1968 Brussels Convention
on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters
(Consolidated version OJ C 27, 26.1.1998, p. 1–27)
PRELIMINARY NOTE (1)
The signing on 29 November 1996 of the Convention on the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to the Brussels Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters and to the Protocol on its interpretation by the Court of Justice has made it desirable, as with previous accessions, for legal practitioners to be provided with an up-to-date consolidated version of the texts of the Brussels Convention and of that Protocol published in Official Journal of the European Communities C 189 of 28 July 1990.
These texts are accompanied by three Declarations by the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, one made in 1978 in connection with the International Convention relating to the arrest of sea-going ships, another in 1989 concerning the ratification of the Convention on the accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic and the last in 1996 on jurisdiction for cases where, in the framework of the provision of services, workers are posted in a Member State other than that in which their work is normally performed.
The text printed in this edition was drawn up by the General Secretariat of the Council, in whose archives the originals of the instruments concerned are deposited. It should be noted, however, that this text has no binding force. The official texts of the instruments consolidated are to be found in the following Official Journals.
THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY,
DESIRING to implement the provisions of Article 220 of that Treaty by virtue of which they undertook to secure the simplification of formalities governing the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts or tribunals;
ANXIOUS to strengthen in the Community the legal protection of persons therein established;
CONSIDERING that it is necessary for this purpose to determine the international jurisdiction of their courts, to facilitate recognition and to introduce an expeditious procedure for securing the enforcement of judgments, authentic instruments and court settlements (2);
HAVE DECIDED to conclude this Convention and to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries:
[Plenipotentiaries designated by the Member States]
WHO, meeting within the Council, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
(...)
Article 1
This Convention shall apply in civil and commercial matters whatever the
nature of the court or tribunal. It shall not extend, in particular, to
revenue, customs or administrative matters (3).
The Convention shall not apply to:
(1) the status or legal capacity of natural
persons, rights in property arising out of a matrimonial relationship,
wills and succession;
(2) bankruptcy, proceedings relating to the
winding-up of insolvent companies or other legal persons, judicial arrangements,
compositions and nalogous proceedings;
(3) social security;
(4) arbitration.
Article 2
Subject to the provisions of this Convention, persons domiciled in a Contracting
State shall, whatever their nationality, be sued in the courts of that
State.
Persons who are not nationals of the State in which they are domiciled
shall be governed by the rules of jurisdiction applicable to nationals
of that State.
Article 3
Persons domiciled in a Contracting State may be sued in the courts of
another Contracting State only by virtue of the rules set out in Sections
2 to 6 of this Title.
In particular the following provisions shall not be applicable as against
them:
- in Belgium: Article 15 of the civil code (Code civil - Burgerlijk Wetboek)
and Article 638 of the judicial code (Code judiciaire - Gerechtelijk Wetboek),
- in Denmark: Article 246 (2) and (3) of the law on civil procedure (Lov
om rettens pleje) (4),
- in the Federal Republic of Germany: Article 23 of the code of civil
procedure (Zivilprozeßordnung),
- in Greece, Article 40 of the code of civil procedure (Êþäéêáò
ÐïëéôéêÞò Äéêïíïìßáò),
- in France: Articles 14 and 15 of the civil code (Code civil),
- in Ireland: the rules which enable jurisdiction to be founded on the
document instituting the proceedings having been served on the defendant
during his temporary presence in Ireland,
- in Italy: Articles 2 and 4, Nos 1 and 2 of the code of civil procedure
(Codice di procedura civile),
- in Luxembourg: Articles 14 and 15 of the civil code (Code civil),
- in Austria: Article 99 of the Law on Court Jurisdiction (Jurisdiktionsnorm),
- in the Netherlands: Articles 126 (3) and 127 of the code of civil procedure
(Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering),
- in Portugal: Article 65 (1) (c), Article 65 (2) and Article 65A (c)
of the code of civil procedure (Código de Processo Civil) and Article
11 of the code of labour procedure (Código de Processo de Trabalho),
- in Finland: the second, third and fourth sentences of the first paragraph
of Section 1 of Chapter 10 of the Code of Judicial Procedure (oikeudenkäymiskaari/rättegångsbalken),
- in Sweden: the first sentence of the first paragraph of Section 3 of
Chapter 10 of the Code of Judicial Procedure (rättegångsbalken),
- in the United Kingdom: the rules which enable jurisdiction to be founded
on:
(a) the document instituting the proceedings having been served on the
defendant during his temporary presence in the United Kingdom; or
(b) the presence within the United Kingdom of property belonging to the
defendant; or
(c) the seizure by the plaintiff of property situated in the United Kingdom
(5).
Article 4
If the defendant is not domiciled in a Contracting State, the jurisdiction
of the courts of each Contracting State shall, subject to the provisions
of Article 16, be determined by the law of that State.
As against such a defendant, any person domiciled in a Contracting State
may, whatever his nationality, avail himself in that State of the rules
of jurisdiction there in force, and in particular those specified in the
second paragraph of Article 3, in the same way as the nationals of that
State.
Section 2 Special jurisdiction
Article 5
A person domiciled in a Contracting State may, in another Contracting
State, be sued:
(1) in matters relating to a contract, in the
courts for the place of performance of the obligation in question; in
matters relating to individual contracts of employment, this place is
that where the employee habitually carries out his work, or if the employee
does not habitually carry out his work in any one country, the employer
may also be sued in the courts for the place where the business which
engaged the employee was or is now situated (6);
(2) in matters relating to maintenance, in
the courts for the place where the maintenance creditor is domiciled or
habitually resident or, if the matter is ancillary to proceedings concerning
the status of a person, in the court which, according to its own law,
has jurisdiction to entertain those proceedings, unless that jurisdiction
is based solely on the nationality of one of the parties (7);
(3) in matters relating to tort, delict or
quasi-delict, in the courts for the place where the harmful event occurred;
(4) as regards a civil claim for damages or
restitution which is based on an act giving rise to criminal proceedings,
in the court seised of those proceedings, to the extent that that court
has jurisdiction under its own law to entertain civil proceedings;
(5) as regards a dispute arising out of the
operations of a branch, agency or other establishment, in the courts for
the place in which the branch, agency or other establishment is situated;
(6) as settlor, trustee or beneficiary of a
trust created by the operation of a statute, or by a written instrument,
or created orally and evidenced in writing, in the courts of the Contracting
State in which the trust is domiciled (8);
(7) as regards a dispute concerning the payment
of remuneration claimed in respect of the salvage of a cargo or freight,
in the court under the authority of which the cargo or freight in question:
(a) has been arrested to secure such payment,
or
(b) could have been so arrested, but bail or
other security has been given;
provided that this provision shall apply only if it is claimed that the
defendant has an interest in the cargo or freight or had such an interest
at the time of salvage (9).
Article 6
A person domiciled in a Contracting State may also be sued:
(1) where he is one of a number of defendants,
in the courts for the place where any one of them is domiciled;
(2) as a third party in an action on a warranty
or guarantee or in any other third party proceedings, in the court seised
of the original proceedings, unless these were instituted solely with
the object of removing him from the jurisdiction of the court which would
be competent in his case;
(3) on a counter-claim arising from the same
contract or facts on which the original claim was based, in the court
in which the original claim is pending;
(4) in matters relating to a contract, if the
action may be combined with an action against the same defendant in matters
relating to rights in rem in immovable property, in the court of the Contracting
State in which the property is situated (10).
Article 6a (11)
Where by virtue of this Convention a court of a Contracting State has
jurisdiction in actions relating to liability from the use or operation
of a ship, that court, or any other court substituted for this purpose
by the internal law of that State, shall also have jurisdiction over claims
for limitation of such liability.
Section 3 Jurisdiction in matters relating to
insurance
Article 7
In matters relating to insurance, jurisdiction shall be determined by
this Section, without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 4 and 5
point 5.
Article 8 (12)
An insurer domiciled in a Contracting State may be sued:
(1) in the courts of the State where he is
domiciled, or
(2) in another Contracting State, in the courts
for the place where the policy-holder is domiciled, or
(3) if he is a co-insurer, in the courts of
a Contracting State in which proceedings are brought against the leading
insurer.
An insurer who is not domiciled in a Contracting State but has a branch,
agency or other establishment in one of the Contracting States shall,
in disputes arising out of the operations of the branch, agency or establishment,
be deemed to be domiciled in that State.
Article 9
In respect of liability insurance or insurance of immovable property,
the insurer may in addition be sued in the courts for the place where
the harmful event occurred. The same applies if movable and immovable
property are covered by the same insurance policy and both are adversely
affected by the same contingency.
Article 10
In respect of liability insurance, the insurer may also, if the law of
the court permits it, be joined in proceedings which the injured party
had brought against the insured.
The provisions of Articles 7, 8 and 9 shall apply to actions brought by
the injured party directly against the insurer, where such direct actions
are permitted.
If the law governing such direct actions provides that the policy-holder
or the insured may be joined as a party to the action, the same court
shall have jurisdiction over them.
