Council Act of 28 May 1998 drawing up, on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, the Protocol on the interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities of the Convention on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Matrimonial Matters
Date: 1998-05-28
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU law - national law, application of the law, divorce, family law, marriage, simplification of formalities

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COUNCIL  ACT

of  28  May  1998

drawing  up,  on  the basis  of  Article  K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, the Protocol on the
interpretation  by  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  European  Communities  of  the  Convention  on
Jurisdiction  and  the  Recognition  and  Enforcement  of  Judgments  in  Matrimonial  Matters

(98/C 221/03)

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  European  Union,  and  in  particular  Article  K.3(2)(c)  thereof,

Having  regard  to  Article  45  of  the  Convention  on  jurisdiction  and  the  recognition  and
enforcement  of  judgments  in  matrimonial  matters,

Whereas  Article  K.3(2)(c)  of  the  Treaty  provides  that  conventions  drawn  up  on  the  basis  of
Article  K.3  thereof  may  stipulate  that  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  European  Communities  shall
have jurisdiction to interpret their provisions in accordance with such arrangements as they may
lay  down;

Having  examined  the  views  of  the  European  Parliament (1),  following  the  consultation
conducted  by  the  Presidency  in  accordance  with  Article  K.6  of  the  Treaty,

HAS  DECIDED,  that  the  Protocol,  the  text  of  which  is  given  in  the  Annex  and  which  has  been
signed today by the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, is hereby drawn
up,

RECOMMENDS  that  it  be  adopted  by  the  Member  States  in  accordance  with  their  respective
constitutional  rules.

Done  at  Brussels,  28  May  1998.

For  the  Council

The  President

J.  STRAW

(1) Opinion  delivered  on  30  April  1998  (OJ  C  152,  18.5.1998).

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PROTOCOL

drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, on the interpretation by
the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  European  Communities  of  the  Convention  on  Jurisdiction  and  the
Recognition  and  Enforcement  of  Judgments  in  Matrimonial  Matters

THE  HIGH  CONTRACTING  PARTIES  to  this  Protocol,  Member  States  of  the  European  Union,

REFERRING to the Council Act of 28 May 1998 drawing up, on the basis of Article K.3 of the
Treaty  on  European  Union,  the  Protocol  on  the  Interpretation  by  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the
European  Communities  of  the  Convention  on  Jurisdiction  and  the  Recognition  and
Enforcement  of  Judgments  in  Matrimonial  Matters,

REFERRING  to  Article  45  of  the  Convention  on  Jurisdiction  and  the  Recognition  and
Enforcement of Judgments in Matrimonial Matters, which provides that the Court of Justice of
the  European  Communities  shall  have  jurisdiction  to  give  rulings  on  the  interpretation  of  that
Convention  and  this  Protocol,

WISHING  to  regulate  the  conditions  under  which  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  European
Communities  shall  have  jurisdiction  to  give  rulings  on  questions  of  interpretation  of  the
Convention  and  this  Protocol,

HAVE  AGREED  UPON  THE  FOLLOWING  PROVISIONS:

Article  1

In  accordance  with  Article  45  of  the  Convention  on
Jurisdiction  and  the  Recognition  and  Enforcement  of
Judgments  in  Matrimonial  Matters,  hereinafter  referred
to  as  ‘the  Convention’,  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the
European  Communities  shall  have  jurisdiction,  under  the
conditions  laid  down  in  this  Protocol,  to  give  rulings  on
the  interpretation  of  the  Convention  and  this  Protocol.

Article  2

1.
At  the  time  of  the  notification  referred  to  in
Article  9(2),  each  Member  State  shall  indicate  which
courts  may  request  the  Court  of  Justice  to  give
preliminary  rulings  on  questions  of  interpretation.

The courts to which this right may be granted shall

2.
be  either:

a)

b)

the  highest  courts  of  Member  States 
Article  3,  or

listed 

in

the  highest  courts  listed  in  Article  3  and  the  other
courts of the Member States where they are sitting in
an appellate capacity.

