for the Convention in Times of COVID-19,presenting key aspects and specific H CCH resources relevant to addressing the challenges in the operation ofthe Convention arising from the pandem ic.R OLACalso organised two m eetingsofCentralAuthoritiesto discuss

and exchange experienceson the operation ofthe Convention in the COVID-19 context. Throughouttheyear,thePB participatedinseveralonlineeventstocelebratethe anniversaryofthe Convention,including webinarsorganised bythe International Child Abduction Lawyers Italy (ICALI)and the InternationalAcadem y ofFam ily Lawyers(IAFL),aworkshop forthe Com m ittee on LegalAffairsofthe European Parliam ent,and an internationalsem inarjointly organised by the H CCH ,the Germ an Foundation forInternationalLegalCooperation (IR Z),and the Ministryof Education and Science ofthe Republic ofKazakhstan.These events were in addition to a num ber of trainings to ensure the effective operation of the Convention,including with the European JudicialTraining N etwork (EJTN ),the Iberoam erican N etwork ofJudicialSchools(R IAEJ),aswellasspecific sessions withbothPanam aandArgentina.AnnualReport 20 20 The W orking Group on Preventing and Addressing IllicitPracticesin Intercountry Adoption m etvia videoconference in July 2020,with Ms Carine Rosalia ofthe United States of Am erica as Chair.The W orking Group continued with the developm entofadraftToolkit,containing factsheetsondifferentillicitpractices and enabling factors,a m odelprocedure to respond to suspected and actual casesofillicitpractices,aswellascoordination and cooperation guidelineson preventing and responding to patterns ofillicitpractices.The Group agreed to include a checklistto assistdecision-m aking by CentralAuthorities in lightof existing risks ofillicitactivity.The draftToolkitwillbe circulated to allH CCH Mem bers,Contracting Parties to the Convention,and relevant international organisations ahead ofthe nextm eeting ofthe SpecialCom m ission on the practicaloperationoftheConvention.

Aspartofitsintercountryadoptiontechnicalassistanceprogram m e(ICATAP),the PB provided post-convention assistance via videoconference to H onduras and Ecuador(both aspartofa second phase oftechnicalassistance)to strengthen theirchild protection system s,including with respectto adoption,in accordance with the Convention.In the case ofEcuador,the technicalassistance work also contributed to the developm entofthe Handbook on National and Intercountry Adoption Management Procedures,published by the Ministry ofEconom ic and SocialInclusion and celebrated with avisitoftheVice Presidentofthe Republic ofEcuador,H erExcellency Ms María Alejandra Muñoz Sem inario,to the PB in N ovem ber2020.In addition,the unprecedented circum stances ofthe yearled R OLAC to initiate a virtualm eeting ofLatin Am erican CentralAuthorities,to discuss and exchange experiences on the operation ofthe Convention in the COVID-19context. . 1993AdoptionConvention Visitofthe Vice Presidentofthe Republic ofEcuador, H erExcellency M s M aría Alejandra M uñoz Sem inario (N ovem ber20 20 ,The H ague)AnnualReport 20 20 2007 ChildSupportConvention The Adm inistrative Cooperation W orking Group under the Child Support Convention m etviavideoconference in Decem ber2020,with MrPhilip Ashm ore oftheUnited StatesofAm ericaand MsFloordeJonghBekkaliofN orwayascoChairs.This m eeting was convened ahead ofthe firstm eeting ofthe Special Com m ission on the practicaloperation ofthe Child SupportConvention and Protocol,originally scheduled in 2020 butwhich was unfortunately postponed duetothepandem ic.TheGroupdiscussed apossiblestatisticalreportunderthe Convention and the use ofthe iSupportcase m anagem entsystem ,as wellas

