The VOICE of the Child in International Child Abduction Proceedings in Europe Work stream 2: case law results 1 Contents VOICE research team ................................................................................................................. 5 List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... 15 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ 15 1. Key international legal provisions .................................................................................... 16 Hague Convention on Child Abduction ............................................................................... 16 Brussels IIbis Regulation ...................................................................................................... 16 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ........................................................ 17 2. Research design and methodology .................................................................................... 18 2.1. Unit of analysis .............................................................................................................. 18 2.2. Time frame .................................................................................................................... 18 2.3. Research strategy ........................................................................................................... 18 2.3.1. VOICE researchers ................................................................................................. 18 2.3.2. National country experts ......................................................................................... 19 2.4. Data analysis and research questions ............................................................................. 19 2.4.1. First step: Qualtrics survey ..................................................................................... 20 2.4.2. Second step: NVivo ................................................................................................ 21 2.4.3. Third step: Country report ...................................................................................... 24 2.4.4. Fourth step: Comprehensive research report .......................................................... 25 3. Case law analysis .............................................................................................................. 26 3.1. Best interests of the child ............................................................................................... 26 3.1.1. General .................................................................................................................... 26 3.1.2. Explicit reference .................................................................................................... 27 Article 3(1) UNCRC ..................................................................................................... 28 Rationale Hague Convention on Child Abduction ........................................................ 29 Other (inter)national legal instruments.......................................................................... 29 Case law of the European Court of Human Rights ....................................................... 30 Other (inter)national case law ....................................................................................... 32 Other .............................................................................................................................. 35 3.1.3. Implicit reference .................................................................................................... 42 Change of residence ...................................................................................................... 43 Living conditions ........................................................................................................... 44 Relationship with the parents ........................................................................................ 45 Extra information .......................................................................................................... 46 3.1.4. Interpretation of grounds for non-return in relation to the best interests ................ 46 2 Article 12 Hague Convention on Child Abduction ....................................................... 47 Article 13(1)(a) Hague Convention on Child Abduction .............................................. 50 Article 13(1)(b) Hague Convention on Child Abduction .............................................. 52 Article 13(2) Hague Convention on Child Abduction .................................................. 64 Article 20 Hague Convention on Child Abduction ....................................................... 68 3.1.5. Impact of the best interests assessment on the final decision ................................. 68 The best interests are decisive ....................................................................................... 68 The best interests are decisive but other factors are considered.................................... 76 The best interests are considered equally with other factors ......................................... 79 The best interests are considered but not taken into account ........................................ 84 3.2. Hearing of the child ....................................................................................................... 86 3.1.1 The child is heard ..................................................................................................... 87 Professional hearing the child ....................................................................................... 87 Information on the hearing ............................................................................................ 87 Hearing contributed to the assessment of the best interests .......................................... 91 Impact of the child’s views on the final decision .......................................................... 91 3.2.2 The child is not heard ............................................................................................... 96 The child is not heard because of his or her age and/or maturity .................................. 96 The child is not heard because of influence / manipulation .......................................... 98 Hearing is not in the child’s best interests ..................................................................... 99 Hearing by another court ............................................................................................... 99 Hearing considered not necessary ................................................................................. 99 4. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 101 5. Annexes ........................................................................................................................... 105 ANNEX I – Qualtrics Survey – Outline ................................................................................. 106 ANNEX II – List of factors concerning the best interests of the child .................................. 126 ANNEX III – Country Analysis – BELGIUM ....................................................................... 129 ANNEX IV – Country Analysis – BULGARIA .................................................................... 138 ANNEX V – Country Analysis – CROATIA ........................................................................ 145 ANNEX VI – Country Analysis – CZECH REPUBLIC ....................................................... 156 ANNEX VII – Country Analysis – FINLAND ...................................................................... 161 ANNEX VIII – Country Analysis – FRANCE ...................................................................... 170 ANNEX IX – Country Analysis – GERMANY .................................................................... 192 ANNEX X – Country Analysis – GREECE .......................................................................... 200 ANNEX XI – Country Analysis – HUNGARY ..................................................................... 205 ANNEX XII – Country Analysis – ITALY ........................................................................... 214 3 ANNEX XIII – Country Analysis – LATVIA ....................................................................... 223 ANNEX XIV – Country Analysis – MALTA ....................................................................... 228 ANNEX XV – Country Analysis – NETHERLANDS .......................................................... 239 ANNEX XVI – Country Analysis – POLAND ..................................................................... 266 ANNEX XVII – Country Analysis – ROMANIA ................................................................. 273 ANNEX XVIII – Country Analysis – SPAIN ....................................................................... 279 ANNEX XIX – Country Analysis – SWEDEN ..................................................................... 285 ANNEX XX – Court Analysis – COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION .... 290 ANNEX XXI – Court Analysis – EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS ................ 295 4 Executive summary Introduction: the research This is a summary of the report on the research findings of the VOICE project, co-funded