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The Intercountry Adoption (Contracting States) (Amendment) Order 2014 (the Amendment Order) made by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare under section 20D of the Adoption Ordinance (Cap. 290) was published in the Gazette today (December 12).
The Amendment Order seeks to add 19 Contracting States to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention), namely Belize, the Republic of Mali, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Seychelles, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Hellenic Republic, Ireland, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Senegal, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Montenegro, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of Fiji, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Swaziland, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Haiti and the Republic of Serbia, to the Schedule to the Intercountry Adoption (Contracting States) Order (Cap. 290 sub. leg. C) so that the Convention applies to an adoption between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and any of these 19 Contracting States in relation to an application made pursuant to the Convention. In accordance with the Convention, the Convention has entered into force between HKSAR and those 19 Contracting States since the following dates:
Belize April 1, 2006
The Republic of Mali September 1, 2006
The Dominican Republic March 1, 2007
The Republic of Seychelles October 1, 2008
The former Yugoslav April 1, 2009
Republic of Macedonia
The Principality of May 1, 2009
Liechtenstein
The Hellenic Republic January 1, 2010
Ireland November 1, 2010
The Republic of Kazakhstan November 1, 2010
The Republic of Senegal December 1, 2011
The Socialist Republic of February 1, 2012
Viet Nam
Montenegro July 1, 2012
The Republic of Rwanda July 1, 2012
The Republic of Fiji August 1, 2012
The Kingdom of Lesotho December 1, 2012
The Kingdom of Swaziland July 1, 2013
The Republic of Croatia April 1, 2014
The Republic of Haiti April 1, 2014
The Republic of Serbia April 1, 2014
The Amendment Order also reflects the change in the applicability of the Convention to different regions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands so that the Convention would be extended to apply to the Caribbean part of the Netherlands, namely, the islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius. In accordance with the Convention, the Convention has entered into force for Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius since February 1, 2011.
The Convention sets out, inter alia, a framework for international co-operation in intercountry adoptions, and its implementation in HKSAR is governed by the Adoption Ordinance (Cap. 290). The Convention is currently in force in 93 States. Upon commencement of the Amendment Order, the Convention applies to an adoption between HKSAR and any of the abovementioned Contracting States in relation to an application made pursuant to the Convention.
Ends/Friday, December 12, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:08
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