Stop child abductions

The Polish central authority has repeatedly initiated and participated in international events related to proceedings in family matters. The most important of them include:

2016:

1. 58^th meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, meeting of central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations, maintenance guidance working group (14-15 March 2016, Brussels)
2. 59^th meeting of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters concerning Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 recast (25-26 April 2016, Amsterdam)
3. 60^th meeting of the members of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 5^th meeting of central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (21‑22 June 2016, Brussels)

 

2017:

1. Visit of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, to ensure proper protection of Polish children living in Norway (15-16 January 2017, Oslo)
2. 15^th meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters – (Annual Meeting), (1-2 February 2017, Brussels)
3. Visit of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice on Polish-German cooperation in matters concerning custody of children (15-16 March 2017, Berlin)
4. 64^th meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 6^th meeting of central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (19-21 April 2018, Malta)
5. 65^th Meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 11^th meeting of the central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 (so-called Brussels II bis) (12-13 June 2017, Brussels)
6. Meeting of the central authorities in connection with The Rights and Participation of Child at the Office for International Legal Protection of Children project implemented by the Czech authority (15-17 May 2017, Brno)
7. 7^th meeting of the Special Commission on practical cooperation on the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, drawn up at The Hague on 25 October 1980 and the Convention of 19 October 1996 on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children (10-17 October 2017, The Hague)
8. From the Brussels II bis Regulation to Judicial Practice Symposium organised by the French National School for the Judiciary (École nationale de la magistrature – ENM) (5-6 September 2017, Paris)
9. Organisation with the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany and the International Mediation Centre for Family Conflict and Child Abduction in Berlin (MIKK e. V.) of the Polish-German Symposium entitled Mediation in International Conflicts Concerning Children (26-27 October 2017, Warsaw)
10. Visit of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, in Brussels, who was seeking to introduce EU-wide uniform rules to protect the rights of children in foster families (28-29 November 2017, Brussels) 

 

2018:

1. 68^th meeting of the members of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 7^th meeting of central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (21-22 March 2018, Brussels)
2. 69^th Meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 12^th meeting of the central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 (so-called Brussels II bis) (19-20 April 2018, Brussels)
3. Study visit of employees of the German Youth Welfare Office – Jugendamt – a meeting organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (6-8 November 2018, Warsaw)
4. Meeting of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Poland, with representatives of Polish communities in the Netherlands involved in social and family issues (8 November 2018, The Hague) 
5. Study visit of social service workers from the United Kingdom – a meeting organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (22-25 October 2018, Warsaw)

 

2019:

1. Protecting Families and Children’s Rights Seminar organised by the Academy of European Law in Trier (7-8 February 2019, Strasbourg)
2. Study visit of social workers from Norway – meeting organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (5-6 March 2019, Warsaw)
3. 73^rd meeting of the members of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 8^th meeting of central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (27-28 March 2019, Brussels)
4. 74^th Meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, 13^th meeting of the central authorities appointed under Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 (so-called Brussels II bis) (15-16 May 2019, Brussels)
5. Conference on the situation of minors in cross-border proceedings (27 June 2019, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Consulate General of Poland in Munich)
6. Experts’ Group meeting on the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, drawn up at The Hague on 25 October 1980 (2 July 2019, Brussels)
7. Children with Disabilities Workshops organised by the European Commission (9‑10 September 2019, Bucharest)
8. Experts’ Group meeting on the international transfer of maintenance funds (16‑18 September 2019, The Hague) 
9. Children in Institutional Care Workshops organised by the European Commission (23‑24 September 2019, Riga)
10. Children Living in Precarious Family Situations Workshops organised by the European Commission (22-23 October 2019, Rome)
11. The Best Future Practices in the Best Interests of the Child under the Revised Brussels IIa Regulation Conference (7-8 November 2019, Budapest)
12. German-Polish conference on judicial practice in bi-national disputes involving parents and children (11-13 December 2019, Berlin)

 

2020:

