关于从国外调取民事或商事证据的公约（海牙取证公约）
本公约签字国，
希望便利请求书的转递和执行，并促进他们为此目的而采取的不同方法的协调，
希望增进相互间在民事或商事方面的司法合作，
为此目的，兹决定缔结一项公约，并议定下列各条：
第一章 请求书第一条 在民事或商事案件中，每一缔约国的司法机关可以根据该国的法律规定，通过请求书的方式，请求另一缔约国主管机关调取证据或履行某些其他司法行为。
请求书不得用来调取不打算用于已经开始或即将开始的司法程序的证据。
“其他司法行为”一词不包括司法文书的送达或颁发执行判决或裁定的任何决定，或采取临时措施或保全措施的命令。
第二条 每一缔约国应指定一个中央机关负责接收来自另一缔约国司法机关的请求书，并将其转交给执行请求的主管机关。各缔约国应依其本国法律组建该中央机关。
请求书应直接送交执行国中央机关，无需通过该国任何其他机关转交。
第三条 请求书应载明：
（一）请求执行的机关，以及如果请求机关知道，被请求执行的机关；
（二）诉讼当事人的姓名和地址，以及如有的话，他们的代理人的姓名和地址；
（三）需要证据的诉讼的性质，及有关的一切必要资料；
（四）需要调取的证据或需履行的其他司法行为。
必要时，请求书还应特别载明：
（五）需询问的人的姓名和地址；
（六）需向被询问人提出的问题或对需询问的事项的说明；
（七）需检查的文书或其他财产，包括不动产或动产；
（八）证据需经宣誓或确认的任何要求，以及应使用的任何特殊格式；
（九）依公约第九条需采用的任何特殊方式或程序。
请求书还可以载明为适用第十一条所需的任何资料。
不得要求认证或其他类似手续。
第四条 请求书应以被请求执行机关的文字作成或附该种文字的译文。
但是，除非缔约国已根据第三十三条提出保留，缔约国应该接受以英文或法文作成或附其中任何一种文字译文的请求书。
具有多种官方文字并且因国内法原因不能在其全部领土内接受由其中一种文字作成的请求书的缔约国，应通过声明方式指明请求书在其领土的特定部分内执行时应使用的文字或译文。如无正当理由而未能遵守这一声明，译成所需文字的费用由请求国负担。
每一缔约国可用声明方式指明除上述各款规定的文字以外，送交其中央机关的请求书可以使用的其他文字。
请求书所附的任何译文应经外交官员、领事代表或经宣誓的译员或经两国中的一国授权的任何其他人员证明无误。
第五条 如果中央机关认为请求书不符合本公约的规定，应立即通知向其送交请求书的请求国机关，指明对该请求书的异议。
第六条 如被送交请求书的机关无权执行请求，应将请求书及时转交根据其国内法律规定有权执行的本国其他机关。
第七条 如请求机关提出请求，应将进行司法程序的时间和地点通知该机关，以便有关当事人和他们已有的代理人能够出席。如果请求机关提出请求，上述通知应直接送交当事人或他们的代理人。
第八条 缔约国可以声明，在执行请求时，允许另一缔约国请求机关的司法人员出席。对此，声明国可要求事先取得其指定的主管机关的授权。
第九条 执行请求书的司法机关应适用其本国法规定的方式和程序。
但是，该机关应采纳请求机关提出的采用特殊方式或程序的请求，除非其与执行国国内法相抵触或因其国内惯例和程序或存在实际困难而不可能执行。
请求书应迅速执行。
第十条 在执行请求时，被请求机关应在其国内法为执行本国机关的决定或本国诉讼中当事人的请求而规定的相同的情况和范围内，采取适当的强制措施。
第十一条 在请求书的执行过程中，在下列情况下有拒绝作证的特权或义务的有关人员，可以拒绝提供证据：
（一）根据执行国法律，或
（二）根据请求国法律，并且该项特权或义务已在请求书中列明，或应被请求机关的要求，已经请求机关另行确认。
此外，缔约国可以声明在声明指定的范围内，尊重请求国和执行国以外的其他国家法律规定的特权或义务。
第十二条 只有在下列情况下，才能拒绝执行请求书：
（一）在执行国，该请求书的执行不属于司法机关的职权范围；或
（二）被请求国认为，请求书的执行将会损害其主权和安全。
执行国不能仅因其国内法已对该项诉讼标的规定专属管辖权或不承认对该事项提起诉讼的权利为理由，拒绝执行请求。
第十三条 证明执行请求书的文书应由被请求机关采用与请求机关所采用的相同途径送交请求机关。
在请求书全部或部分未能执行的情况下，应通过相同途径及时通知请求机关，并说明原因。
第十四条 请求书的执行不产生任何性质的税费补偿。
但是，执行国有权要求请求国偿付支付给鉴定人和译员的费用和因采用请求国根据第九条第二款要求采用的特殊程序而产生的费用。
如果被请求国法律规定当事人有义务收集证据，并且被请求机关不能亲自执行请求书，在征得请求机关的同意后，被请求机关可以指定一位适当的人员执行。在征求此种同意时，被请求机关应说明采用这一程序所产生的大致费用。如果请求机关表示同意，则应偿付由此产生的任何费用；否则请求机关对该费用不承担责任。
第二章 外交官员、领事代表和特派员取证第十五条 在民事或商事案件中，每一缔约国的外交官员或领事代表在另一缔约国境内其执行职务的区域内，可以向他所代表的国家的国民在不采取强制措施的情况下调取证据，以协助在其代表的国家的法院中进行的诉讼。
缔约国可以声明，外交官员或领事代表只有在自己或其代表向声明国指定的适当机关递交了申请并获得允许后才能调取证据。
第十六条 在符合下列条件的情况下，每一缔约国的外交官员或领事代表在另一缔约国境内其执行职务的区域内，亦可以向他执行职务地所在国或第三国国民在不采取强制措施的情况下调取证据，以协助在其代表的国家的法院中进行的诉讼：
（一）他执行职务地所在国指定的主管机关已给予一般性或对特定案件的许可，并且
（二）他遵守主管机关在许可中设定的条件。
缔约国可以声明，无须取得事先许可即可依本条进行取证。