— in  Belgium:  the  ‘Cour  de  Cassation’  or  the  ‘Hof  van
Cassatie’  and  the  ‘Conseil  d’Etat’  or  the  ‘Raad  van
State’,

— in  Denmark:  the  ‘Højesteret’,

— in  Germany:  the  ‘Obersten  Gerichtshöfe  des  Bundes’,

— in  Greece: 

‘Ανω(cid:139) (cid:244)Æ(cid:244)(cid:239)  ΕØ(cid:228)Øκ(cid:222)  ∆ØκÆ(cid:243)(cid:244)η(cid:139) ρØ(cid:239)’, 

‘Αρ(cid:229)Ø(cid:239)ς
Π(cid:192)γ(cid:239)ς’,  ‘Συµ(cid:226)(cid:239)υ(cid:139) λØ(cid:239)  Ε(cid:240)ØκρÆ(cid:244)(cid:229)(cid:221)Æς’,  ‘Ελ(cid:229)γκ(cid:244)Øκ(cid:222)  Συν(cid:219)(cid:228)-
ρØ(cid:239)’,

— in  Spain:  the  ‘Tribunal  Supremo’,

— in  France:  the  ‘Cour  de  Cassation’  and  the  ‘Conseil

d’Etat’,

— in  Ireland:  the  Supreme  Court,

— in  Italy:  the  ‘Corte  Suprema  di  Cassazione’,

— in  Luxembourg:  the  ‘Cour  supérieure  de  justice’

sitting  as  a  Cassation  Court,

— in  the  Netherlands:  the  ‘Hoge  Raad’,

— in  Austria:  the  ‘Oberste  Gerichtshof’,  the  ‘Verwal-
tungsgerichtshof’  and  the  ‘Verfassungsgerichtshof’,

— in  Portugal:  the  ‘Supremo  Tribunal  de  Justiça’,

— in  Finland:  ‘korkein  oikeus/högsta  domstolen’  and
förvaltningsdom-

hallinto-oikeus/högsta 

‘korkein 
stolen’,

Article  3

— in  Sweden:  ‘Högsta  domstolen  and  Regeringsr´tten’,

For  the  purposes  of  applying  this  Protocol,  the

1.
highest  courts  of  Member  States  are  those  listed  below:

— in the United Kingdom: the Judicial Committee of the

House  of  Lords.

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At  the  request  of  the  Member  State  concerned,  the
2.
list  of  Member  States’  highest  courts  referred  to  in
paragraph  1  may  be  amended  by  a  decision  of  the
Council.

Article  7

The Protocol on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the
European Community and the Rules of Procedure of that
Court  shall  apply.

Article  4

1. Where  a  question  of  interpretation  is  raised  in  a
case  pending  before  one  of  the  highest  courts  listed  in
Article  3(1),  that  court  shall,  if  it  considers  that  a
decision  on  the  question  is  necessary  to  enable  it  to  give
judgment,  request  the  Court  of  Justice  to  give  a  ruling
thereon.

2. Where  such  a  question  is  raised  before  a  court
sitting in an appellate capacity, that court may, under the
conditions  laid  down  in  paragraph  1,  request  the  Court
of  Justice  to  give  a  ruling  thereon.

Article  5

The  Council,  the  Commission  and  the  Member  States
shall  have  the  right  to  submit  to  the  Court  statements  of
cases  or  written  observations  in  cases  brought  before  it
under  Article  1.

Article  6

1.
The  competent  authority  of  a  Member  State  may
request the Court of Justice to give a ruling on a question
of  interpretation  if  judgments  given  by  courts  of  that
State  conflict  with  the  interpretation  given  either  by  the
Court of Justice or in a judgment of one of the courts of
another  Member  State  referred  to  in  Article  2,  if  that
Member  State  is  a  Party  to  this  Protocol.  The  provisions
of  this  paragraph  shall  apply  only  to  judgments  which
have  become  res judicata.

