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The Parental Responsibility, Child Custody and Visitation Rights in Cross-Border Separations

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DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT C: CITIZENS' RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS PETITIONS The parental responsibility, child custody and visitation rights in cross-border separations STUDY Abstract Divorces or separations classed as "cross-border" (parents of different nationalities or leaving in different Member States) lead to very complicated legal situations, notably regarding the relationship between the parents and the children of these former couples. An in-depth analysis of the national situations has been conducted in 6 Member States (France, Germany, Spain, UK, Sweden and Poland). In order to comprehend the breadth and types of problems connected to a cross-border separation of parents, various series of information has been collected and analysed for each of these Member States: available statistical data, international and European legal frameworks; national legislations and practices essentially linked to parental responsibility. Even though progress has been made thanks to the quoted legal instruments, notably the Regulation Brussels IIa, some difficulties of interpretation and implementation together with some gaps have been identified. Several actions may be recommended to enable cross-border separation in the European Union to be dealt more efficiently, notably in terms of mediation and international judicial cooperation. PE 425.615 EN This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Petitions. AUTHOR Institut suisse de droit comparé (ISDC) Lausanne, Suisse RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Claire GENTA Policy Department C - Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs European Parliament B-1047 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: FR Translation: EN ABOUT THE EDITOR To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to: [email protected] Manuscript completed in July 2010. © European Parliament, Brussels, 2010 This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorized, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. The parental responsibility, child custody and visitation rights in cross-border separations CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................. 10 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................. 10 1.1. Organization ............................................................................................ 10 1.2. The “cross-border separation” notion ........................................................... 11 2. STATISTICS GATHERING AND ANALYSIS: AN EVALUATION ............... 12 2.1. Collected Data .......................................................................................... 12 2.2. Data Analysis ........................................................................................... 14 2.3. Conclusions.............................................................................................. 15 3. NATIONAL LAWS: CONVERGENCES AND DIVERGENCES...................... 15 3.1. National Law and Practice .......................................................................... 15 3.1.1. Parental Rights .................................................................................. 15 3.1.2. Interest of the Child............................................................................ 17 3.1.3. Child Protection Services ..................................................................... 18 3.2. National Approaches to Cross-Border Cases .................................................. 19 4. INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LAWS: SUMMARY AND ASSESSMENT20 4.1. International Legal Instruments .................................................................. 20 4.2. Legal bases for the intervention of European Union law .................................. 21 4.3. Brussels II bis Regulation: Summary and Evaluation ...................................... 22 4.3.1. Achievements .................................................................................... 22 4.3.2. Difficulties of Interpretation and Implementation .................................... 23 5. RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................... 23 5.1. Legislative Technique ................................................................................ 24 5.2. Extending Automatic Recognition ................................................................ 24 5.3. Situations Involving Non-Member States ...................................................... 25 5.4. Child Testimony........................................................................................ 25 5.5. Rules on Applicable Law............................................................................. 26 5.6. International Mediation and Cooperation Reinforcement ................................. 26 PART I ...................................................................................................... 28 FRANCE .................................................................................................... 29 1. THE MEMBER STATE’S APPROACH IN COLLECTING STATISTICS ......... 29 2. ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL TRENDS................................................ 30 3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “NATIONAL” AND “CROSS-BORDER” DIVORCES/SEPARATIONS ........................................................................ 30 GERMANY ................................................................................................. 32 1. THE MEMBER STATE’S APPROACH IN COLLECTING STATISTICS ......... 32 3 Policy Department C: Citizens' rights and Constitutional Affairs 2. ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL TRENDS................................................ 33 3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “NATIONAL” AND “CROSS-BORDER” DIVORCES/SEPARATIONS ........................................................................ 33 POLAND.................................................................................................... 35 1. THE MEMBER STATE’S APPROACH IN COLLECTING STATISTICS ......... 35 2. ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL TRENDS................................................ 35 3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “NATIONAL” AND “CROSS-BORDER” DIVORCES/SEPARATIONS ........................................................................ 37 SPAIN....................................................................................................... 39 1. THE MEMBER STATE’S APPROACH IN COLLECTING STATISTICS ......... 39 2. ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL TRENDS................................................ 39 3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “NATIONAL” AND “CROSS-BORDER” DIVORCES/SEPARATIONS ........................................................................ 40 SWEDEN ................................................................................................... 41 1. THE MEMBER STATE’S APPROACH IN COLLECTING STATISTICS ......... 41 2. ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL TRENDS................................................ 41 3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “NATIONAL” AND “CROSS-BORDER” DIVORCES/SEPARATIONS ........................................................................ 43 UNITED KINGDOM .................................................................................... 44 1. THE MEMBER STATE’S APPROACH IN COLLECTING STATISTICS ......... 44 2. ANALYSIS AND STATISTICAL TRENDS................................................ 45 3. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “NATIONAL” AND “CROSS-BORDER” DIVORCES/SEPARATIONS ........................................................................ 45 PART II..................................................................................................... 47 1. THE 20 NOVEMBER 1989 CONVENTION ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD .... 48 1.1. Legal Instrument of Universal Application ..................................................... 48 1.2. The Child’s Right to Direct Contact with the Parents ....................................... 48 1.3. Illegal Abductions and Detentions of the Child ............................................... 49 2. INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS: CONVENTIONS PROMULGATED BY THE HAGUE CONFERENCE ......................................................................... 50 2.1. The 1 June 1970 Convention on the Recognition of Divorces and Legal Separations50 2.1.1. Scope of Application ........................................................................... 51 2.1.2. Grounds for Indirect Jurisdiction ........................................................... 51 4 The parental responsibility, child custody and visitation rights in cross-border separations 2.1.3. Expressly Excluded Grounds for Denying Recognition............................... 51 2.1.4. Expressly Permitted Grounds for Refusing Recognition ............................. 52 2.2. The Convention of 5 October 5 1961 Concerning the Powers of Authorities and the Law Applicable in Respect of the Protection of Infants .............................................. 52 2.2.1. Scope of Application ........................................................................... 52 2.2.2. Jurisdiction of Authorities .................................................................... 53 2.3. Applicable Law.........................................................................................
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