第十七条 在符合下列条件的情况下，在民事或商事案件中，被正式指派的特派员可以在不采取强制措施的情况下在一缔约国境内调取证据，以协助在另一缔约国法院中正在进行的诉讼：
（一）取证地国指定的主管机关已给予一般性或对特定案件的许可；并且
（二）他遵守主管机关在许可中设定的条件。
缔约国可以声明在无事先许可的情况下依本条进行取证。
第十八条 缔约国可以声明，根据第十五条、第十六条、第十七条被授权调取证据的外交官员、领事代表或特派员可以申请声明国指定的主管机关采取强制措施，对取证予以适当协助。声明中可包含声明国认为合适的条件。
如果主管机关同意该项申请，则应采取其国内法规定的适用于国内诉讼程序的一切合适的强制措施。
第十九条 主管机关在给予第十五条、第十六条或第十七条所指的许可或同意第十八条所指的申请时，可规定其认为合适的条件，特别是调取证据的时间和地点。同时，它可以要求得到有关取证的时间、日期和地点的合理的事先通知。在这种情况下，该机关的代表有权在取证时出席。
第二十条 根据本章各条取证时，有关人员可以得到合法代理。
第二十一条 如果外交官员、领事代表或特派员根据第十五条、第十六条或第十七条有权调取证据：
（一）他可以调取与取证地国法律不相抵触并不违背根据上述各条给予的任何许可的各种证据，并有权在上述限度内主持宣誓或接受确认；
（二）要求某人出庭或提供证据的请求应用取证地国文字作成或附有取证地国文字的译文，除非该人为诉讼进行地国国民；
（三）请求中应通知该人，他可得到合法代理；在未根据第十八条提出声明的国家，还应通知该人他的出庭或提供证据不受强制；
（四）如果取证地国法律未禁止，可以依受理诉讼的法院所适用的法律中规定的方式调取证据；
（五）被请求提供证据的人员可以引用第十一条规定的特权和义务拒绝提供证据。
第二十二条 因为某人拒绝提供证据而未能依本章规定的程序取证的事实不妨碍随后根据第一章提出取证申请。
第三章 一般条款第二十三条 缔约国可在签署、批准或加入时声明，不执行普通法国家的旨在进行审判前文件调查的请求书。
第二十四条 缔约国可以指定除中央机关以外的其他机关，并应决定它们的职权范围。但是在任何情况下，都可以向中央机关送交请求书。
联邦国家有权指定一个以上的中央机关。
第二十五条 有多种法律制度的缔约国可以指定其中一种制度内的机关具有执行根据本公约提出的请求书的专属权利。
第二十六条 如果因为宪法的限制，缔约国可以要求请求国偿付与执行请求书有关的送达强制某人出庭提供证据的传票的费用，该人出庭的费用，以及制作询问笔录的费用。
如果一国根据前款提出请求，任何其他缔约国可要求该国偿付同类费用。
第二十七条 本公约的规定不妨碍缔约国：
（一）声明可以通过第二条规定的途径以外的途径将请求书送交其司法机关；
（二）根据其国内法律或惯例，允许在更少限制的情况下实行本公约所规定的行为；
（三）根据其国内法律或惯例，允许以本公约规定以外的方式调取证据。
第二十八条 本公约不妨碍任何两个或两个以上的缔约国缔结协定排除下列条款的适用：
（一）第二条有关送交请求书方式的规定；
（二）第四条有关使用文字的规定；
（三）第八条有关在执行请求书时司法机关人员出席的规定；
（四）第十一条有关证人拒绝作证的特权和义务的规定；
（五）第十三条有关将执行请求书的文书送回请求机关的方式的规定；
（六）第十四条有关费用的规定；
（七）第二章的规定。
第二十九条 在同为1905年7月17日或1954年3月1日在海牙签订的两个《民事诉讼程序公约》或其中之一的当事国的本公约当事国之间，本公约取代上述两公约第八条至第十六条的规定。
第三十条 本公约不影响1905年公约第二十三条或1954年公约第二十四条规定的适用。
第三十一条 1905年和1954年公约当事国之间的补充协定应被认为同样适用于本公约，除非当事国之间另有约定。
第三十二条 在不影响本公约第二十九条和第三十一条规定的前提下，本公约不影响缔约国已经或即将成为当事国的包含本公约事项的其他公约的适用。
第三十三条 一国可在签署、批准或加入公约时，部分或全部排除第四条第二款和第二章的规定的适用。不允许作其他保留。
缔约国可随时撤回其保留；保留自撤回通知后第六十日起失去效力。
如果一国作出保留，受其影响的任何其他国家可以对保留国适用相同的规则。
第三十四条 缔约国可随时撤销或更改其声明。
第三十五条 缔约国应在交存批准书或加入书时或其后，将根据第二条、第八条、第二十四条和第二十五条指定的机关通知荷兰外交部。
缔约国还应在适当时通知荷兰外交部：
（一）根据第十五条、第十六条和第十八条的相关规定外交官员或领事代表调取证据时应向其递交通知、获取许可、请求协助的机关的指定；
（二）根据第十七条特派员取证时应获其许可和根据第十八条提供协助的机关的指定；
（三）根据第四条、第八条、第十一条、第十五条、第十六条、第十七条、第十八条、第二十三条和第二十五条所作的声明；
（四）任何对上述指定或声明的撤销或更改；
（五）保留的撤回。
第三十六条 缔约国之间因实施本公约产生的任何困难应通过外交途径解决。
第三十七条 本公约应对出席海牙国际私法会议第十一届会议的国家开放签署。
本公约需经批准。批准书应交存荷兰外交部。
第三十八条 本公约自第三十七条第二款所指的第三份批准书交存后第60日起生效。
对于此后批准公约的签署国，公约自该国交存批准书后第60日起生效。
第三十九条 任何未出席第十一届海牙国际私法会议的海牙国际私法会议的成员国、联合国或该组织专门机构的成员国、或国际法院规约当事国可在公约根据第三十八条第一款生效后加入本公约。
加入书应交存荷兰外交部。
自交存加入书后第60日起公约对该加入国生效。
加入行为只在加入国和已声明接受该国加入的公约缔约国之间的关系方面发生效力。上述声明应交存荷兰外交部；荷兰外交部应将经证明的副本通过外交途径转送各缔约国。