Article 11
Without prejudice to the provisions of the third paragraph of Article
10, an insurer may bring proceedings only in the courts of the Contracting
State in which the defendant is domiciled, irrespective of whether he
is the policy-holder, the insured or a beneficiary.
The provisions of this Section shall not affect the right to bring a counterclaim
in the court in which, in accordance with this Section, the original claim
is pending.
Article 12
The provisions of this Section may be departed from only by an agreement
on jurisdiction:
(1) which is entered into after the dispute
has arisen, or
(2) which allows the policy-holder, the insured
or a beneficiary to bring proceedings in courts other than those indicated
in this Section, or
(3) which is concluded between a policy-holder
and an insurer, both of whom are domiciled in the same Contracting State,
and which has the effect of conferring jurisdiction on the courts of that
State even if the harmful event were to occur abroad, provided that such
an agreement is not contrary to the law of that State, or
(4) which is concluded with a policy-holder
who is not domiciled in a Contracting State, except in so far as the insurance
is compulsory or relates to immovable property in a Contracting State,
or
(5) which relates to a contract of insurance
in so far as it covers one or more of the risks set out in Article 12a.
(13)
Article 12a (14)
The following are the risks referred to in point 5 of Article 12:
(1) any loss of or damage to:
(a) sea-going ships, installations situated
offshore or on the high seas, or aircraft, arising from perils which relate
to their use for commercial purposes;
(b) goods in transit other than passengers'
baggage where the transit consists of or includes carriage by such ships
or aircraft;
(2) any liability, other than for bodily injury
to passengers or loss of or damage to their baggage:
(a) arising out of the use or operation of
ships, installations or aircraft as referred to in point 1 (a) above in
so far as the law of the Contracting State in which such aircraft are
registered does not prohibit agreements on jurisdiction regarding insurance
of such risks;
(b) for loss or damage caused by goods in transit
as described in point 1 (b) above;
(3) any financial loss connected with the use
or operation of ships, installations or aircraft as referred to in point
1 (a) above, in particular loss of freight or charter-hire;
(4) any risk or interest connected with any
of those referred to in points 1 to 3 above.
Section 4 Jurisdiction over consumer contracts
(15)
Article 13
- 1. In proceedings concerning a contract concluded
by a person for a purpose which can be regarded as being outside his trade
or profession, hereinafter called 'the consumer', jurisdiction shall be
determined by this Section, without prejudice to the provisions of Article
4 and 5, point 5, if it is:
(1) a contract for the sale of goods on instalment
credit terms; or
(2) a contract for a loan repayable by instalments,
or for any other form of credit, made to finance the sale of goods; or
(3) any other contract for the supply of goods
or a contract for the supply of services, and
(a) in the State of the consumer's domicile
the conclusion of the contract was preceded by a specific invitation addressed
to him or by advertising; and
(b) the consumer took in that State the steps
necessary for the conclusion of the contract.
- 2. Where a consumer enters into a contract
with a party who is not domiciled in a Contracting State but has a branch,
agency or other establishment in one of the Contracting States, that party
shall, in disputes arising out of the operations of the branch, agency
or establishment, be deemed to be domiciled in that State.
This Section shall not apply to contracts of transport.
Article 14
1. A consumer may bring proceedings against
the other party to a contract either in the courts of the Contracting
State in which that party is domiciled or in the courts of the Contracting
State in which he is himself domiciled.
2. Proceedings may be brought against a consumer
by the other party to the contract only in the courts of the Contracting
State in which the consumer is domiciled.
3. These provisions shall not affect the right
to bring a counter-claim in the court in which, in accordance with this
Section, the original claim is pending.
Article 15
The provisions of this Section may be departed from only by an agreement:
(1) which is entered into after the dispute
has arisen; or
(2) which allows the consumer to bring proceedings
in courts other than those indicated in this Section; or
(3) which is entered into by the consumer and
the other party to the contract, both of whom are at the time of conclusion
of the contract domiciled or habitually resident in the same Contracting
State, and which confers jurisdiction on the courts of that State, provided
that such an agreement is not contrary to the law of that State.
Section 5 Exclusive jurisdiction
Article 16
The following courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction, regardless of
domicile:
(1) (a) in proceedings which have as their
object rights in rem in immovable property or tenancies of immovable property,
the courts of the Contracting State in which the property is situated;
(b) however, in proceedings which have as their
object tenancies of immovable property concluded for temporary private
use for a maximum period of six consecutive months, the courts of the
Contracting State in which the defendant is domiciled shall also have
jurisdiction, provided that the landlord and the tenant are natural persons
and are domiciled in the same Contracting State (16);
(2) in proceedings which have as their object
the validity of the constitution, the nullity or the dissolution of companies
or other legal persons or associations of natural or legal persons, or
the decisions of their organs, the courts of the Contracting State in
which the company, legal person or association has its seat;
(3) in proceedings which have as their object
the validity of entries in public registers, the courts of the Contracting
State in which the register is kept;
(4) in proceedings concerned with the registration
or validity of patents, trade marks, designs, or other similar rights
required to be deposited or registered, the courts of the Contracting
State in which the deposit or registration has been applied for, has taken
place or is under the terms of an international convention deemed to have
taken place;
(5) in proceedings concerned with the enforcement
of judgments, the courts of the Contracting State in which the judgment
has been or is to be enforced.
Section 6 Prorogation of jurisdiction
Article 17 (17)
If the parties, one or more of whom is domiciled in a Contracting State,
have agreed that a court or the courts of a Contracting State are to have
jurisdiction to settle any disputes which have arisen or which may arise
in connection with a particular legal relationship, that court or those
courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction. Such an agreement conferring
jurisdiction shall be either:
(a) in writing or evidenced in writing; or
(b) in a form which accords with practices which the parties have established
between themselves; or
(c) in international trade or commerce, in a form which accords with a
usage of which the parties are or ought to have been aware and which in
such trade or commerce is widely known to, and regularly observed by,
parties to contracts of the type involved in the particular trade or commerce
concerned.
Where such an agreement is concluded by parties, none of whom is domiciled
in a Contracting State, the courts of other Contracting States shall have
no jurisdiction over their disputes unless the court or courts chosen
have declined jurisdiction.
The court or courts of a Contracting State on which a trust instrument
has conferred jurisdiction shall have exclusive jurisdiction in any proceedings
brought against a settler, trustee or beneficiary, if relations between
these persons or their rights or obligations under the trust are involved.
Agreements or provisions of a trust instrument conferring jurisdiction
shall have no legal force if they are contrary to the provisions of Articles
12 or 15, or if the courts whose jurisdiction they purport to exclude
have exclusive jurisdiction by virtue of Article 16.
If an agreement conferring jurisdiction was concluded for the benefit
of only one of the parties, that party shall retain the right to bring
proceedings in any other court which has jurisdiction by virtue of this
Convention.
In matters relating to individual contracts of employment an agreement
conferring jurisdiction shall have legal force only if it is entered into
after the dispute has arisen or if the employee invokes it to seise courts
other than those for the defendant's domicile or those specified in Article
5 (1).
Article 18
Apart from jurisdiction derived from other provisions of this Convention,
a court of a Contracting State before whom a defendant enters an appearance
shall have jurisdiction. This rule shall not apply where appearance was
entered solely to contest the jurisdiction, or where another court has
exclusive jurisdiction by virtue of Article 16.
Section 7 Examination as to jurisdiction and admissibility
Article 19
Where a court of a Contracting State is seised of a claim which is principally
concerned with a matter over which the courts of another Contracting State
have exclusive jurisdiction by virtue of Article 16, it shall declare
of its own motion that it has no jurisdiction.
Article 20
Where a defendant domiciled in one Contracting State is sued in a court
of another Contracting State and does not enter an appearance, the court
shall declare of its own motion that it has no jurisdiction unless its
jurisdiction is derived from the provisions of the Convention.
The court shall stay the proceedings so long as it is not shown that the
defendant has been able to receive the document instituting the proceedings
or an equivalent document in sufficient time to enable him to arrange
for his defence, or that all necessary steps have been taken to this end
(18).
The provisions of the foregoing paragraph shall be replaced by those of
Article 15 of the Hague Convention of 15 November 1965 on the service
abroad of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial
matters, if the document instituting the proceedings or notice thereof
had to be transmitted abroad in accordance with that Convention.
Section 8 Lis Pendens - Related Actions
Article 21 (19)
Where proceedings involving the same cause of action and between the same
parties are brought in the courts of different Contracting States, any
court other than the court first seised shall of its own motion stay its
proceedings until such time as the jurisdiction of the court first seised
is established. Where the jurisdiction of the court first seised is established,
any court other than the court first seised shall decline jurisdiction
in favour of that court. A court which would be required to decline jurisdiction
may stay its proceedings if the jurisdiction of the other court is contested.
Article 22
Where related actions are brought in the courts of different Contracting
States, any court other than the court first seised may, while the actions
are pending at first instance, stay its proceedings.