2.
The  interpretation  given  by  the  Court  of  Justice  in
response  to  such  a  request  shall  not  affect  the  judgments
which  gave  rise  to  the  request  for  interpretation.

3.
The Procurators-General of the Courts of Cassation
of  the  Member  States,  or  any  other  authority  designated
by a Member State, shall be entitled to request the Court
of  Justice  for  a  ruling  on  interpretation  in  accordance
with  paragraph  1.

4.
The  Registrar  of  the  Court  of  Justice  shall  give
notice  of  the  request  to  the  Member  States,  to  the
Commission  and  to  the  Council.  They  shall  then  be
entitled  within  two  months  of  the  notification  to  submit
statements  of  case  or  written  observations  to  the  Court.

Article  8

This  Protocol  may  not  be  subject  to  any  reservation.

Article  9

This  Protocol  shall  be  subject  to  adoption  by  the
in  accordance  with  their  respective

1.
Member  States 
constitutional  rules.

2. Member  States  shall  notify  the  depositary  of  the
completion of their respective constitutional requirements
for  the  adoption  of  this  Protocol.

3.
This Protocol shall enter into force 90 days after the
notification  referred  to  in  paragraph  2  by  the  third  State
which,  being  a  member  of  the  European  Union  at  the
time the Council adopts the act drawing up this Protocol,
completes that formality. However, it shall at the earliest
enter  into  force  at  the  same  time  as  the  Convention.

Article  10

This Protocol shall be open to acession by any State

1.
that  becomes  a  member  of  the  European  Union.

Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the

2.
depositary.

3. When  depositing  its  instruments  of  accession,  the
acceding  Member  State  shall  indicate  in  a  declaration:

a)

the  conditions  for  the  application  of  Article  2  with
respect  to  it;

b) which  of  its  highest  Courts  has,  or  shall  have,  the
right  to  ask  the  Court  of  Justice  to  give  preliminary
rulings  on  questions  of  interpretation  in  accordance
with  Article  3(1).

Before  the  date  on  which  this  Protocol  enters  into
4.
force  in  respect  of  the  acceding  Member  State,  the
Council  shall  adopt,  in  accordance  with  Article  3(2),
amendments  to  the  list  of  highest  Courts  in  Article  3(1).

5. No  fees  shall  be  levied  or  any  costs  or  expenses
awarded in respect of the proceedings provided for in this
Article.

5.
The  text  of  this  Protocol  in  the  language  or
languages of the acceding Member State, as drawn up by
the  Council,  shall  be  authentic.

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This  Protocol  shall  enter  into  force  with  respect  to
6.
any  Member  State  that  accedes  to  it  90  days  after  the
date  of  deposit  of  its  instrument  of  accession  or  on  the
date  of  entry  into  force  of  this  Protocol  if  it  has  not
already  entered  into  force  at  the  time  of  expiry  of  the
said  period  of  90  days.

Amendments  shall  be  drawn  up  by  the  Council,
2.
which  shall  recommend  that  they  be  adopted  by  the
Member  States 
in  accordance  with  their  respective
constitutional  rules.

Amendments  thus  adopted  shall  enter  into  force  in

3.
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Article  9.

Article  11

Article  12

1. Without prejudice to Article 3(2) and Article 10(4),
amendments  to  this  Protocol  may  be  proposed  by  any
Member  State  party 
the
Commission.  Any  proposal  for  an  amendment  shall  be
sent  to  the  depositary,  who  shall  forward  it  to  the
Council.

this  Protocol  or  by 

to 

The  Secretary-General  of  the  Council  shall  act  as

1.
depositary  of  this  Protocol.

The  depositary  shall  publish  in  the  Official  Journal
the  notifications,
the  European  Communities 
this
concerning 
communications 

or 

2.
of 
instruments 
Protocol.

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En  fe  de  lo  cual  los  plenipotenciarios  abajo  firmantes  suscriben  el  presente  Protocolo.

Til  bekræftelse  heraf  har  undertegnede  befuldmægtigede  underskrevet  denne  protokol.

