Four months ago, on 16 May 2023, the Republic of Singapore made a significant step in its international legal commitments by depositing its instrument of accession to the Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters, commonly referred to as the “1965 Service Convention” or the “Hague Service Convention.”
What is the Hague Service Convention?
The Hague Service Convention, which originated in 1965, is a multilateral treaty that simplifies the methods of transmitting judicial and extrajudicial documents abroad. The Convention aims to ensure that defendants living outside the jurisdiction of a court receive proper notice of actions brought against them in a foreign country, while also enhancing the security and efficiency of the service of such documents. By providing a streamlined mechanism for serving documents, the Convention enhances international cooperation and facilitates judicial proceedings in civil and commercial matters.
By joining the Convention, Singapore becomes the 81st Contracting Party. This move underlines Singapore’s continued commitment to ensuring the effective administration of justice in cross-border disputes. The Convention is set to become operative for Singapore on 1 December 2023, in alignment with the Article 28 procedure.
The accession ceremony took place at the premises of the Permanent Bureau in The Hague. It’s worth noting that Singapore has been affiliated with the HCCH since 2014 and, with this recent accession, is now a Contracting Party to five of the HCCH Conventions.
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