A court other than the court first seised may also, on the application
of one of the parties, decline jurisdiction if the law of that court permits
the consolidation of related actions and the court first seised has jurisdiction
over both actions.
For the purposes of this Article, actions are deemed to be related where
they are so closely connected that it is expedient to hear and determine
them together to avoid the risk of irreconcilable judgments resulting
from separate proceedings.
Article 23
Where actions come within the exclusive jurisdiction of several courts,
any court other than the court first seised shall decline jurisdiction
in favour of that court.
Section 9 Provisional, including protective, measures
Article 24
Application may be made to the courts of a Contracting State for such
provisional, including protective, measures as may be available under
the law of that State, even if, under this Convention, the courts of another
Contracting State have jurisdiction as to the substance of the matter.
TITLE III RECOGNITION AND ENFORCEMENT
Article 25
For the purposes of this Convention, 'judgment` means any judgment given
by a court or tribunal of a Contracting State, whatever the judgment may
be called, including a decree, order, decision or writ of execution, as
well as the determination of costs or expenses by an officer of the court.
Article 26
A judgment given in a Contracting State shall be recognized in the other
Contracting States without any special procedure being required.
Any interested party who raises the recognition of a judgment as the principal
issue in a dispute may, in accordance with the procedures provided for
in Sections 2 and 3 of this Title, apply for a decision that the judgment
be recognized.
If the outcome of proceedings in a court of a Contracting State depends
on the determination of an incidental question of recognition that court
shall have jurisdiction over that question.
Article 27
A judgment shall not be recognized:
(1) if such recognition is contrary to public
policy in the State in which recognition is sought;
(2) where it was given in default of appearance,
if the defendant was not duly served with the document which instituted
the proceedings or with an equivalent document in sufficient time to enable
him to arrange for his defence (20);
(3) if the judgment is irreconcilable with
a judgment given in a dispute between the same parties in the State in
which recognition is sought;
(4) if the court of the State of origin, in
order to arrive at its judgment, has decided a preliminary question concerning
the status or legal capacity of natural persons, rights in property arising
out of a matrimonial relationship, wills or succession in a way that conflicts
with a rule of the private international law of the State in which the
recognition is sought, unless the same result would have been reached
by the application of the rules of private international law of that State
(21);
(5) if the judgment is irreconcilable with
an earlier judgment given in a non-contracting State involving the same
cause of action and between the same parties, provided that this latter
judgment fulfils the conditions necessary for its recognition in the State
addressed (22).
Article 28
Moreover, a judgment shall not be recognized if it conflicts with the
provisions of Sections 3, 4 or 5 of Title II, or in a case provided for
in Article 59.
In its examination of the grounds of jurisdiction referred to in the foregoing
paragraph, the court or authority applied to shall be bound by the findings
of fact on which the court of the State of origin based its jurisdiction
(23).
Subject to the provisions of the first paragraph, the jurisdiction of
the court of the State of origin may not be reviewed; the test of public
policy referred to in point 1 of Article 27 may not be applied to the
rules relating to jurisdiction (24).
Article 29
Under no circumstances may a foreign judgment be reviewed as to its substance.
Article 30
A court of a Contracting State in which recognition is sought of a judgment
given in another Contracting State may stay the proceedings if an ordinary
appeal against the judgment has been lodged.
A court of a Contracting State in which recognition is sought of a judgment
given in Ireland or the United Kingdom may stay the proceedings if enforcement
is suspended in the State of origin, by reason of an appeal (25).
Article 31
A judgment given in a Contracting State and enforceable in that State
shall be enforced in another Contracting State when, on the application
of any interested party, it has been declared enforceable there (26).
However, in the United Kingdom, such a judgment shall be enforced in England
and Wales, in Scotland, or in Northern Ireland when, on the application
of any interested party, it has been registered for enforcement in that
part of the United Kingdom (27).
Article 32
(1) The application shall be submitted:
- in Belgium, to the 'tribunal de première instance` or 'rechtbank
van eerste aanleg`,
- in Denmark, to the 'byret` (28),
- in the Federal Republic of Germany, to the presiding judge of a chamber
of the 'Landgericht`,
- in Greece, to the 'ÌïíïìåëÝò
Ðñùôïäéêåßï`,
- in Spain, to the 'Juzgado de Primera Instancia`,
- in France, to the presiding judge of the 'tribunal de grande instance`,
- in Ireland, to the High Court,
- in Italy, to the 'Corte d'appello`,
- in Luxembourg, to the presiding judge of the 'tribunal d'arrondissement`,
- in Austria, to the 'Bezirksgericht`,
- in the Netherlands, to the presiding judge of the 'arrondissementsrechtbank`,
- in Portugal, to the 'Tribunal Judicial de Circulo`,
- in Finland, to the 'käräjäoikeus/tingsrätt`,
- in Sweden, to the 'Svea hovrätt`,
- in the United Kingdom:
(a) in England and Wales, to the High Court
of Justice, or in the case of maintenance judgment to the Magistrates'
Court on transmission by the Secretary of State;
(b) in Scotland, to the Court of Session, or
in the case of a maintenance judgment to the Sheriff Court on transmission
by the Secretary of State;
(c) in Northern Ireland, to the High Court
of Justice, or in the case of a maintenance judgment to the Magistrates'
Court on transmission by the Secretary of State (29).
(2) The jurisdiction of local courts shall
be determined by reference to the place of domicile of the party against
whom enforcement is sought. If he is not domiciled in the State in which
enforcement is sought, it shall be determined by reference to the place
of enforcement.
Article 33
The procedure for making the application shall be governed by the law
of the State in which enforcement is sought.
The applicant must give an address for service of process within the area
of jurisdiction of the court applied to. However, if the law of the State
in which enforcement is sought does not provide for the furnishing of
such an address, the applicant shall appoint a representative ad litem.
The documents referred to in Articles 46 and 47 shall be attached to the
application.
Article 34
The court applied to shall give its decision without delay; the party
against whom enforcement is sought shall not at this stage of the proceedings
be entitled to make any submissions on the application.
The application may be refused only for one of the reasons specified in
Articles 27 and 28.
Under no circumstances may the foreign judgment be reviewed as to its
substance.
Article 35
The appropriate officer of the court shall without delay bring the decision
given on the application to the notice of the applicant in accordance
with the procedure laid down by the law of the State in which enforcement
is sought.
Article 36
If enforcement is authorized, the party against whom enforcement is sought
may appeal against the decision within one month of service thereof.
If that party is domiciled in a Contracting State other than that in which
the decision authorizing enforcement was given, the time for appealing
shall be two months and shall run from the date of service, either on
him in person or at his residence. No extension of time may be granted
on account of distance.
Article 37 (30)
(1) An appeal against the decision authorizing
enforcement shall be lodged in accordance with the rules governing procedure
in contentious matters:
- in Belgium, with the 'tribunal de première instance` or 'rechtbank
van eerste aanleg`,
- in Denmark, with the 'landsret`,
- in the Federal Republic of Germany, with the 'Oberlandesgericht`,
- in Greece, with the '¸öåôåßï`,
- in Spain, with the 'Audiencia Provincial`,
- in France, with the 'cour d'appel`,
- in Ireland, with the High Court,
- in Italy, with the 'corte d'appello`,
- in Luxembourg, with the 'Cour supérieure de justice` sitting
as a court of civil appeal,
- in Austria with the 'Bezirksgericht`,
- in the Netherlands, with the 'arrondissementsrechtbank`,
- in Portugal, with the 'Tribunal de Relação`,
- in Finland, with the 'hovioikeus/hovrätt`,
- in Sweden, with the 'Svea hovrätt`,
- in the United Kingdom:
(a) in England and Wales, with the High Court of Justice, or in the case
of a maintenance judgment with the Magistrates' Court;
(b) in Scotland, with the Court of Session, or in the case of a maintenance
judgment with the Sheriff Court;
(c) in Northern Ireland, with the High Court of Justice, or in the case
of a maintenance judgment with the Magistrates' Court.
(2) The judgment given on the appeal may be
contested only:
- in Belgium, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg and in the Netherlands,
by an appeal in cassation,
- in Denmark, by an appeal to the 'højesteret`, with the leave
of the Minister of Justice,
- in the Federal Republic of Germany, by a 'Rechtsbeschwerde`,
- in Austria, in the case of an appeal, by a 'Revisionsrekurs` and, in
the case of opposition proceedings, by a 'Berufung` with the possibility
of a revision,
- in Ireland, by an appeal on a point of law to the Supreme Court,
- in Portugal, by an appeal on a point of law,
- in Finland, by an appeal to 'korkein oikeus/högsta domstolen`,
- in Sweden by an appeal to 'Högsta domstolen`,
- in the United Kingdom, by a single further appeal on a point of law.
Article 38
The court with which the appeal under Article 37 (1) is lodged may, on
the application of the appellant, stay the proceedings if an ordinary
appeal has been lodged against the judgment in the State of origin or
if the time for such an appeal has not yet expired; in the latter case,
the court may specify the time within which such an appeal is to be lodged
(31).