Zu  Urkund  dessen  haben  die  unterzeichneten  Bevollmächtigten  ihre  Unterschrift  unter  dieses
Protokoll  gesetzt.
Σ(cid:229) (cid:240)Ø(cid:243)(cid:244)ω(cid:139) (cid:243)η (cid:244)ων Æνω(cid:244)(cid:219)ρω, (cid:239)Ø υ(cid:240)(cid:239)γρ(cid:192)(cid:230)(cid:239)ν(cid:244)(cid:229)ς (cid:240)ληρ(cid:229)Œ(cid:239)υ(cid:139) (cid:243)Ø(cid:239)Ø (cid:219)θ(cid:229)(cid:243)Æν (cid:244)ην υ(cid:240)(cid:239)γρÆ(cid:230)η(cid:139) (cid:244)(cid:239)υς κ(cid:192)(cid:244)ω Æ(cid:240)(cid:222) (cid:244)(cid:239)
(cid:240)Æρ(cid:222)ν  (cid:240)ρω(cid:244)(cid:222)κ(cid:239)λλ(cid:239).

In  witness  whereof,  the  undersigned  Plenipotentiaries  have  signed  this  Protocol.

En  foi  de  quoi,  les  plénipotentiaires  soussignés  ont  apposé  leurs  signatures  au  bas  du  présent
protocole.

Dá  fhianú  sin,  chuir  na  Lánchumhachtaigh  thíos-sínithe  a  lámh  leis  an  bPrótacal  seo.

In  fede  di  che  i  plenipotenziari  sottoscritti  hanno  apposto  le  loro  firme  in  calce  al  presente
protocollo.

Ten  blijke  waarvan  de  ondergetekende  gevolmachtigden  hun  handtekening  onder  dit  protocol
hebben  gesteld.

Em  fé  do  que,  os  plenipotenciários  abaixo-assinados  apuseram  as  suas  assinaturas  no  presente
protocolo.

Tämän  vakuudeksi  alla  mainitut 
pöytäkirjan.

täysivaltaiset  edustajat  ovat  allekirjoittaneet 

tämän

Till  bekräftelse  härav  har  undertecknade  befullmäktigade  ombud  undertecknat  detta
protokoll.

Hecho  en  Bruselas,  el  veintiocho  de  mayo  de  mil  novecientos  noventa  y  ocho,  en  un  ejemplar
único en lenguas alemana, danesa, española, finesa, francesa, griega, inglesa, irlandesa, italiana,
neerlandesa, portuguesa y sueca, siendo cada uno de estos textos igualmente auténtico, que será
depositado  en  los  archivos  de  la  Secretaría  General  del  Consejo  de  la  Unión  Europea.

Udfærdiget  i  Bruxelles,  den  otteogtyvende  maj  nitten  hundrede  og  otteoghalvfems,  i  ét
eksemplar  på  dansk,  engelsk,  finsk,  fransk,  græsk,  irsk,  italiensk,  nederlandsk,  portugisisk,
spansk, svensk og tysk, idet hver af disse tekster har samme gyldighed; de deponeres i arkiverne
i  Generalsekretariatet  for  Rådet  for  Den  Europæiske  Union.

Geschehen  zu  Brüssel  am  achtundzwanzigsten  Mai  neunzehnhundertachtundneunzig  in  einer
Urschrift  in  dänischer,  deutscher,  englischer,  finnischer,  französischer,  griechischer,  irischer,
italienischer,  niederländischer,  portugiesischer,  schwedischer  und  spanischer  Sprache,  wobei
jeder  Wortlaut  gleichermaßen  verbindlich 
im  Archiv  des
Generalsekretariats  des  Rates  der  Europäischen  Union  hinterlegt.