1. Meeting of the Steering Committee of the AMICABLE Project implemented as an element of cooperation between four countries (Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany). The project aims to develop a general EU best practice tool for the recognition and enforcement of agreements resulting from mediation, including the procedural rules of individual partner countries (9‑10 January 2020, Berlin)
2. Study visit of Dutch officials dealing with the protection of children’s rights (2-4 March 2020, Warsaw)
3. International training in family mediation organised by MiKK e. V. Internationales Mediationszentrum für Familienkonflikte und Kindesentführung (6-8 March 2020, Berlin)
4. Videoconference with representatives of the European Commission concerning preparations for a no-deal Brexit (28 August 2020, Warsaw)
5. On-line meeting of the participants of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN), 78^th contact points’ meeting, Digitalisation of judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters (18.09.2020, Warsaw-Brussels)
6. Video-conference with representatives of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister with representatives of individual ministries concerning preparations for the non-contractual Brexit (18.09.2020, Warsaw)
7. 79^th meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN), 75^th meeting of Central Authorities designated under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations and Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 (16-18.11.2020, Warsaw-Brussels, video-conference)
8. Meeting of Central Authorities in the framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) regarding maintenance enforcement, Administrative Cooperation Working Group, (14-17.12.2020, Warsaw-Hague, video-conference)
9. Second Meeting of the Committee of experts on the rights and the best interests of the child in parental separation and in care proceedings (CJ/ENF-ISE), Council of Europe, (14, 18.12.2020, video-conference)

 

2021:

1. Meeting in the framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), Applicable Law Working Group (ALWG), (22, 25-27.01.2021, Warsaw-Hague, video-conference) 
2. Meeting in the framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), ,,Experts’ Group on international transfer of maintenance funds (EGITMF)” (8-11.02.2021, Warsaw-Hague, video-conference) 
3. Meeting in the framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), ,,Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP)” (1-5.03.2021, Warsaw-Hague, video-conference)
4. National Seminar within the AMICABLE project (national seminars had been held simultaneously in the partner countries at the universities in Milan and Alicante), (18-19.03.2021, Wroclaw, video-conference)
5. Third Meeting of the Committee of experts on the rights and the best interests of the child in parental separation and in care proceedings (CJ/ENF-ISE), Council of Europe, (14-15.04.2021, video-conference)
6. Conference on international maintenance cases on the basis of the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, NCSEA 2021 International Roundtable and bilateral meetings (21-23, 27-28.04.2021, Washington DC, video-conference)
7. Second meeting of Central Authorities in the framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) regarding administrative cooperation in maintenance enforcement, Administrative Cooperation Working Group, (10-11.05.2021, Hague, video-conference)
8. Final conference within AMICABLE project (11-12.06.2021, Berlin)
9. Meeting of members of The European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters regarding application of the Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (24-25.06.2021, videoconference)
10. CISM-UniUD video-conference on the question of jurisdiction and recognition of foreign judgments, Centre International des Sciences Mécaniques International Centre for Mechanical Sciences, European Union and Third Countries: Issues on Jurisdiction and Recognition of Foreign Judgments (16-17.09.2021)
11. International training in family mediation organised by MiKK e. V. Internationales Mediationszentrum für Familienkonflikte und Kindesentführung (16-19.09.2021, Berlin).
12. 4th meeting of the Steering Committee for the Right of The Child (CDENF), Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (13-15.10.2021, video-conference)
13. on-line meeting of judges adjudicating in cases under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction of October 25, 1980. (19.10.2021)
14. 10^th Expert Conference of the ITAKA Foundation: Prevention of disappearances and search for missing children and teenagers: parental kidnappings, disappearances, escapes (21-22.10.2021 r., Warsaw)
15. 83. meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN), 76^th meeting of Central Authorities designated under Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 (10-11 November 2021r., Warsaw-Brussel, video-conference).
16. Conference on the Implementation of the Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1111 on jurisdiction, the recognition and enforcement of decisions in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility, and on international child abduction - Brussels IIa Regulation (Recast) (Brussels, 12.11.2021, video-conference)
17. Conference “European models of family support” organized by the Youth Council of Justice and Higher School of Justice / European Project Research Centre (3.12.2021, Warsaw)
18. 84. meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN), regarding Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 and Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1111 of 25 June 2019 on jurisdiction, the recognition and enforcement of decisions in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, and on international child abduction, hosted by the French Presidency (24-25.02.2022, Paris, video-conference).
19. Conference on international maintenance cases on the basis of the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, NCSEA 2022 International Roundtable and bilateral meetings (16-18, 22-23.03.2022, Washington DC, video-conference)

