Practical Handbook on the Hague Adults Convention Released

The final version of the practical handbook on the Hague Convention of 13 January 2000 on the international protection of adults, marking the end of a process led by the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH and a dedicated Working Group, which started in 2021.

The Practical Handbook is intended to assist current and prospective Contracting Parties to the 2000 Protection of Adults Convention by providing practical guidance on the implementation and operation of the Convention, which provides for the protection in international situations of adults who, by reason of an impairment or insufficiency of their personal faculties, are not in a position to protect their interests. The Practical Handbook draws upon the experiences and practical examples provided by experts from Contracting Parties with experience in the implementation and operation of the Convention, as well as by experts from States which are considering becoming Parties to the Convention.

The 250-page-long document builds on a variety of sources, such as the explanatory report of the Convention, by Paul Lagarde, the experience of Central Authorities established under the Convention, court rulings and the opinions of scholars. The handbook covers a broad range of issues that may arise in connection with the protection of adults in cross-border cases through plain, yet detailed, explanations and several examples.

Several other freely accessible practical handbooks have been published by the Hague Conference on Private International Law regarding conventions adopted under its auspices, including the 1970 Evidence Convention, the 1965 Service Convention, the 1996 Child Protection Convention, the 2007 Child Support Convention and Maintenance Protocol, and the 1961 Apostille Convention (Apostille Handbook). The full list can be found here.