The first part of the book critically evaluates the evolution of the separate intra-EU child abduction regime and examines the extent to which the European Union complied with its standards of good legislative drafting during the negotiations on the Brussels II bis Regulation. It seeks to demonstrate that there was no real legal need for the involvement of the European Union in the area of child abduction and for the tightening of the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention return mechanism. The second part of the book presents findings of a statistical survey into the operation of child abduction provisions of the Brussels II bis Regulation in the first year of the functioning of the instrument and reveals how effectively the intra-EU return mechanism operated in that year. Based on the findings of the statistical survey, the book identifies and discusses a number of points of concern in respect of the functioning of the new child abduction scheme. Finally, the book investigates whether the Brussels II bis Regulation has added any value in the area of child abduction. This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's Family Law online service.

With a focus on the 1980 Hague Convention, this cutting-edge Research Handbook provides a holistic overview of the law on international child abduction from prevention, through voluntary agreements and Convention proceedings, to post-return and aftercare issues.

Exploring the main developments and challenges for the right to family life in the context of European integration, this book examines the right to family life in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the interplay between family life, citizenship, and free movement; it analyzes the combined impact of the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights on the concept of the family protected by the law in light of recent case law. Considering the broadening understanding of what constitutes family, the challenges for the right to family life in the context of immigration, and the protection of families and social rights it provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of family life in the European Union.

Within Europe the private international law rules have been harmonized to a very large extent by legislation adopted at EU level and case-law on the interpretation of this legislation. Recent developments include the entry into operation of revised versions of the Brussels I Regulation on civil jurisdiction and judgments and the Regulation on insolvency proceedings, as well as numerous decisions of the European Court and the English courts. The new edition of this authoritative work takes account of recent developments at both EU and UK levels.

This book examines the attainment of complete free movement of civil judgments across EU member states from the perspective of its conformity with the fundamental right to a fair trial. In the integrated legal order of the European Union, it is essential that litigants can rely on a judgment no matter where in the EU it was delivered. Effective mechanisms for cross-border recognition and the enforcement of judgments provide both debtors and creditors with the security that their rights, including their right to a fair trial, will be protected. In recent years the attainment of complete free movement of civil judgments, through simplification or abolition of these mechanisms, has become a priority for the European legislator. The text uniquely combines a thorough discussion of EU legislation with an in-depth and critical examination of its interplay with fundamental rights. It contains an over-view and comparison of both ECtHR and CJEU case law on the right to a fair trial, and provides a great number of specific recommendations for current and future legislation. With its critical discussion of EU Regulations from both a practical and a theoretical standpoint, this book is particularly relevant to legislators and policymakers working in this field. Because of the extensive overview of the functioning of the EU’s mechanisms and of relevant case law it provides, the book is also highly relevant to academics and practitioners. Monique Hazelhorst is Judicial Assistant at the Supreme Court of the Netherlands. She studied Law and Legal Research at Utrecht University and holds a Ph.D. in Law from the Erasmus School of Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

The first part of the book critically evaluates the evolution of the separate intra-EU child abduction regime and examines the extent to which the European Union complied with its standards of good legislative drafting during the negotiations on the Brussels II bis Regulation. It seeks to demonstrate that there was no real legal need for the involvement of the European Union in the area of child abduction and for the tightening of the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention return mechanism. The second part of the book presents findings of a statistical survey into the operation of child abduction provisions of the Brussels II bis Regulation in the first year of the functioning of the instrument and reveals how effectively the intra-EU return mechanism operated in that year. Based on the findings of the statistical survey, the book identifies and discusses a number of points of concern in respect of the functioning of the new child abduction scheme. Finally, the book investigates whether the Brussels II bis Regulation has added any value in the area of child abduction. This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's Family Law online service.

This authoritative Commentary on the recast Regulation 2019/1111 on matters of matrimonial and parental responsibility presents a deep analysis of the Regulation and is authored by leading experts in family law and private international law. Employing a granular, article-by-article approach, the Commentary acts as a detailed reference point on the uniform jurisdiction rules for divorce, legal separation and marriage annulment, as well as for disputes over parental responsibility with an international element, including child abduction.