 

2022:

1. 84^th meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN) regarding Brussels IIa and Brussels IIb Regulations, hosted by the French Presidency (24-25.02.2022, Paris, hybrid format)
2. Conference on international maintenance cases on the basis of the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, NCSEA 2021 International Roundtable and bilateral meetings (16-18, 22-23.03.2022, Washington DC, video-conference)
3. Meeting the representatives of the Department with consuls of the Republic of Poland regarding current issues in the subject of family matters in international aspect, United Kingdom (Manchester)
4. Participation of representatives of the Division in a meeting on curatorial interviews at the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in London, United Kingdom (07.07.2022, London)
5. Participation in the event organized by the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution "International cooperation in family matters - selected issues" (05-06.09.2022, Lublin)
6. Conference „What’s new in EU family law? High-level conference on the Brussels IIb Regulation, (08.09.2022, Brussels, videoconference)
7. Conference of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution “Polish-German cooperation in family law cases - main aspects and scope of parental responsibility. Proceedings in child abduction cases” (20-23.09.2022, Crakow, Poland)
8. Participation in monthly international meetings of the National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) (USA, videoconference)
9. ITAKA Foundation Conference "Psychological, legal support and mediation as an effective tool in the fight for the welfare and rights of the child" (20.10.2022, Warsaw, Poland)
10. 88^th meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN), meeting of Central Authorities designated under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (14-15.12.2022, Brussel).

 

2023:

1. Teams’ Roundtable of selected Central Authorities on return and access applications concerning temporarily relocated children outside Ukraine, meeting in the framework of HCCH (18.01.2023, video-conference)
2. Meeting with the European Commission and the HCCH on current status of work on iSupport (30.01.2023, video-conference)
3. Fourth Meeting of the International Transfer of Maintenance Funds Experts’ Group (ITMFEG), in the framework of HCCH (13-15.02.2023, video-conference)
4. Meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN) regarding Brussels IIb Regulation (13-14.03.2023, Bruxelles)
5. Polish-Scottish Seminar on International Instruments of Cooperation in Matters of Parental Responsibility (29-31.03.2023, Edinburgh)
6. International scientific conference „Thirty Years of the Polish-Ukrainian Agreement of 1993 on Legal Aid: Evaluation of Effectiveness in Civil and Commercial Matters” (30.03.2023, Warsaw, hybrid format)
7. International conference on international maintenance cases on the basis of the Hague Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, NCSEA 2023 International Roundtable and bilateral meetings (24-26.04.2023, Washington DC, video-conference)
8.  Meeting of the Polish members of the European Judicial Network in Civil and Commercial Matters at the Prison Service Training Center in Popowo (21-23.08.2023, Popowo)
9. 92^nd Meeting of contact points of the European Judicial Network in Civil and Commercial Matters (EJN), meeting of central authorities designated under Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (4-5.09.2023, Madrid)
10. Participation in a meeting with the Icelandic child protection authority Barnavernd - in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (11.2023, Iceland)

2024:

1. Participation in the meeting Cross-border protection of children from Ukraine – Application of HCCH Child Protection Conventions within the framework of HCCH (12.01.2024, video-conference)
2. 22^nd annual meeting of EJN members (29-30.01.2024, Brussels, video-conference)
3. Meeting of the Experts’ Group on International Transfer of Maintenance Funds (ITMFEG) (29-31.01.2024, video-conference)
4. Participation in the HCCH Group to finalize the revised Request for Return and new Request for Access Recommended Model Forms under the 1980 Child Abduction Convention (7, 14, 21.02.2024, video-conference)
5. International conference on cooperation under Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, 2024 NCSEA International Roundtable and bilateral meetings (11-13.03.2024, Washington DC, video-conference)

Scheduled meetings:

 

 

Below please find information and announcements on these international activities. We recommend reviewing the details of the meetings.

Visit of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, concerning provision of proper protection of Polish children living in Norway

Visit of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, in Germany on Polish-German cooperation in matters concerning custody of children

Polish-German talks on the Jugendamts. Mediation symposium

Visit of Mr Michał Wójcik, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, in Brussels – Polish initiative for legal protection of children

Deputy Minister Michał Wójcik in The Hague – important support for legal protection of children