本公约自加入国和接受该国加入的国家之间自交存接受声明后第60日起生效。
第四十条 任何国家可在签署、批准或加入公约时声明，本公约扩展适用于该国负责其国际关系的全部领域或其中一个或几个部分。此项声明自本公约对有关国家生效之日起生效。
此后任一时间的上述扩展适用均应通知荷兰外交部。
本公约自前款所指的通知后第60日起对声明所提及的领域生效。
第四十一条 本公约自根据公约第三十八条第一款生效后5年内有效，对后来批准或加入本公约的国家同样如此。
如未经退出，本公约每5年自动延续一次。
退出应最迟于5年期满前6个月通知荷兰外交部。
退出可仅限于公约适用的特定区域。
退出仅对通知退出的国家有效。公约对其他缔约国仍然有效。
第四十二条 荷兰外交部应将下列事项通知第三十七条所指的国家和根据第三十九条加入的国家：
（一）第三十七条所指的签署和批准；
（二）公约根据第三十八条第一款生效的日期；
（三）第三十九条所指的加入及其生效日期；
（四）第四十条所指的扩展及其生效日期；
（五）根据第三十三条和第三十五条所作的指定、保留和声明；
（六）第四十一条第三款所指的退出。
下列经正式授权的签署人签署本公约，以昭信守。
1970年3月18日订于海牙，用英文和法文写成，两种文本同等作准。正本一份，存放于荷兰政府档案库，其经证明无误的副本应通过外交途径送交出席海牙国际私法会议第十一届会议的国家。
CONVENTION ON THE TAKING OF EVIDENCE ABROAD IN CIVIL OR COMMERCIAL MATTERS (Concluded 18 March 1970)
The States signatory to the present Convention,
Desiring to facilitate the transmission and execution of Letters of Request and to further the accommodation of the different methods which they use for this purpose,
Desiring to improve mutual judicial co-operation in civil or commercial matters,
Have resolved to conclude a Convention to this effect and have agreed upon the following provisions -
CHAPTER I - LETTERS OF REQUESTArticle 1In civil or commercial matters a judicial authority of a Contracting State may, in accordance with the provisions of the law of that State, request the competent authority of another Contracting State, by means of a Letter of Request, to obtain evidence, or to perform some other judicial act.
A Letter shall not be used to obtain evidence which is not intended for use in judicial proceedings, commenced or contemplated.
The expression "other judicial act" does not cover the service of judicial documents or the issuance of any process by which judgments or orders are executed or enforced, or orders for provisional or protective measures.
Article 2A Contracting State shall designate a Central Authority which will undertake to receive Letters of Request coming from a judicial authority of another Contracting State and to transmit them to the authority competent to execute them. Each State shall organise the Central Authority in accordance with its own law.
Letters shall be sent to the Central Authority of the State of execution without being transmitted through any other authority of that State.
Article 3A Letter of Request shall specify -
a) the authority requesting its execution and the authority requested to execute it, if known to the requesting authority;