Where the judgment was given in Ireland or the United Kingdom, any form
of appeal available in the State of origin shall be treated as an ordinary
appeal for the purposes of the first paragraph (32).
The court may also make enforcement conditional on the provision of such
security as it shall determine.
Article 39
During the time specified for an appeal pursuant to Article 36 and until
any such appeal has been determined, no measures of enforcement may be
taken other than protective measures taken against the property of the
party against whom enforcement is sought.
The decision authorizing enforcement shall carry with it the power to
proceed to any such protective measures.
Article 40
(1) If the application for enforcement is refused,
the applicant may appeal:
- in Belgium, to the 'cour d'appel` or 'hof van beroep`,
- in Denmark, to the 'landsret`,
- in the Federal Republic of Germany, to the 'Oberlandesgericht`,
- in Greece, to the '¸öåôåßï`,
- in Spain, to the 'Audiencia Provincial`,
- in France, to the 'cour d'appel`,
- in Ireland, to the High Court,
- in Italy, to the 'corte d'appello`,
- in Luxembourg, to the 'Cour supérieure de justice` sitting as
a court of civil appeal,
- in Austria, to the 'Bezirksgericht`,
- in the Netherlands, to the 'gerechtshof`,
- in Portugal, to the 'Tribunal de Relação`,
- in Finland, to 'hovioikeus/hovrätten`,
- in Sweden, to the 'Svea hovrätt`,
- in the United Kingdom:
(a) in England and Wales, to the High Court of Justice, or in the case
of a maintenance judgment to the Magistrates' Court;
(b) in Scotland, to the Court of Session, or in the case of a maintenance
judgment to the Sheriff Court;
(c) in Northern Ireland, to the High Court of Justice, or in the case
of a maintenance judgment to the Magistrates' Court (33).
(2) The party against whom enforcement is sought
shall be summoned to appear before the appellate court. If he fails to
appear, the provisions of the second and third paragraphs of Article 20
shall apply even where he is not domiciled in any of the Contracting States.
Article 41 (34)
A judgment given on an appeal provided for in Article 40 may be contested
only:
- in Belgium, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg and in the Netherlands,
by an appeal in cassation,
- in Denmark, by an appeal to the 'højesteret`, with the leave
of the Minister of Justice,
- in the Federal Republic of Germany, by a 'Rechtsbeschwerde`,
- in Ireland, by an appeal on a point of law to the Supreme Court,
- in Austria, by a 'Revisionsrekurs`,
- in Portugal, by an appeal on a point of law,
- in Finland, by an appeal to 'korkein oikeus/högsta domstolen`,
- in Sweden, by an appeal to 'Högsta domstolen`,
- in the United Kingdom, by a single further appeal on a point of law.
Article 42
Where a foreign judgment has been given in respect of several matters
and enforcement cannot be authorized for all of them, the court shall
authorize enforcement for one or more of them.
An applicant may request partial enforcement of a judgment.
Article 43
A foreign judgment which orders a periodic payment by way of a penalty
shall be enforceable in the State in which enforcement is sought only
if the amount of the payment has been finally determined by the courts
of the State of origin (35).
Article 44 (36)
An applicant who, in the State of origin has benefited from complete or
partial legal aid or exemption from costs or expenses, shall be entitled,
in the procedures provided for in Articles 32 to 35, to benefit from the
most favourable legal aid or the most extensive exemption from costs or
expenses provided for by the law of the State addressed.
However, an applicant who requests the enforcement of a decision given
by an administrative authority in Denmark in respect of a maintenance
order may, in the State addressed, claim the benefits referred to in the
first paragraph if he presents a statement from the Danish Ministry of
Justice to the effect that he fulfils the economic requirements to qualify
for the grant of complete or partial legal aid or exemption from costs
or expenses.
Article 45
No security, bond or deposit, however described, shall be required of
a party who in one Contracting State applies for enforcement of a judgment
given in another Contracting State on the ground that he is a foreign
national or that he is not domiciled or resident in the State in which
enforcement is sought.
Article 46
A party seeking recognition or applying for enforcement of a judgment
shall produce:
(1) a copy of the judgment which satisfies
the conditions necessary to establish its authenticity;
(2) in the case of a judgment given in default,
the original or a certified true copy of the document which establishes
that the party in default was served with the document instituting the
proceedings or with an equivalent document (37).
Article 47 (38)
A party applying for enforcement shall also produce:
(1) documents which establish that, according
to the law of the State of origin the judgment is enforceable and has
been served;
(2) where appropriate, a document showing that
the applicant is in receipt of legal aid in the State of origin.
Article 48
If the documents specified in point 2 of Articles 46 and 47 are not produced,
the court may specify a time for their production, accept equivalent documents
or, if it considers that it has sufficient information before it, dispense
with their production.
If the court so requires, a translation of the documents shall be produced;
the translation shall be certified by a person qualified to do so in one
of the Contracting States.
Article 49
No legalization or other similar formality shall be required in respect
of the documents referred to in Articles 46 or 47 or the second paragraph
of Article 48, or in respect of a document appointing a representative
ad litem.
TITLE IV AUTHENTIC INSTRUMENTS AND COURT SETTLEMENTS
Article 50
A document which has been formally drawn up or registered as an authentic
instrument and is enforceable in one Contracting State shall, in another
Contracting State, be declared enforceable there, on application made
in accordance with the procedures provided for in Article 31 et seq. The
application may be refused only if enforcement of the instrument is contrary
to public policy in the State addressed (39).
The instrument produced must satisfy the conditions necessary to establish
its authenticity in the State of origin.
The provisions of Section 3 of Title III shall apply as appropriate.
Article 51
A settlement which has been approved by a court in the course of proceedings
and is enforceable in the State in which it was concluded shall be enforceable
in the State addressed under the same conditions as authentic instruments
(40).
Article 52
In order to determine whether a party is domiciled in the Contracting
State whose courts are seised of a matter, the Court shall apply its internal
law.
If a party is not domiciled in the State whose courts are seised of the
matter, then, in order to determine whether the party is domiciled in
another Contracting State, the court shall apply the law of that State
(41).
Article 53
For the purposes of this Convention, the seat of a company or other legal
person or association of natural or legal persons shall be treated as
its domicile. However, in order to determine that seat, the court shall
apply its rules of private international law.
In order to determine whether a trust is domiciled in the Contracting
State whose courts are seised of the matter, the court shall apply its
rules of private international law (42).
TITLE VI TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
Article 54
The provisions of the Convention shall apply only to legal proceedings
instituted and to documents formally drawn up or registered as authentic
instruments after its entry into force in the State of origin and, where
recognition or enforcement of a judgment or authentic instruments is sought,
in the State addressed.
However, judgments given after the date of entry into force of this Convention
between the State of origin and the State addressed in proceedings instituted
before that date shall be recognized and enforced in accordance with the
provisions of Title III if jurisdiction was founded upon rules which accorded
with those provided for either in Title II of this Convention or in a
convention concluded between the State of origin and the State addressed
which was in force when the proceedings were instituted (44).
If the parties to a dispute concerning a contract had agreed in writing
before 1 June 1988 for Ireland or before 1 January 1987 for the United
Kingdom that the contract was to be governed by the law of Ireland or
of a part of the United Kingdom, the courts of Ireland or of that part
of the United Kingdom shall retain the right to exercise jurisdiction
in the dispute (45).
Article 54a (46)
For a period of three years from 1 November 1986 for Denmark and from
1 June 1988 for Ireland, jurisdiction in maritime matters shall be determined
in these States not only in accordance with the provisions of Title II,
but also in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 1 to 6 following.
However, upon the entry into force of the International Convention relating
to the arrest of sea-going ships, signed at Brussels on 10 May 1952, for
one of these States, those provisions shall cease to have effect for that
State.
1. A person who is domiciled in a Contracting
State may be sued in the courts of one of the States mentioned above in
respect of a maritime claim if the ship to which the claim relates or
any other ship owned by him has been arrested by judicial process within
the territory of the latter State to secure the claim, or could have been
so arrested there but bail or other security has been given, and either:
(a) the claimant is domiciled in the latter
State; or
(b) the claim arose in the latter State; or
(c) the claim concerns the voyage during which
the arrest was made or could have been made; or
(d) the claim arises out of a collision or
out of damage caused by a ship to another ship or to goods or persons
on board either ship, either by the execution or non-execution of a manoeuvre
or by the non-observance of regulations; or
(e) the claim is for salvage; or
(f) the claim is in respect of a mortgage or
hypothecation of the ship arrested.
2. A claimant may arrest either the particular
ship to which the maritime claim relates, or any other ship which is owned
by the person who was, at the time when the maritime claim arose, the
owner of the particular ship. However, only the particular ship to which
the maritime claim relates may be arrested in respect of the maritime
claims set out in 5 (o), (p) or (q) of this Article.
3. Ships shall be deemed to be in the same
ownership when all the shares therein are owned by the same person or
persons.