othertopicsofadm inistrative cooperation including potentialm ultilingualm odel form stofacilitateexchangesbetweenCentralAuthorities. In relation to iSupport,2020 saw the end of the iSupport Prom otion and Maintenance Projectcoordinated by the PB and funded by a grantfrom the European Union (EU), together with voluntary contributions from H CCH Mem bers.The projecthas enabled a num berofim provem ents,including the encryption ofdata and the availability ofthe interface in additionallanguages. Anew project,iSupportISD,com m enced inSeptem ber2020,onceagainfunded by the EU and voluntary contributions from H CCH Mem bers. Planned developm ents include a m odernised interface and the statistical report m entionedabove. 2015 ChoiceofLaw Principles To celebrate the fifth anniversary ofthe Principles,the PB surveyed arbitration centres from around the globe to gatherinform ation aboutwhich have either alreadyincorporated the Principlesinto theirinstitutionalrulesorare otherwise prom oting and facilitating theiruse.Thefindingswerecom piled inastatustable andwillbeupdatedannually. In 2020,CGAP and the governing bodies ofthe H CCH ’s sisterorganisations UN CITRALand UN IDR OITapproved theLegal Guide to Uniform Legal Instruments in the Area of International Commercial Contracts (with a focus on Sales),which wasdeveloped bythesecretariatsofthethreeorganisations,withtheassistance of designated experts.The Guide will be published in 2021.Against this background,the three organisations co-organised a conference in Septem ber 2020todiscusstheirworkintheareaoflaw ofinternationalsales.AnnualReport 20 20 The Judgm ents Convention m arked its firstanniversary in 2020,following its adoption at the Twenty-Second Session on 2 July 2019.One of the m ajor

developm ents in 2020 concerning the Convention was the finalisation ofthe ExplanatoryReport,prepared byco-R apporteursProfessorFranciscoGarcim artín ofSpain and ProfessorGeneviève Saum ierofCanada.The Explanatory Report was approved on 22 Septem ber 2020,with the official publication being launched in October.The Reportreflectsthe discussionsand consensus-based negotiations leading to the adoption of the Convention,and although nonbinding in nature,it is the authoritative resource on the im plem entation, operation,and interpretation of the Convention.The swift approval of the Explanatory Reportis testam entto the im portance ofthe Convention to the Mem bership.The publication ofthe ExplanatoryReportfollowsthe March 2020 approvalof the Recom m ended Form ,designed to facilitate the process of recognition and enforcem entunderthe Convention forjudges,officials,and parties. Ahead ofthe entryinto force ofthe Convention,the PB engaged in anum berof activities throughout 2020 aim ed at prom oting the Convention,its proper im plem entation,and effective operation.Thisincluded a pre-conference virtual roundtableorganisedwiththeUniversityofBonn,aninternationalconferencecoorganised by R OLAC and the Asociación Americana de Derecho Internacional Privado (ASADIP)and engagem ent with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)and itsOpen RegionalFund forSouth East Europe-LegalReform (OR F-LR )on the “Cross-borderenforcem entofjudgm ents” financed by the Germ an Federal Ministry for Econom ic Cooperation and Developm ent (BMZ).In addition,the Judgm ents Convention was presented, together with other H CCH Conventions,as part of the 2020 International Com m ercialLitigation Conference ofthe JudicialPolicyResearch Institute (JPR I)