b) the names and addresses of the parties to the proceedings and their representatives, if any;
c) the nature of the proceedings for which the evidence is required, giving all necessary information in regard thereto;
d) the evidence to be obtained or other judicial act to be performed.
Where appropriate, the Letter shall specify, inter alia -
e) the names and addresses of the persons to be examined;
f) the questions to be put to the persons to be examined or a statement of the subject-matter about which they are to be examined;
g) the documents or other property, real or personal, to be inspected;
h) any requirement that the evidence is to be given on oath or affirmation, and any special form to be used;
i) any special method or procedure to be followed under Article 9.
A Letter may also mention any information necessary for the application of Article 11.
No legalisation or other like formality may be required.
Article 4A Letter of Request shall be in the language of the authority requested to execute it or be accompanied by a translation into that language.
Nevertheless, a Contracting State shall accept a Letter in either English or French, or a translation into one of these languages, unless it has made the reservation authorised by Article 33.
A Contracting State which has more than one official language and cannot, for reasons of internal law, accept Letters in one of these languages for the whole of its territory, shall, by declaration, specify the language in which the Letter or translation thereof shall be expressed for execution in the specified parts of its territory. In case of failure to comply with this declaration, without justifiable excuse, the costs of translation into the required language shall be borne by the State of origin.
A Contracting State may, by declaration, specify the language or languages other than those referred to in the preceding paragraphs, in which a Letter may be sent to its Central Authority.
Any translation accompanying a Letter shall be certified as correct, either by a diplomatic officer or consular agent or by a sworn translator or by any other person so authorised in either State.
Article 5If the Central Authority considers that the request does not comply with the provisions of the present Convention, it shall promptly inform the authority of the State of origin which transmitted the Letter of Request, specifying the objections to the Letter.