4. When in the case of a charter by demise
of a ship the charterer alone is liable in respect of a maritime claim
relating to that ship, the claimant may arrest that ship or any other
ship owned by the charterer, but no other ship owned by the owner may
be arrested in respect of such claim. The same shall apply to any case
in which a person other than the owner of a ship is liable in respect
of a maritime claim relating to that ship.
5. The expression 'maritime claim` means a
claim arising out of one or more of the following:
(a) damage caused by any ship either in collision
or otherwise;
(b) loss of life or personal injury caused
by any ship or occurring in connection with the operation on any ship;
(c) salvage;
(d) agreement relating to the use or hire of
any ship whether by charterparty or otherwise;
(e) agreement relating to the carriage of goods
in any ship whether by charterparty or otherwise;
(f) loss of or damage to goods including baggage
carried in any ship;
(g) general average;
(h) bottomry;
(i) towage;
(j) pilotage;
(k) goods or materials wherever supplied to
a ship for her operation or maintenance;
(l) construction, repair or equipment of any
ship or dock charges and dues;
(m) wages of masters, officers or crew;
(n) mater's disbursements, including disbursements
made by shippers, charterers or agents on behalf of a ship or her owner;
(o) dispute as to the title to or ownership
of any ship;
(p) disputes between co-owners of any ship
as to the ownership, possession, employment or earnings of that ship;
(q) the mortgage or hypothecation of any ship.
6. In Denmark, the expression 'arrest` shall
be deemed as regards the maritime claims referred to in 5 (o) and (p)
of this Article, to include a 'forbud`, where that is the only procedure
allowed in respect of such a claim under Articles 646 to 653 of the law
on civil procedure (lov om rettens pleje).
TITLE VII RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER CONVENTIONS
Article 55
Subject to the provisions of the second subparagraph of Article
54, and of Article 56, this Convention shall, for the States which are
parties to it, supersede the following conventions concluded between two
or more of them:
- the Convention between Belgium and France on jurisdiction and the validity
and enforcement of judgments, arbitration awards and authentic instruments,
signed at Paris on 8 July 1899,
- the Convention between Belgium and the Netherlands on jurisdiction,
bankruptcy, and the validity and enforcement of judgments, arbitration
awards and authentic instruments, signed at Brussels on 28 March 1925,
- the Convention between France and Italy on the enforcement of judgments
in civil and commercial matters, signed at Rome on 3 June 1930,
- the Convention between the United Kingdom and the French Republic providing
for the reciprocal enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters,
with Protocol, signed at Paris on 18 January 1934
(47),
- the Convention between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Belgium
providing for the reciprocal enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial
matters, with Protocol, signed at Brussels on 2 May 1934 (47),
- the Convention between Germany and Italy on the recognition and enforcement
of judgments in civil and commercial matters, signed at Rome on 9 March
1936,
- the Convention between the Kingdom of Belgium and Austria on the reciprocal
recognition and enforcement of judgments and authentic instruments relating
to maintenance obligations, signed at Vienna on 25 October 1957 (48),
- the Convention between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom
of Belgium on the mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments, arbitration
awards and authentic instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed
at Bonn on 30 June 1958,
- the Convention between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Italian
Republic on the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and
commercial matters, signed at Rome on 17 April 1959,
- the Convention between the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria on
the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments, settlements and
authentic instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed at Vienna
on 6 June 1959 (49),
- the Convention between the Kingdom of Belgium and Austria on the reciprocal
recognition and enforcement of judgments, arbitral awards and authentic
instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed at Vienna on 16 June
1959 (49),
- the Convention between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of
Germany for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in
civil and commercial matters, signed at Bonn on 14 July 1960 (50),
- the Convention between the United Kingdom and Austria providing for
the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial
matters, signed at Vienna on 14 July 1961, with amending Protocol signed
at London on 6 March 1970 (49),
- the Convention between the Kingdom of Greece and the Federal Republic
of Germany for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments,
settlements and authentic instruments in civil and commercial matters,
signed in Athens on 4 November 1961 (51),
- the Convention between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Italian Republic
on the recognition and enforcement of judgments and other enforceable
instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed at Rome on 6 April
1962,
- the Convention between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Federal
Republic of Germany on the mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments
and other enforceable instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed
at The Hague on 30 August 1962,
- the Convention between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Austria on
the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments and authentic
instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed at The Hague on 6
February 1963 (49),
- the Convention between France and Austria on the recognition and enforcement
of judgments and authentic instruments in civil and commercial matters,
signed at Vienna on 15 July 1966 (52),
- the Convention between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Italy
for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and
commercial matters, signed at Rome on 7 February 1964, with amending Protocol
signed at Rome on 14 July 1970 (53),
- the Convention between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of the Netherlands
providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments
in civil matters, signed at The Hague on 17 November 1967 (53),
- the Convention between Spain and France on the recognition and enforcement
of judgment arbitration awards in civil and commercial matters, signed
at Paris on 28 May 1969 (54),
- the Convention between Luxembourg and Austria on the recognition and
enforcement of judgments aud authentic instruments in civil and commercial
matters, signed at Luxembourg on 29 July 1971 (52),
- the Convention between Italy and Austria on the recognition and enforcement
of judgments in civil and commercial matters, of judicial settlements
and of authentic instruments, signed at Rome on 16 November 1971 (52),
- the Convention between Spain and Italy regarding legal aid and the recognition
and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, signed at
Madrid on 22 May 1973 (54),
- the Convention between Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark
on the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil matters, signed
at Copenhagen on 11 October 1977 (52),
- the Convention between Austria and Sweden on the recognition and enforcement
of judgments in civil matters, signed at Stockholm on 16 September 1982
(52),
- the Convention between Spain and the Federal Republic of Germany on
the recognition and enforcement of judgments, settlements and enforceable
authentic instruments in civil and commercial matters, signed at Bonn
on 14 November 1983 (54),
- the Convention between Austria and Spain on the recognition and enforcement
of judgments, settlements and enforceable authentic instruments in civil
and commercial matters, signed at Vienna on 17 February 1984 (52),
- the Convention between Finland and Austria on the recognition and enforcement
of judgments in civil matters, signed at Vienna on 17 November 1986 (52),
and, in so far as it is in force:
- the Treaty between Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in jurisdiction,
bankruptcy, and the validity and enforcement of judgments, arbitration
awards and authentic instruments, signed at Brussels on 24 November 1961.
Article 56
The Treaty and the conventions referred to in Article 55 shall continue
to have effect in relation to matters to which this Convention does not
apply.
They shall continue to have effect in respect of judgments given and documents
formally drawn up or registered as authentic instruments before the entry
into force of this Convention.
Article 57
1. This Convention shall not affect any conventions
to which the Contracting States are or will be parties and which in relation
to particular matters, govern jurisdiction or the recognition or enforcement
of judgments (55).
2. With a view to its uniform interpretation,
paragraph 1 shall be applied in the following manner:
(a) this Convention shall not prevent a court
of a Contracting State which is a party to a convention on a particular
matter from assuming jurisdiction in accordance with that Convention,
even where the defendant is domiciled in another Contracting State which
is not a party to that Convention. The court hearing the action shall,
in any event, apply Article 20 of this Convention;
(b) judgments given in a Contracting State
by a court in the exercise of jurisdiction provided for in a convention
on a particular matter shall be recognized and enforced in the other Contracting
State in accordance with this Convention.
Where a convention on a particular matter to which both the State of origin
and the State addressed are parties lays down conditions for the recognition
or enforcement of judgments, those conditions shall apply. In any event,
the provisions of this Convention which concern the procedure for recognition
and enforcement of judgments may be applied (56).
3. This Convention shall not affect the application
of provisions which, in relation to particular matters, govern jurisdiction
or the recognition or enforcement of judgments and which are or will be
contained in acts of the institutions of the European Communities or in
national laws harmonized in implementation of such acts (57).
Article 58 (58)
Until such time as the Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement
of judgments in civil and commercial matters, signed at Lugano on 16 September
1988, takes effect with regard to France and the Swiss Confederation,
this Convention shall not affect the rights granted to Swiss nationals
by the Convention between France and the Swiss Confederation on jurisdiction
and enforcement of judgments in civil matters, signed at Paris on 15 June
1869.
Article 59
This Convention shall not prevent a Contracting State from assuming, in
a convention on the recognition and enforcement of judgments, an obligation
towards a third State not to recognize judgments given in other Contracting
States against defendants domiciled or habitually resident in the third
State where, in cases provided for in Article 4, the judgment could only
be founded on a ground of jurisdiction specified in the second paragraph
of Article 3.
However, a Contracting State may not assume an obligation towards a third
State not to recognize a judgment given in another Contracting State by
a court basing its jurisdiction on the presence within that State of property
belonging to the defendant, or the seizure by the plaintiff of property
situated there:
(1) if the action is brought to assert or declare
proprietary or possessory rights in that property, seeks to obtain authority
to dispose of it, or arises from another issue relating to such property;
or
(2) if the property constitutes the security
for a debt which is the subject-matter of the action (59).
Article 60 (60)
Article 61 (61)
This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments
of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council
of the European Communities.