ofthe RepublicofKorea.Stafffrom the PB headquartersand R OAP participated intheevent,co-organisedbytheH CCH withtheJPR I,UN CITRALandUN IDR OIT. . 2019Judgm entsConventionAnnualReport 20 20 Governance & Cooperation As an intergovernmentalorganisation,good governance iscentralto the operation ofthe H CCH .Itsuniqueglobalmandatealsorequires international cooperation, both within the Organisationandexternally.In2020,theH CCH continuedtoworkonstrengtheningitsgovernanceframeworksand fostering international partnerships,asoutlinedinthissection.AnnualReport 20 20 CouncilonGeneralAffairsandPolicy (CGAP) The annualm eeting ofCGAP washeld from 3to 6 March 2020 in The H ague, chaired by MrAndrew W alterofAustralia.Delegations representing 6 8 H CCH Mem bers,including one Mem ber organisation,participated in the m eeting, togetherwith observersfrom seven non-Mem berStates,fourintergovernm ental organisationsandninenon-governm entalorganisations.Forthefirsttim e,asm all num berofdelegations participated via videoconference,due to the difficulties causedbyCOVID-19. CGAP witnessed both the Dom inican Republic and the Republic ofUzbekistan becom e Mem bersofthe H CCH ,aswellasthe proposalsofthe Kingdom ofthe N etherlands to adm itthe Republic ofN icaragua and Kingdom ofThailand as Mem bers.As noted above,N icaragua has since becom e a Mem ber ofthe Organisation,in October 2020.CGAP also witnessed the accession of the RepublicofthePhilippinestotheServiceConventionoftheSocialistRepublicof

Vietnam to the Evidence Convention,and Ukraine signing the Judgm ents Convention. Asiscustom ary,CGAPreceivedupdatesonawiderangeofissuesrelatingtothe H CCH ’s norm ative,non-norm ative and governance agenda and setthe W ork Program m efortheyear,asoutlined intheConclusions&Decisions(C&Ds).Many ofthehighlightsareoutlinedintheprecedingsectionsofthisreport.AnnualReport 20 20 RulesofProcedure N ew R ulesofProcedurefortheH CCH wereapprovedbyCGAP2020andentered into force on 6 March 2020.The R ules were developed by a W orking Group chaired by H is Excellency Marcin Czepelak,Am bassador of Poland to the N etherlands. The Rules govern m atters concerning H CCH m eetings, including the organisation and conductofm eetings,the election ofChairsand Vice-Chairs,as wellastheparticipationofobservers. . CouncilofDiplom aticRepresentatives (CDR) Theannualm eetingoftheCDR tookplaceon27May2020,heldforthefirsttim e in an entirely online form at, chaired by Ms Pascalle Grotenhuis of the N etherlands. H ighlightsofthem eetingincludedMem bersapprovingtheH CCH Budgetforthe FinancialYear 2020-2021,with a totalBudget of € 4,277,994.00,approving am endm entsto the H CCH StaffRules,and electing MrLuiz Otávio Ortigão de Sam paioofBrazilasChairoftheCDR StandingCom m ittee. Fram eworkforthe Establishm entofRegionalOffices Atits2020 m eeting,CGAP approved the adoption ofa new Fram ework forthe

Establishm entofRegionalOffices.The Fram eworkwasdeveloped byaW orking Group chaired by H er Excellency María Teresa Infante Caffi,in her form er capacityasAm bassadorofChiletotheN etherlands. The Fram ework provides a setofcriteria and outlines the procedures to be followed forthe establishm entofRegionalOffices.Itappliesexclusivelyto new RegionalOffices and therefore does notaffectthe operation ofthe existing RegionalOffice forAsiaand the Pacific (R OAP)and the RegionalOffice forLatin Am ericaandtheCaribbean(R OLAC). .AnnualReport 20 20 InstitutionalCooperation Inaddition,theH CCH signedtwonew cooperationagreem ents,thefirstinMarch 2020withTashkentStateUniversityofLaw intheRepublicofUzbekistanand the second in July 2020 with the University ofBelgrade in the Republic ofSerbia. These cooperation agreem entswillenable exchangesbetween the H CCH and thefacultyandstudentsoftheseuniversities,withaview toprogressingresearch andotherprojectsrelevanttotheworkoftheH CCH . Throughout 2020, the H CCH continued to develop its engagem ent and cooperation with otherinstitutions.The circum stancesofthe pandem icenabled the PB to participate rem otely in a num berofprom otionalevents,including webinars organised by governm ental authorities and academ ic institutions showcasingtheworkoftheOrganisation. Cooperation agreem entw ith the U niversity ofBelgrade In Decem ber2020,the H CCH also concluded am em orandum ofunderstanding with the H ong Kong SpecialAdm inistrative Region ofthe People’s Republic of China.The purpose ofthe m em orandum isto facilitate the secondm entoflegal professionals to the Perm anentBureau,eitheratits H ead Office orRegional