Article 6If the authority to whom a Letter of Request has been transmitted is not competent to execute it, the Letter shall be sent forthwith to the authority in the same State which is competent to execute it in accordance with the provisions of its own law.
Article 7The requesting authority shall, if it so desires, be informed of the time when, and the place where, the proceedings will take place, in order that the parties concerned, and their representatives, if any, may be present. This information shall be sent directly to the parties or their representatives when the authority of the State of origin so requests.
Article 8A Contracting State may declare that members of the judicial personnel of the requesting authority of another Contracting State may be present at the execution of a Letter of Request. Prior authorisation by the competent authority designated by the declaring State may be required.
Article 9The judicial authority which executes a Letter of Request shall apply its own law as to the methods and procedures to be followed.
However, it will follow a request of the requesting authority that a special method or procedure be followed, unless this is incompatible with the internal law of the State of execution or is impossible of performance by reason of its internal practice and procedure or by reason of practical difficulties.
A Letter of Request shall be executed expeditiously.
Article 10In executing a Letter of Request the requested authority shall apply the appropriate measures of compulsion in the instances and to the same extent as are provided by its internal law for the execution of orders issued by the authorities of its own country or of requests made by parties in internal proceedings.
Article 11In the execution of a Letter of Request the person concerned may refuse to give evidence in so far as he has a privilege or duty to refuse to give the evidence -
a) under the law of the State of execution; or
b) under the law of the State of origin, and the privilege or duty has been specified in the Letter, or, at the instance of the requested authority, has been otherwise confirmed to that authority by the requesting authority.
A Contracting State may declare that, in addition, it will respect privileges and duties existing under the law of States other than the State of origin and the State of execution, to the extent specified in that declaration.
Article 12The execution of a Letter of Request may be refused only to the extent that -
a) in the State of execution the execution of the Letter does not fall within the functions of the judiciary; or
b) the State addressed considers that its sovereignty or security would be prejudiced thereby.
Execution may not be refused solely on the ground that under its internal law the State of execution claims exclusive jurisdiction over the subject-matter of the action or that its internal law would not admit a right of action on it.
Article 13The documents establishing the execution of the Letter of Request shall be sent by the requested authority to the requesting authority by the same channel which was used by the latter.
In every instance where the Letter is not executed in whole or in part, the requesting authority shall be informed immediately through the same channel and advised of the reasons.
Article 14The execution of the Letter of Request shall not give rise to any reimbursement of taxes or costs of any nature.
Nevertheless, the State of execution has the right to require the State of origin to reimburse the fees paid to experts and interpreters and the costs occasioned by the use of a special procedure requested by the State of origin under Article 9, paragraph 2.
The requested authority whose law obliges the parties themselves to secure evidence, and which is not able itself to execute the Letter, may, after having obtained the consent of the requesting authority, appoint a suitable person to do so. When seeking this consent the requested authority shall indicate the approximate costs which would result from this procedure. If the requesting authority gives its consent it shall reimburse any costs incurred; without such consent the requesting authority shall not be liable for the costs.
CHAPTER II - TAKING OF EVIDENCE BY DIPLOMATIC OFFICERS, CONSULAR AGENTS AND COMMISSIONERSArticle 15In a civil or commercial matter, a diplomatic officer or consular agent of a Contracting State may, in the territory of another Contracting State and within the area where he exercises his functions, take the evidence without compulsion of nationals of a State which he represents in aid of proceedings commenced in the courts of a State which he represents.
A Contracting State may declare that evidence may be taken by a diplomatic officer or consular agent only if permission to that effect is given upon application made by him or on his behalf to the appropriate authority designated by the declaring State.
Article 16A diplomatic officer or consular agent of a Contracting State may, in the territory of another Contracting State and within the area where he exercises his functions, also take the evidence, without compulsion, of nationals of the State in which he exercises his functions or of a third State, in aid of proceedings commenced in the courts of a State which he represents, if -
a) a competent authority designated by the State in which he exercises his functions has given its permission either generally or in the particular case, and
b) he complies with the conditions which the competent authority has specified in the permission.
A Contracting State may declare that evidence may be taken under this Article without its prior permission.
Article 17In a civil or commercial matter, a person duly appointed as a commissioner for the purpose may, without compulsion, take evidence in the territory of a Contracting State in aid of proceedings commenced in the courts of another Contracting State if -
a) a competent authority designated by the State where the evidence is to be taken has given its permission either generally or in the particular case; and
b) he complies with the conditions which the competent authority has specified in the permission.
