Citation and commencement
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention 2007 etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 and, subject as follows, shall come into operation on the day on which the Convention enters into force in respect of the European Union, which day will be notified in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.
(2) The following provisions come into force on 1st January 2013—
(a)regulations 1, 2, 5 and 8;
(b)Schedule 2 except in so far as it applies to the enforcement of a maintenance decision registered under the Convention;
(c)Schedule 5.
Interpretation
2. In these Regulations—
“the Convention” means the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and other forms of Family Maintenance done at The Hague on 23 November 2007(1) and
“the Maintenance Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations(2) including as applied in relation to Denmark by virtue of the Agreement made on 19th October 2005 between the European Community and the Kingdom of Denmark(3).
Central Authority for Northern Ireland
3.—(1) The Department of Justice is designated under Article 4 of the Convention as the Central Authority in relation to Northern Ireland.
(2) If a person outside the United Kingdom does not know to which Central Authority in the United Kingdom a communication should be addressed, the person may address it to the Lord Chancellor.
The Convention
4. Schedule 1 (which contains provisions relating to the establishment, modification, recognition and enforcement in Northern Ireland pursuant to the Convention of maintenance decisions made in States bound by the Convention which are not European Union Member States) has effect.
Enforcement
5. Schedule 2 (which contains provisions for the enforcement in Northern Ireland of certain international maintenance obligations in relation to children by way of driving disqualification orders) has effect.
Provisions relating to information
6. Schedule 3 (which contains provisions relating to access to, and the transmission and use of, information) has effect.
Consequential amendments
7. Schedule 4 (which makes consequential amendments) has effect.
Amendments relating to the Maintenance Regulation
8. Schedule 5 (which contains further amendments relating to the Maintenance Regulation) has effect.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 16th November 2012
David Ford
Minister of Justice