Article 62 (62)
This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month
following the deposit of the instrument of ratification by the last signatory
State to take this step.
Article 63 (63)
The Contracting States recognize that any State which becomes a member
of the European Economic Community shall be required to accept this Convention
as a basis for the negotiations between the Contracting States and that
State necessary to ensure the implementation of the last paragraph of
Article 220 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community.
The necessary adjustments may be the subject of a special convention between
the Contracting States of the one part and the new Member States of the
other part.
Article 64 (64)
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall
notify the signatory States of:
(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;
(b) the date of entry into force of this Convention;
(c) . . . (64);
(d) any declaration received pursuant to Article
IV of the Protocol;
(e) any communication made pursuant to Article
VI of the Protocol.
Article 65
The Protocol annexed to this Convention by common accord of the Contracting
States shall form an integral part thereof.
Article 66
This Convention is concluded for an unlimited period.
Article 67
Any Contracting State may request the revision of this Convention. In
this event, a revision conference shall be convened by the President of
the Council of the European Communities.
Article 68 (65)
This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Dutch, French, German
and Italian languages, all four texts being equally authentic, shall be
deposited in the archives of the Secretariat of the Council of the European
Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to
the Government of each signatory State (66).
In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their
signatures below this Convention.
[Signatures of the designated plenipotentiaries (67)]
PROTOCOL TO THE 1968 BRUSSELS CONVENTION
(68)
The High Contracting Parties have agreed upon the following provisions, which shall be annexed to the Convention:
Article I
Any person domiciled in Luxembourg who is sued in a court of another Contracting State pursuant to Article 5 (1) may refuse to submit to the jurisdiction of that court. If the defendant does not enter an appearance the court shall declare of its own motion that it has no jurisdiction.
An agreement conferring jurisdiction, within the meaning of Article 17, shall be valid with respect to a person domiciled in Luxembourg only if that person has expressly and specifically so agreed.
Article II
Without prejudice to any more favourable provisions of national laws, persons domiciled in a Contracting State who are being prosecuted in the criminal courts of another Contracting State of which they are not nationals for an offence which was not intentionally committed may be defended by persons qualified to do so, even if they do not appear in person.
However, the court seised of the matter may order appearance in person; in the case of failure to appear, a judgment given in the civil action without the person concerned having had the opportunity to arrange for his defence need not be recognized or enforced in the other Contracting States.
Article III
In proceedings for the issue of an order for enforcement, no charge, duty or fee calculated by reference to the value of the matter in issue may be levied in the State in which enforcement is sought.
Article IV
Judicial and extrajudicial documents drawn up in one Contracting State which have to be served on persons in another Contracting State shall be transmitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in the conventions and agreements concluded between the Contracting States.
Unless the State in which service is to take place objects by declaration to the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities, such documents may also be sent by the appropriate public officers of the State in which the document has been drawn up directly to the appropriate public officers of the State in which the addressee is to be found. In this case the officer of the State of origin shall send a copy of the document to the officer of the State applied to who is competent to forward it to the addressee. The document shall be forwarded in the manner specified by the law of the State applied to. The forwarding shall be recorded by a certificate sent directly to the officer of the State of origin.
Article V (69)
The jurisdiction specified in Articles 6 (2) and 10 in actions on a warranty
or guarantee or in any other third-party proceedings may not be resorted
to in the Federal Republic of Germany or in Austria. Any person domiciled
in another Contracting State may be sued in the courts:
- of the Federal Republic of Germany, pursuant to Articles 68, 72, 73
and 74 of the code of civil procedure (Zivilprozessordnung) concerning
third-party notices,
- of Austria, pursuant to Article 21 of the code of civil procedure (Zivilprozessordnung)
concerning third-party notices.
Judgments given in the other Contracting States by virtue of Article 6
(2) or 10 shall be recognized and enforced in the Federal Republic of
Germany and in Austria in accordance with Title III. Any effects which
judgments given in those States may have on third parties by application
of the provisions in the preceeding paragraph shall also be recognized
in the other Contracting States.
Article Va (70)
In matters relating to maintenance, the expression 'court` includes the Danish administrative authorities.
In Sweden, in summary proceedings concerning orders to pay (betalningsföreläggande) and assistance (bandräckning), the expression 'court` includes the 'Swedish enforcement service` (kronofogdemyndighet).
Article Vb (71)
In proceedings involving a dispute between the master and a member of the crew of a sea-going ship registered in Denmark, in Greece, in Ireland or in Portugal, concerning remuneration or other conditions of service, a court in a Contracting State shall establish whether the diplomatic or consular officer responsible for the ship has been notified of the dispute. It shall stay the proceedings so long as he has not been notified. It shall of its own motion decline jurisdiction if the officer, having been duly notified, has exercised the powers accorded to him in the matter by a consular convention, or in the absence of such a convention has, within the time allowed, raised any objection to the exercise of such jurisdiction.
Article Vc (72)
Article 52 and 53 of this Convention shall, when applied by Article 69 (5) of the Convention for the European patent for the common market, signed at Luxembourg on 15 December 1975, to the provisions relating to 'residence` in the English text of that Convention, operate as if 'residence` in that text were the same as 'domicile` in Articles 52 and 53.
Article Vd (73)
Without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the European Patent Office under the Convention on the grant of European patents, signed at Munich on 5 October 1973, the courts of each Contracting State shall have exclusive jurisdiction, regardless of domicile, in proceedings concerned with the registration or validity of any European patent granted for that State which is not a Community patent by virtue of the provisions of Article 86 of the Convention for the European patent for the common market, signed at Luxembourg on 15 December 1975.
Article Ve (74)
Arrangements relating to maintenance obligations concluded with administrative authorities or authenticated by them shall also be regarded as authentic instruments within the meaning of the first paragraph of Article 50 of the Convention.
Article VI
The Contracting States shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities the text of any provisions of their laws which amend either those articles of their laws mentioned in the Convention or the lists of courts specified in Section 2 of Title III of the Convention.
In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their
signatures below this Protocol.
Done at Brussels on the twenty-seventh day of September in the year one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight.
[Signatures of the designated plenipotentiaries]
JOINT DECLARATION
The Government of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federael Republic of Germany, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
On signing the Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters,
Desiring to ensure that the Convention is applied as effectively as possible,
Anxious to prevent differences of interpretation of the Convention from impairing its unifying effect,
Recognizing that claims and disclaimers of jurisdiction may arise in the application of the Convention,
Declare themselves ready:
1. to study these questions and in particular to examine the possibility of conferring jurisdiction in certain matters on the Court of Justice of the European Communities and, if necessary, to negotiate an agreement to this effect;
2. to arrange meetings at regular intervals between their representatives.
In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signatures below this Joint Declaration.
Done at Brussels on the twenty-seventh day of September in the year one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight.
[Signatures of the plenipotentiaries]
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION,
AWARE of the importance of having available provisions on jurisdiction for cases where, in the framework of the provision of services, workers are posted in a Member State other than that in which their work is normally performed;
NOTE that on 3 June 1996 the Council adopted a common position on the amended proposal for a directive concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services, which is being examined by the European Parliament under the procedure set out in Article 189b of the Treaty;
UNDERTAKE to examine whether the Brussels and Lugano Conventions need to be amended with a view to ensuring the protection of workers in the provision of services context following the Council's adoption of the Directive concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services.
PROTOCOL
on the interpretation by the Court of Justice of the
Convention of 27 September 1968 on jurisdiction and the enforcement of
judgments in civil and commercial matters
WHO, meeting within the Council, having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall have jurisdiction
to give rulings on the interpretation of the Convention on jurisdiction
and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters and the
Protocol annexed to that Convention, signed at Brussels on 27 September
1968, and also on the interpretation of the present Protocol.
The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall also have jurisdiction to give rulings on the interpretation of the Convention on the accession ofthe Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Convention of 27 September 1968 and to this Protocol.
The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall also have jurisdiction to give rulings on the interpretation of the Convention on the accession of the Hellenic Republic to the Convention of 27 September 1968 and to this Protocol, as adjusted by the 1978 Convention.
The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall also have jurisdiction to give rulings on the interpretation of the Convention on the accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the Convention of 27 September 1968 and to this Protocol, as adjusted by the 1978 Convention and the 1982 Convention.
Article 2
The following courts may request the Court of Justice to give preliminary
rulings on questions of interpretation:
1. - in Belgium: la Cour de Cassation - het Hof van Cassatie and le Conseil
d'État - de Raad van State,
- in Denmark: højesteret,
- in the Federal Republic of Germany: die obersten Gerichtshöfe des
Bundes,
- in Greece: ,
- in Spain: el Tribunal Supremo,
- in France: la Cour de Cassation and le Conseil d'État,
- in Ireland: the Supreme Court,
- in Italy: la Corte Suprema di Cassazione,
- in Luxembourg: la Cour supérieure de Justice, when sitting as
Cour de Cassation,
- in the Netherlands: de Hoge Raad;
- in Portugal: o Supremo Tribunal de Justiça and o Supremo Tribunal
Administrativo,
- in the United Kingdom: the House of Lords and courts to which application
has been made under the second paragraph of Article 37 or under Article
41 of the Convention;
2. the courts of the Contracting States when they are sitting in an appellate
capacity;
3. in the cases provided for in Article 37 of the Convention, the courts
referred to in that Article.