A Contracting State may declare that evidence may be taken under this Article without its prior permission.
Article 18A Contracting State may declare that a diplomatic officer, consular agent or commissioner authorised to take evidence under Articles 15, 16 or 17, may apply to the competent authority designated by the declaring State for appropriate assistance to obtain the evidence by compulsion. The declaration may contain such conditions as the declaring State may see fit to impose.
If the authority grants the application it shall apply any measures of compulsion which are appropriate and are prescribed by its law for use in internal proceedings.
Article 19The competent authority, in giving the permission referred to in Articles 15, 16 or 17, or in granting the application referred to in Article 18, may lay down such conditions as it deems fit, inter alia, as to the time and place of the taking of the evidence. Similarly it may require that it be given reasonable advance notice of the time, date and place of the taking of the evidence; in such a case a representative of the authority shall be entitled to be present at the taking of the evidence.
Article 20In the taking of evidence under any Article of this Chapter persons concerned may be legally represented.
Article 21Where a diplomatic officer, consular agent or commissioner is authorised under Articles 15, 16 or 17 to take evidence -
a) he may take all kinds of evidence which are not incompatible with the law of the State where the evidence is taken or contrary to any permission granted pursuant to the above Articles, and shall have power within such limits to administer an oath or take an affirmation;
b) a request to a person to appear or to give evidence shall, unless the recipient is a national of the State where the action is pending, be drawn up in the language of the place where the evidence is taken or be accompanied by a translation into such language;
c) the request shall inform the person that he may be legally represented and, in any State that has not filed a declaration under Article 18, shall also inform him that he is not compelled to appear or to give evidence;
d) the evidence may be taken in the manner provided by the law applicable to the court in which the action is pending provided that such manner is not forbidden by the law of the State where the evidence is taken;
e) a person requested to give evidence may invoke the privileges and duties to refuse to give the evidence contained in Article 11.
Article 22The fact that an attempt to take evidence under the procedure laid down in this Chapter has failed, owing to the refusal of a person to give evidence, shall not prevent an application being subsequently made to take the evidence in accordance with Chapter I.
CHAPTER III - GENERAL CLAUSESArticle 23A Contracting State may at the time of signature, ratification or accession, declare that it will not execute Letters of Request issued for the purpose of obtaining pre-trial discovery of documents as known in Common Law countries.
Article 24A Contracting State may designate other authorities in addition to the Central Authority and shall determine the extent of their competence. However, Letters of Request may in all cases be sent to the Central Authority.
Federal States shall be free to designate more than one Central Authority.
Article 25A Contracting State which has more than one legal system may designate the authorities of one of such systems, which shall have exclusive competence to execute Letters of Request pursuant to this Convention.
Article 26A Contracting State, if required to do so because of constitutional limitations, may request the reimbursement by the State of origin of fees and costs, in connection with the execution of Letters of Request, for the service of process necessary to compel the appearance of a person to give evidence, the costs of attendance of such persons, and the cost of any transcript of the evidence.
Where a State has made a request pursuant to the above paragraph, any other Contracting State may request from that State the reimbursement of similar fees and costs.
Article 27The provisions of the present Convention shall not prevent a Contracting State from -
a) declaring that Letters of Request may be transmitted to its judicial authorities through channels other than those provided for in Article 2;
b) permitting, by internal law or practice, any act provided for in this Convention to be performed upon less restrictive conditions;
c) permitting, by internal law or practice, methods of taking evidence other than those provided for in this Convention.
Article 28The present Convention shall not prevent an agreement between any two or more Contracting States to derogate from -
a) the provisions of Article 2 with respect to methods of transmitting Letters of Request;
b) the provisions of Article 4 with respect to the languages which may be used;
c) the provisions of Article 8 with respect to the presence of judicial personnel at the execution of Letters;
d) the provisions of Article 11 with respect to the privileges and duties of witnesses to refuse to give evidence;
e) the provisions of Article 13 with respect to the methods of returning executed Letters to the requesting authority;
f) the provisions of Article 14 with respect to fees and costs;
g) the provisions of Chapter II.
Article 29Between Parties to the present Convention who are also Parties to one or both of the Conventions on Civil Procedure signed at The Hague on the 17th of July 1905 and the 1st of March 1954, this Convention shall replace Articles 8-16 of the earlier Conventions.
