Introduction

A. Objectives of the questionnaire

1. At its March 2025 meeting, the Council on General Affairs and Policy (CGAP) of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) mandated the Permanent Bureau (PB) to start preparing the next meeting of the Special Commission (SC) on the practical operation of the Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993 Adoption Convention) (CGAP 2025, C&D No 42 and 77). The specific dates of the meeting will be determined in accordance with the full Work Programme of the HCCH and budget implications.

2. In order to commence preparations for a future meeting, this questionnaire is being circulated to Members of the HCCH as well as Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention with the objective of obtaining their views on the matters they would like to discuss at the meeting, as well as to provide input regarding its format. The responses received will assist the PB in drawing up the agenda of the meeting.

B. Instructions for completion

3. This questionnaire is intended for Central Authorities of Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention as well as for National and Contact Organs of Members of the HCCH. Members and Contracting Parties are invited to conduct consultations with competent authorities, bodies and relevant stakeholders in their respective State in filling out this questionnaire. Central Authorities are asked to coordinate as appropriate with other competent authorities. For Contracting Parties to the Convention, Central Authorities are ultimately responsible for submitting the completed questionnaire to the PB. Members and Contracting Parties to the 1993 Adoption Convention are kindly requested to send only one (coordinated) response per State.

4. Before completing the questionnaire, Members and Contracting Parties are invited to refer to the “Conclusions and Recommendations from previous meetings of the Special Commission (SC) on the Practical Operation of the 1993 Adoption Convention” (Prel. Doc. No 1 of May 2025)  for an overview of the topics that were discussed in past SC meetings.

5. Members and Central Authorities are kindly requested to submit their responses no later than 15 July 2025, 5.00 p.m. CEST.

6. The PB will publish a summary of the questionnaire responses on the HCCH website (www.hcch.net), including a compilation of responses. Respondents are therefore requested to clearly indicate if their response (or responses to specific questions) should not be made available on the HCCH website.

7. Thank you in advance for responding to the questionnaire which will assist the PB in preparing for the next meeting of the SC on the 1993 Adoption Convention.