Article 3
1. Where a question of interpretation of the Convention or of one of the
other instruments referred to in Article 1 is raised in a case pendingbefore
one of the courts listed in point 1 of Article 2, that court shall, if
it considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it
to give judgment, request the Court of Justice to give a ruling thereon.
2. Where such a question is raised before any court referred to in point
2 or 3 of Article 2, that court may, under the conditions laid down in
paragraph 1, request the Court of Justice to give a ruling thereon.
Article 4
1. The competent authority of a Contracting State may request the Court
of Justice to give a ruling on a question of interpretation of the Convention
or of one of the other instruments referred to in Article 1 if judgments
given by courts of that State conflict with the interpretation given either
by the Court of Justice or in a judgment of one of the courts of another
Contracting State referred to in point 1 or 2 of Article 2. The provisions
of this paragraph shall apply only to judgments which have become res
judicata.
2. The interpretation given by the Court of Justice in response to such
a request shall not affect the judgments which gave rise to the request
for interpretation.
3. The Procurators-General of the Courts of Cassation of the Contracting
States, or any other authority designated by a Contracting State, shall
be entitled to request the Court of Justice for a ruling on interpretation
in accordance with paragraph 1.
4. The Registrar of the Court of Justice shall give notice of the request
to the Contracting States, to the Commission and to the Council of the
European Communities; they shall then be entitled within two months of
the notification to submit statements of case or written observations
to the Court.
5. No fees shall be levied or any costs or expenses awarded in respect
of the proceedings provided for in this Article.
Article 5
1. Except where this Procotol otherwise provides, the provisions of the
Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and those of the Protocol
on the Statute of the Court of Justice annexed thereto, which are applicable
when the Court is requested to give a preliminary ruling, shall also apply
to any proceedings for the interpretation of the Convention and the other
instruments referred to in Article 1.
2. The Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice shall, if necessary,
be adjusted and supplemented in accordance with Article 188 of the Treaty
establishing the European Economic Community.
Article 6
...
Article 7
This Protocol shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments
of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council
of the European Communities.
Article 8
This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the third month
following the deposit of the instrument of ratification by the last signatory
State to take this step; provided that it shall at the earliest enter
into force at the same time as the Convention of 27 September 1968 on
jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial
matters.
Article 9
The Contracting States recognize that any State which becomes a member
of the European Economic Community, and to which Article 63 of the Convention
on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial
matters applies, must accept the provisions of this Protocol, subject
to such adjustments as may be required.
Article 10
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall
notify the signatory States of:
(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;
(b) the date of entry into force of this Protocol;
(c) any designation received pursuant to Article 4 (3);
(d)
Article 11
The Contracting States shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the
Council of the European Communities the texts of any provisions of their
laws which necessitate an amendment to the list of courts in point 1 of
Article 2.
Article 12
This Protocol is concluded for an unlimited period.
Article 13
Any Contracting State may request the revision of this Protocol. In this
event, a revision conference shall be convened by the President of the
Council of the European Communities.
Article 14
This Protocol, drawn up in a single original in the Dutch, French, German
and Italian languages, all four texts being equally authentic, shall be
deposited in the archives of the Secretariat of the Council of the European
Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to
the Government of each signatory State84.
In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Protocol.
Done at Luxembourg this third day of June in the year one thousand nine hundred and seventy-one
(1) Text as amended by the Convention of 9 October 1978 on the accession of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - hereafter referred to as the '1978 Accession Convention` - by the Convention of 25 October 1982 on the accession of the Hellenic Republic - hereafter referred to as the '1982 Accession Convention` - and by the Convention of 26 May 1989 on the accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic - hereafter referred to as the '1989 Accession Convention`, and by the Convention of 29 November 1996 on the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden, hereinafter referred to as the '1996 Accession Convention`.
(2) The Preamble of the 1989 Accession Convention contained the following text:
'MINDFUL that on 16 September 1988 the Member States of the Community and the Member States of the European Free Trade Association concluded in Lugano the Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, which extends the principles of the Brussels Convention to the States becoming parties to that Convention`.
(3) Second sentence added by Article 3 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(4) As amended by a communication of 8 February 1988 made in accordance with Article VI of the annexed Protocol, and confirmed by Annex 1 (d) (1) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(5) Second subparagraph as amended by Article 4 of the 1978 Accession Convention, by Article 3 of the 1982 Accession Convention, by Article 3 of the 1989 Accession Convention and by Article 2 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(6) Point 1 as amended by Article 4 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(7) Point 2 as amended by Article 5 (3) of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(8) Point 6 added by Article 5 (4) of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(9) Point 7 added by Article 5 (4) of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(10) Point 4 added by Article 5 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(11) Article added by Article 6 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(12) Text as amended by Article 7 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(13) Text as amended by Article 8 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(14) Article added by Article 9 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(15) Text as amended by Article 10 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(16) Point 1 as amended by Article 6 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(17) Text as amended by Article 11 of the 1978 Accession Convention and by Article 7 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(18) Second subparagraph as amended by Article 12 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(19) Text as amended by Article 8 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(20) Point 2 as amended by Article 13 (1) of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(21) Point 4 as amended by Annex I (a) (2) first subparagraph to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(22) Point 5 added by Article 13 (2) of the 1978 Accession Convention and amended by Annex I (d) (2) second subparagraph to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(23) As amended by Annex I (d) (3) first subparagraph to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(24) As amended by Annex I (d) (3) second subparagraph to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(25) Second subparagraph added by Article 14 of the 1978 Accession Convention and amended by Annex I (d) (4) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(26) Text as amended by Article 9 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(27) Second subparagraph added by Article 15 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(28) As amended by a communication of 8 February 1988 made in accordance with Article VI of the annexed Protocol, and confirmed by Annex I (d) (5) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(29) First subparagraph as amended by Article 16 of the 1978 Accession Convention, by Article 4 of the 1982 Accession Convention, by Article 10 of the 1989 Accession Convention and by Article 3 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(30) Text as amended by Article 17 of the 1978 Accession Convention, by Article 5 of the 1982 Accession Convention, by Article 11 of the 1989 Accession Convention and by Article 4 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(31) As amended by Annex I (d) (5) first subparagraph to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(32) Second subparagraph added by Article 18 of the 1978 Accession Convention and amended by Annex I (d) (6) second subparagraph to the 1978 Accession Convention.
(33) First subparagraph as amended by Article 19 of the 1978 Accession Convention, by Article 6 of the 1982 Accession Convention, by Article 12 of the 1989 Accession Convention and by Article 5 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(34) Text as amended by Article 20 of the 1978 Accession Convention, by Article 7 of the 1982 Accession Convention, by Article 13 of the 1989 Accession Convention and by Article 6 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(35) As amended by Annex I (d) (7) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(36) Text as amended by Article 21 of the 1978 Accession Convention and by Annex I (d) (8) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(37) Point 2 as amended by Article 22 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(38) As amended by Annex I (d) (9) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(39) First paragraph as amended by Article 14 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(40) As amended by Annex I (d) (10) to the 1989 Accession Convention.
(41) Third paragraph deleted by Article 15 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(42) Second subparagraph added by Article 23 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(43) Text as replaced by Article 16 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(44) Title V of the 1978 Accession Convention contains the following transitional provisions:
'Article 34
1. The 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol, with the amendments made by this Convention, shall apply only to legal proceedings instituted and to authentic instruments formally drawn up or registered after the entry into force of this Convention in the State of origin and, where recognition or enforcement of a judgment or authentic instrument is sought, in the State addressed.
2. However, as between the six Contracting States to the 1968 Convention, judgments given after the date of entry into force of this Convention in proceedings instituted before that date shall be recognized and enforced in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the 1968 Convention as amended.
3. Moreover, as between the six Contracting States to the 1968 Convention and the three States mentioned in Article 1 of this Convention, and as between those three States, judgments given after the date of entry into force of this Convention between the State of origin and the State addressed in proceedings instituted before that date shall also be recognized and enforced in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the 1968 Convention as amended if jurisdiction was founded upon rules which accorded with the provisions of Title II, as amended, or with provisions of a convention concluded between the State of origin and the State addressed which was in force when the proceedings were instituted.`Title V of the 1982 Accession Convention contains the following transitional provisions:
'Article 12
1. The 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol, as amended by the 1978 Convention, shall apply only to legal proceedings instituted and to authentic instruments formally drawn up or registered after the entry into force of this Convention in the State of origin and, where recognition or enforcement of a judgment or authentic instrument is sought, in the State addressed.