Article 30The present Convention shall not affect the application of Article 23 of the Convention of 1905, or of Article 24 of the Convention of 1954.
Article 31Supplementary Agreements between Parties to the Conventions of 1905 and 1954 shall be considered as equally applicable to the present Convention unless the Parties have otherwise agreed.
Article 32Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 29 and 31, the present Convention shall not derogate from conventions containing provisions on the matters covered by this Convention to which the Contracting States are, or shall become Parties.
Article 33A State may, at the time of signature, ratification or accession exclude, in whole or in part, the application of the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 4 and of Chapter II. No other reservation shall be permitted.
Each Contracting State may at any time withdraw a reservation it has made; the reservation shall cease to have effect on the sixtieth day after notification of the withdrawal.
When a State has made a reservation, any other State affected thereby may apply the same rule against the reserving State.
Article 34A State may at any time withdraw or modify a declaration.
Article 35A Contracting State shall, at the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession, or at a later date, inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands of the designation of authorities, pursuant to Articles 2, 8, 24 and 25.
A Contracting State shall likewise inform the Ministry, where appropriate, of the following -
a) the designation of the authorities to whom notice must be given, whose permission may be required, and whose assistance may be invoked in the taking of evidence by diplomatic officers and consular agents, pursuant to Articles 15, 16 and 18 respectively;
b) the designation of the authorities whose permission may be required in the taking of evidence by commissioners pursuant to Article 17 and of those who may grant the assistance provided for in Article 18;
c) declarations pursuant to Articles 4, 8, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23 and 27;
d) any withdrawal or modification of the above designations and declarations;
e) the withdrawal of any reservation.
Article 36Any difficulties which may arise between Contracting States in connection with the operation of this Convention shall be settled through diplomatic channels.
Article 37The present Convention shall be open for signature by the States represented at the Eleventh Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
It shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Article 38The present Convention shall enter into force on the sixtieth day after the deposit of the third instrument of ratification referred to in the second paragraph of Article 37.
The Convention shall enter into force for each signatory State which ratifies subsequently on the sixtieth day after the deposit of its instrument of ratification.
Article 39Any State not represented at the Eleventh Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law which is a Member of this Conference or of the United Nations or of a specialised agency of that Organisation, or a Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice may accede to the present Convention after it has entered into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 38.
The instrument of accession shall be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
The Convention shall enter into force for a State acceding to it on the sixtieth day after the deposit of its instrument of accession.
The accession will have effect only as regards the relations between the acceding State and such Contracting States as will have declared their acceptance of the accession. Such declaration shall be deposited at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands; this Ministry shall forward, through diplomatic channels, a certified copy to each of the Contracting States.
The Convention will enter into force as between the acceding State and the State that has declared its acceptance of the accession on the sixtieth day after the deposit of the declaration of acceptance.
Article 40Any State may, at the time of signature, ratification or accession, declare that the present Convention shall extend to all the territories for the international relations of which it is responsible, or to one or more of them. Such a declaration shall take effect on the date of entry into force of the Convention for the State concerned.
At any time thereafter, such extensions shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
The Convention shall enter into force for the territories mentioned in such an extension on the sixtieth day after the notification indicated in the preceding paragraph.
Article 41The present Convention shall remain in force for five years from the date of its entry into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 38, even for States which have ratified it or acceded to it subsequently.
If there has been no denunciation, it shall be renewed tacitly every five years.
Any denunciation shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands at least six months before the end of the five year period.
It may be limited to certain of the territories to which the Convention applies.
The denunciation shall have effect only as regards the State which has notified it. The Convention shall remain in force for the other Contracting States.
Article 42The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands shall give notice to the States referred to in Article 37, and to the States which have acceded in accordance with Article 39, of the following -
a) the signatures and ratifications referred to in Article 37;
b) the date on which the present Convention enters into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 38;
c) the accessions referred to in Article 39 and the dates on which they take effect;
d) the extensions referred to in Article 40 and the dates on which they take effect;
e) the designations, reservations and declarations referred to in Articles 33 and 35;
f) the denunciations referred to in the third paragraph of Article 41.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed the present Convention.
Done at The Hague, on the 18th day of March, 1970, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the Netherlands, and of which a certified copy shall be sent, through the diplomatic channel, to each of the States represented at the Eleventh Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
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