OfficeforAsiaandthePacific. Cooperation agreem entw ith Tashkent State U niversity ofLaw M em orandum ofunderstanding w ith the H ong Kong SARAnnualReport 20 20 Our PeopleAnnualReport 20 20 OrganisationalChartAnnualReport 20 20 TheStaff MsMaryzeBER KH OUT Head of Finance / Senior Human Resources Officer DrChristopheBER N ASCON I SecretaryGeneral MsSandrineBRAR D Administrative Assistant MrFrédéricBR EGER Legal Officer (until May2020) MsFlorenciaCASTR O Legal and Office Co-ordinator (ROLAC) MsMarie-CharlotteDAR BAS Information Manager MsLydieDELOOF Graphic Designer / Publications Officer MsEugeniaGEN TILE Finance / Human Resources Assistant DrGérardineGOH ESCOLAR First Secretary MrIgnacioGOICOECH EA Representative (ROLAC) MsMajaGR OFF Principal Legal Officer MrStuartH AW KIN S Website / IT Officer MrThom asJOH N Attaché to the SecretaryGeneral / Principal Legal Officer (until January2020)

MsAnnaKOELEW IJN

Head of Administration MrPhilippeLORTIE First Secretary MrThom asMACH UELLE Translator / Reviser

MsLauraMARTÍN EZ-MORA

Secretary MsLauraMOLEN AAR Administrative Officer MsAlixN G Office Manager (ROAP) MsCapucinePAGE Legal Officer MsSophiePIN EAU Personal Assistant to the SecretaryGeneral MrFrankPOON Representative (ROAP) (unitl July2020) MsMathildePR ÉN AS Senior Administrative Assistant

DrJoãoR IBEIR O-BIDAOUI

First Secretary

MsRaquelSALIN AS PEIXOTO

Legal Officer MsN icoleSIMS Legal Officer MsGiuliaVALEN TIN I Project / Communications Assistant MrW illem VAN DER EN DT General Services Officer

MsLiviaVAN DER GRAAF

Project Officer (until June 2020) MrBrodyW AR R EN Attaché to the SecretaryGeneral / Senior Legal Officer

MsAnaZAN ETTIN

Translator / Reviser / Administrative Assistant DrN ingZH AO Senior Legal Officer Prof.YunZH AO Representative (ROAP) MsElizabethZOR R ILLA Legal Officer ConsultantstotheHCCH ConsultantssupportingNorm ativeW ork MsH annahBAKER Parentage / SurrogacyProject MrAsherGabrielEMAN UEL Judgments Project DrN inoSIEVI Tourism Project MsVictoriaSTEPH EN S INCADAT Project DrMichaelW ELLS-GR ECO Parentage / SurrogacyProject ConsultantssupportingGovernance& Operations MsH eleneGUER IN Publications MrW illem -PaulH ER BER Accountant MsN atalieMUSOMBA LibraryAssistant Secondm entstothePerm anentBureau MsSoojinCH O (Judge, seconded to the Permanent Bureau (The Hague) from the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea) MrSong(Levi)GAO (Lawyer, seconded to the Permanent Bureau (ROAP) from the Ministryof Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China) MsMyriam deH EMPTIN N E (Judge, seconded to the Permanent Bureau (The Hague) from the Ministryof Justice, Belgium) iSupport MrJean-MarcPELLET(iSupport Co-ordinator) (per 31 December 2020)AnnualReport 20 20

HeadOffice TheHague,TheNetherlands MsN atáliaBUTTIGN OLSE