2. However, as between the State of origin and the State addressed, judgments given after the date of entry into force of this Convention in proceedings instituted before that date shall be recognized and enforced in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the 1968 Convention, as amended by the 1978 Convention, and by this Convention if jurisdiction was founded upon rules which accorded with the provisions of Title II, as amended by the 1968 Convention or with provisions of a convention concluded between the State of origin and the State addressed which was in force when the proceedings were instituted.`Title VI of the 1989 Accession Convention contains the following transitional provisions:
'Article 29
1. The 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol, as amended by the 1978 Convention, the 1982 Convention and this Convention, shall apply only to legal proceedings instituted and to authentic instruments formally drawn up or registered after the entry into force of this Convention in the State of origin and, where recognition or enforcement of a judgment or authentic instrument is sought, in the State addressed.
2. However, judgments given after the date of entry into force of this Convention between the State of origin and the State addressed in proceedings instituted before that date shall be recognized and enforced in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the 1968 Convention, as amended by the 1978 Convention, the 1982 Convention and this Convention, if jurisdiction was founded upon rules which accorded with the provisions of Title II of the 1968 Convention, as amended, or with the provisions of a convention which was in force between the State of origin and the State addressed when the proceedings were instituted.`Title V of the 1996 Accession Convention contains the following transitional provisions:
'Article 13
1. The 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol, as amended by the 1978 Convention, the 1982 Convention, the 1989 Convention and by this Convention, shall apply only to legal proceedings instituted and to authentic instruments formally drawn up or registered after the entry into force of this Convention in the State of origin and, where recognition or enforcement of a judgment or authentic instrument is sought, in the State addressed.
2. However, judgments given after the date of entry into force of this Convention between the State of origin and the State addressed in proceedings instituted before that date shall be recognized and enforced in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the 1968 Convention, as amended by the 1978 Convention, the 1982 Convention, the 1989 Convention and this Convention, if jurisdiction was founded upon rules which accorded with the provisions of Title II, as amended, of the 1968 Convention, or with the provisions of a convention which was in force between the State of origin and the State addressed when the proceedings were instituted.`
(45) This paragraph replaces Article 35 of Title V of the 1978 Accession Convention which was extended to the Hellenic Republic by Article 1 (2) of the 1982 Accession Convention. Article 28 of the 1989 Accession Convention provided for the deletion of both these provisions.
(46) Article added by Article 17 of the 1989 Accession Convention. It corresponds to Article 36 of Title V of the 1978 Accession Convention which was extended to the Hellenic Republic by Article 1 (2) of the 1982 Accession Convention. Article 28 of the 1989 Accession Convention provided for the deletion of both these provisions.
(47) Indent added by Article 24 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(48) Indent added by Article 7 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(49) Indent added by Article 7 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(50) Indent added by Article 24 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(51) Indent added by Article 8 of the 1982 Accession Convention.
(52) Indent added by Article 7 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(53) Indent added by Article 24 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(54) Indent added by Article 18 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(55) First paragraph as amended by Article 25 (1) of the 1978 Accession Convention and by Article 19 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(56) Paragraph 2 added by Article 19 of the 1989 Accession Convention. This paragraph corresponds to Article 25 (2) of the 1978 Accession Convention which was extended to the Hellenic Republic by Article 1 (2) of the 1982 Accession Convention. Article 28 of the 1989 Accession Convention provided for the deletion of both these provisions.
(57) Paragraph added by Article 25 (1) of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(58) Text as amended by Article 20 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(59) Second subparagraph added by Article 26 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(60) Article 21 of the 1989 Accession Convention provides for the deletion of Article 60 as amended by Article 27 of the 1978 Convention.
(61) Ratification of the 1978 and 1982 Accession Conventions was governed by Articles 38 and 14 of those Conventions.
The ratification of the 1989 Accession Convention is governed by Article 31 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 31
This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities.`The ratification of the 1996 Accession Convention is governed by Article 15 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 15
This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union.`
(62) The entry into force of the 1978 and 1982 Accession Convention was governed by Articles 39 and 15 of those Conventions.
The entry into force of the 1989 Accession Convention is governed by Article 32 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 32
1. This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the date on which two signatory States, of which one is the Kingdom of Spain or the Portuguese Republic, deposit their instruments of ratification.
2. This Convention shall take effect in relation to any other signatory State on the first day of the third month following the deposit of its instrument of ratification.`The entry into force of the 1996 Accession Convention is governed by Article 16 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 16
1. This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the date on which two signatory States, one of which is the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland or the Kingdom of Sweden, deposit their instruments of ratification.
2. This Convention shall produce its effects for any other signatory State on the first day of the third month following the deposit of its instrument of ratification.`.
(63) Notification concerning the 1978 and 1982 Accession Conventions is governed by Articles 40 and 16 of those Conventions.
Notification concerning the 1989 Accession Convention is governed by Article 33 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 33
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall notify the signatory States of:
(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;
(b) the dates of entry into force of this Convention for the Contracting States.`Notification concerning the 1996 Accession Convention is governed by Article 17 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 17
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall notify the signatory States of:
(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;
(b) the dates of entry into force of this Convention for the Contracting States.`
(64) Article 22 of the 1989 Accession Convention provides for the deletion of letter (c) as amended by Article 28 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(65) An indication of the authentic texts of the Accession Conventions is to be found in the following provisions:
- with regard to the 1978 Accession Convention, in Article 41 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 41
This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Irish and Italian languages, all seven texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each signatory State.`,- with regard to the 1982 Accession Convention, in Article 17 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 17
This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish and Italian languages, all eight texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each signatory State.`,- with regard to the 1989 Accession Convention, in Article 34 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 34
This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages, all 10 texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each signatory State.`,- with regard to the 1996 Accession Convention, in Article 18 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 18
This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, all 12 texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each signatory State.`
(66) Legal backing for the drawing-up of the authentic texts of the 1968 Convention in the official languages of the acceding Member States is to be found:
- with regard to the 1978 Accession Convention, in Article 37 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 37
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall transmit a certified copy of the 1968 Convention and of the 1971 Protocol in the Dutch, French, German and Italian languages to the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The texts of the 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol, drawn up in the Danish, English and Irish languages, shall be annexed to this Convention. The texts drawn up in the Danish, English and Irish languages shall be authentic under the same conditions as the original texts of the 1968 Convention and the 1971 Protocol.`- with regard to the 1982 Accession Convention, in Article 13 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 13
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall transmit a certified copy of the 1968 Convention, of the 1971 Protocol and of the 1978 Convention in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Irish and Italian languages to the Government of the Hellenic Republic.
The texts of the 1968 Convention, of the 1971 Protocol and of the 1978 Convention, drawn up in the Greek language, shall be annexed to this Convention. The texts drawn up in the Greek language shall be authentic under the same conditions as the other texts of the 1968 Convention, the 1971 Protocol and the 1978 Convention.`- with regard to the 1989 Accession Convention, in Article 30 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 30
1. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall transmit a certified copy of the 1968 Convention, of the 1971 Protocol, of the 1978 Convention and of the 1982 Convention in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish and Italian languages to the Governments of the Kingdom of Spain and of the Portuguese Republic.
2. The texts of the 1968 Convention, of the 1971 Protocol, of the 1978 Convention and of the 1982 Convention, drawn up in the Portuguese and Spanish languages, are set out in Annexes II, III, IV and V to this Convention. The texts drawn up in the Portuguese and Spanish languages shall be authentic under the same conditions as the other texts of the 1968 Convention, the 1971 Protocol, the 1978 Convention and the 1982 Convention.`- with regard to the 1996 Accession Convention, in Article 14 of that Convention, which reads as follows:
'Article 14
1. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall transmit a certified copy of the 1968 Convention, of the 1971 Protocol, of the 1978 Convention, of the 1982 Convention and of the 1989 Convention in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese languages to the Governments of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden.
2. The texts of the 1968 Convention, of the 1971 Protocol, of the 1978 Convention, of the 1982 Convention and of the 1989 Convention, drawn up in the Finnish and Swedish languages, shall be authentic under the same conditions as the other texts of the 1968 Convention, the 1971 Protocol, the 1978 Convention, the 1982 Convention and the 1989 Convention.`
(67) The 1978, 1982 and 1989 Accession Conventions were signed by the respective Plenipotentiaries of the Member States. The signature of the Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Denmark to the 1989 Accession Convention is accompanied by the following text:
'Subject to the right to table a territorial reservation concerning the Faroes and Greenland in connection with ratification, but with the possibility of subsequently extending the Convention to cover the Faroes and Greenland.`
(68) Text as amended by the 1978 Accession Convention, the 1982 Accession Convention and the 1989 Accession Convention
(69) Article amended by Article 8 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(70) Article added by Article 29 of the 1978 Accession Convention and amended by Article 9 of the 1996 Accession Convention.
(71) Article added by Article 29 of the 1978 Accession Convention, amended by Article 9 of the 1982 Accession Convention and by Article 23 of the 1989 Accession Convention.
(72) Article added by Article 29 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(73) Article added by Article 29 of the 1978 Accession Convention.
(74) Article added by Article 10 of the 1996 Accession Convention.