Treaty

Depositary

Convention on the law applicable to maintenance obligations towards children

Parties with reservations, declarations and objections

Party Reservations / Declarations Objections
Belgium Yes No
China Yes No
Germany Yes No
Italy Yes No
Liechtenstein Yes No
Luxembourg Yes No
Netherlands, the Kingdom of the Yes No
Portugal Yes No
Switzerland Yes No
Türkiye Yes No

Belgium

26-08-1970

In application of Article 2 of the Convention, Belgian law shall be declared applicable even if the child has his place of habitual residence abroad, when the claim for maintenance is made before a Belgian court, when the child and the person from whom maintenance is claimed have Belgian nationality and when the person from whom maintenance is claimed has his place of habitual residence in Belgium.

China

30-09-1999

In accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Portugal on the Question of Macao (hereinafter referred to as the Joint Declaration), the Government of the People's Republic of China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macao with effect from 20 December 1999. Macao will from that date, become a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
It is Provided both in Section VIII of Elaboration by the Government of the People's Republic of China of its Basic Policies Regarding Macao, which is annex I to the Joint Declaration, and Article 138 of the Basic Law of Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, which was adopted on 31 March 1993 by the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, that international agreements to which Government of the People's Republic of China is not yet a party but which are implemented in Macao may continue to be implemented in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
In accordance with the provisions mentioned above, I am instructed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, to inform Your Excellency of the following:
Convention on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations towards Children, done at the Hague on 24 October 1956 (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention"), which applies to Macao at present, will continue to apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region with effect from 20 December 1999.
Within the above ambit, the Government of the People's Republic of China will assume the responsibility for the international rights and obligations that place on a party to the Convention.

Germany

02-11-1961

With the declaration that the above-mentioned Convention is applicable to "Land" Berlin as from 1 January 1962, the date of its entry into force for the Federal Republic of Germany.

Italy

22-02-1961

... invoking the provisions of Article 2, the Italian Government declares that it will consider Italian law applicable in the cases provided in sub-paragraphs a, b and c of Article 2.

Liechtenstein

02-06-1972

Liechtenstein law shall be applicable when the claim for maintenance is lodged with a Liechtenstein authority, when the respondent and the child are Liechtenstein nationals and when the respondent has his place of habitual residence in Liechtenstein.

Luxembourg

15-07-1971

In application of Article 2 of the Convention on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations towards Children signed at The Hague on 24 October 1956, Luxembourg law shall be declared applicable even if the child has his place of habitual residence abroad, when the claim for maintenance is lodged with a Luxembourg court, when the child and the person from whom maintenance is claimed have Luxembourg nationality, and when the person from whom maintenance is claimed has his place of habitual residence in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Netherlands, the Kingdom of the

15-10-1962

By depositing the instrument of Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands ratifying the Convention on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations towards Children opened for signature at The Hague on 24 October 1956, I, the undersigned, interim Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, declare on behalf of Her Majesty's Government that, for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the term "metropolitan territories" used in the text of the Convention means "European territory", in view of the equality which exists under public law between the Netherlands, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles.

Portugal

29-09-1999

Upon instructions from my Government and referring to the Convention on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations Towards Children concluded at The Hague on 24 October 1956 (hereinafter referred to as the Convention) which currently applies to Macau, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency of the following:
In accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the Portuguese Republic and of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the question of Macau, signed in Beijing on 13 April 1987, the Government of the Portuguese Republic will remain internationally responsible for Macau until 19 December 1999, the People's Republic of China resuming from that date the exercise of sovereignty over Macau, with effect from 20 December 1999.
From 20 December 1999 the Portuguese Republic will cease to be responsible for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the Convention in Macau.

Switzerland

18-11-1964

Swiss law shall be applicable when the claim for maintenance is lodged with a Swiss authority, when the respondent and the child are Swiss nationals and when the respondent has his place of habitual residence in Switzerland.

Türkiye

28-02-1972

In accordance with Article 2 of the Convention on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations towards Children, Turkish law shall be applicable even if the child has his place of habitual residence abroad when the claim for maintenance is lodged with a Turkish court, when the child and the person from whom maintenance is claimed have Turkish nationality, and when the person from whom maintenance is claimed has his place of habitual residence in Turkey.

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