ist;  die  Urschrift  wird 

˛γØν(cid:229)  (cid:243)(cid:244)Øς  ΒρυŒ(cid:219)λλ(cid:229)ς,  (cid:243)(cid:244)Øς  (cid:229)(cid:221)κ(cid:239)(cid:243)Ø  (cid:239)κ(cid:244)ω(cid:139) ΜÆØ(cid:239)υ  ł(cid:221)λØÆ  (cid:229)ννØÆκ(cid:222)(cid:243)ØÆ  (cid:229)ν(cid:229)νη(cid:139) ν(cid:244)Æ  (cid:239)κ(cid:244)ω(cid:139) ,  (cid:243)(cid:229)  (cid:219)νÆ  µ(cid:222)ν(cid:239)
Æν(cid:244)(cid:221)(cid:244)υ(cid:240)(cid:239)  (cid:243)(cid:244)ην  ÆγγλØκη(cid:139) ,  γÆλλØκη(cid:139) ,  γ(cid:229)ρµÆνØκη(cid:139) ,  (cid:228)ÆνØκη(cid:139) ,  (cid:229)λληνØκη(cid:139) ,  ØρλÆν(cid:228)Øκη(cid:139) ,  Ø(cid:243)(cid:240)ÆνØκη(cid:139) ,  Ø(cid:244)ÆλØκη(cid:139) ,
(cid:239)λλÆν(cid:228)Øκη(cid:139) ,  (cid:240)(cid:239)ρ(cid:244)(cid:239)γÆλØκη(cid:139) ,  (cid:243)(cid:239)υη(cid:228)Øκη(cid:139) κÆØ  (cid:230)ØνλÆν(cid:228)Øκη(cid:139) γλω(cid:139) (cid:243)(cid:243)Æ. 
(cid:139)ˆλÆ  (cid:244)Æ  κ(cid:229)(cid:221)µ(cid:229)νÆ  (cid:229)(cid:221)νÆØ  (cid:229)Œ(cid:221)(cid:243)(cid:239)υ
Æυθ(cid:229)ν(cid:244)Øκ(cid:192). Τ(cid:239) (cid:240)ρ(cid:239)(cid:244)(cid:222)κ(cid:239)λλ(cid:239) θÆ κÆ(cid:244)Æ(cid:244)(cid:229)θ(cid:229)(cid:221) (cid:243)(cid:244)Æ Æρł(cid:229)(cid:221)Æ (cid:244)ης Γ(cid:229)νØκη(cid:139) ς ΓρÆµµÆ(cid:244)(cid:229)(cid:221)Æς (cid:244)(cid:239)υ Συµ(cid:226)(cid:239)υλ(cid:221)(cid:239)υ (cid:244)ης
Ευρω(cid:240)Æϊκη(cid:139) ς  ˛νω(cid:243)ης.

Done at Brussels on the  twenty-eighth day of May in the year one thousand nine hundred and
ninety-eight, in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek,
Irish,  Italian,  Portuguese,  Spanish  and  Swedish  languages,  each  text  being  equally  authentic,
such  original  being  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  General  Secretariat  of  the  Council  of  the
European  Union.

Fait à Bruxelles, le vingt-huit mai mil neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-huit, en un exemplaire unique,
en  langues  allemande,  anglaise,  danoise,  espagnole,  finnoise,  française,  grecque,  irlandaise,
italienne, néerlandaise, portugaise et suédoise, chaque texte faisant également foi, cet exemplaire
étant  déposé  dans  les  archives  du  secrétariat  général  du  Conseil  de  l’Union  européenne.

Arna  dhéanamh  sa  Bhruiséil,  ar  an  ochtú  lá  is  fiche  de  Bhealtaine  sa  bhliain  míle  naoi  gcéad
nócha  a  hocht,  i  scríbhinn  bhunaidh  amháin  sa  Bhéarla,  sa  Danmhairgis,  san  Fhionlainnis,  sa
Fhraincis, sa Ghaeilge, sa Ghearmáinis, sa Ghréigis, san Iodáilis, san Ollainnis, sa Phortaingéilis,
sa Spáinnis agus sa tSualainnis, agus comhúdarás ag gach ceann de na téacsanna sin; déanfar an
scríbhinn  bhunaidh  sin  a  thaisceadh  i  gcartlann  Ardrúnaíocht  Chomhairle  an  Aontais
Eorpaigh.

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Fatto a Bruxelles, addì ventotto maggio millenovecentonovantotto, in unico esemplare in lingua
danese,  finlandese,  francese,  greca,  inglese,  irlandese,  italiana,  olandese,  portoghese,  spagnola,
svedese  e  tedesca,  ciascun  testo  facente  ugualmente  fede;  l’esemplare  è  depositato  negli  archivi
del  Segretariato  generale  del  Consiglio  dell’Unione  europea.

Gedaan  te  Brussel,  de  achtentwintigste  mei  negentienhonderd  achtennegentig,  in  één  exemplaar
in  de  Deense,  de  Duitse,  de  Engelse,  de  Finse,  de  Franse,  de  Griekse,  de  Ierse,  de  Italiaanse,  de
Nederlandse,  de  Portugese,  de  Spaanse  en  de  Zweedse  taal,  zijnde  alle  teksten  gelijkelijk
authentiek, dat wordt nedergelegd in het archief van het Secretariaat-generaal van de Raad van
de  Europese  Unie.

Feito  em  Bruxelas,  em  vinte  e  oito  de  Maio  de  mil  novecentos  e  noventa  e  oito,  em  exemplar
único,  nas  línguas  alemã,  dinamarquesa,  espanhola,  finlandesa,  francesa,  grega,  inglesa,
irlandesa,  italiana,  neerlandesa,  portuguesa  e  sueca,  fazendo  igualmente  fé  cada  um  dos  textos,
ficando  esse  exemplar  depositado  nos  arquivos  do  Secretariado-Geral  do  Conselho  da  União
Europeia.

Tethy  Brysselissä  kahdentenakymmenentenäkahdeksantena  päivänä 
toukokuuta  vuonna
tuhatyhdeksänsataayhdeksänkymmentäkahdeksan  englannin,  espanjan,  hollannin,  iirin,  italian,
kreikan,  portugalin,  ranskan,  ruotsin,  saksan,  suomen  ja  tanskan  kielellä  yhtenä  kappaleena,
jonka jokainen teksti on yhtä todistusvoimainen ja joka talletetaan Euroopan unionin neuvoston
pääsihteeristön  arkistoon.

Som  skedde  i  Bryssel  den  tjugoåttonde  maj  nittonhundranittioåtta  i  ett  enda  exemplar  på
danska,  engelska,  finska,  franska,  grekiska,  iriska,  italienska,  nederländska,  portugisiska,
spanska, svenska och tyska språken, varvid varje text äger samma giltighet, och detta exemplar
skall  deponeras  i  arkiven  hos  generalsekretariatet  för  Europeiska  unionens  råd.

Pour  le  gouvernement  du  Royaume  de  Belgique

Voor  de  regering  van  het  Koninkrijk  België

Für  die  Regierung  des  Königreichs  Belgien

For  regeringen  for  Kongeriget  Danmark

Für  die  Regierung  der  Bundesrepublik  Deutschland

ΓØÆ  (cid:244)ην  κυ(cid:226)(cid:219)ρνη(cid:243)η  (cid:244)ης  ΕλληνØκη(cid:139) ς  ∆ηµ(cid:239)κρÆ(cid:244)(cid:221)Æς

16.7.98

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

C 221/25

Por  el  Gobierno  del  Reino  de  España

Pour  le  gouvernement  de  la  République  française

Thar  ceann  Rialtas  na  hÉireann

For  the  Government  of  Ireland

Per  il  governo  della  Repubblica  italiana

Pour  le  gouvernement  du  Grand-Duché  de  Luxembourg

Voor  de  regering  van  het  Koninkrijk  der  Nederlanden

C 221/26

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

16.7.98

Für  die  Regierung  der  Republik  Österreich

Pelo  Governo  da  República  Portuguesa

Suomen  hallituksen  puolesta

På  finska  regeringens  vägnar

På  svenska  regeringens  vägnar

For  the  Government  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Northern  Ireland