Vanaf 1 juli 2025, na ratificatie in juni 2024, wordt het VK officieel partij bij het Verdrag van Den Haag van 2019 betreffende de erkenning en tenuitvoerlegging van buitenlandse beslissingen in burgerlijke en handelszaken.
This marks a key milestone in the UK’s post-Brexit legal landscape, strengthening cross-border cooperation and simplifying the enforcement of court judgments between the UK, the EU, and other signatory states.
Wat is het Verdrag van Den Haag inzake rechterlijke beslissingen?
The 2019 Hague Convention provides a uniform legal framework for recognising and enforcing civil en commercieel judgments across member countries. It eliminates the need to re-litigate cases in foreign jurisdictions, allowing judgments issued in one country to be enforced in another via a simplified registration process.
This is particularly relevant for businesses engaged in international trade and contracts, where swift and reliable enforcement of court decisions is essential.
Belangrijkste voordelen voor commerciële partijen
UK businesses currently face delays and added complexity when seeking to enforce judgments abroad. The Convention addresses this by offering a clearer, more consistent approach, helping reduce legal costs, uncertainty, and duplication of proceedings.
Rechtszekerheid en efficiëntie
The Convention provides UK companies and consumers with increased confidence that UK court judgments zal be recognised and enforced in other contracting states—and vice versa. This predictability encourages cross-border trade, investment, and geschillenbeslechting.
De handhavingskloof na de Brexit overbruggen
Sinds het VK de EU heeft verlaten, maakt het niet langer deel uit van de Verordening herschikking Brussel en Verdrag van Lugano, which previously facilitated enforcement across the EU and EFTA states. The 2019 Hague Convention fills much of this void, although it does not govern jurisdiction allocation.
Ondersteuning voor beslechting van commerciële geschillen
Het nieuwe verdrag is een aanvulling op het 2005 Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements, extending enforcement protections to non-exclusive jurisdiction agreements. This strengthens the UK’s attractiveness as a forum for resolving international dispute.
Kosten- en tijdbesparingen
Particularly beneficial for MKB, Verwacht wordt dat het verdrag de juridische kosten en vertragingen bij de tenuitvoerlegging van buitenlandse vonnissen zal verminderen, de toegang tot de rechter zal verbeteren en de invordering van schulden bij grensoverschrijdende transacties zal vergemakkelijken.
Uitdagingen en beperkingen
Beperkt toepassingsgebied en uitsluitingen
The Convention applies only to specific civil and commercial matters. It excludes areas such as family law and certain personal injury claims, meaning some cases will still require traditional enforcement mechanisms.
Zorgen over gerechtelijke normen
Recognising judgments from countries with lower judicial transparency or fairness raises potential concerns. The UK government has stated it will actively monitor new members joining the Convention and may issue declarations to restrict enforcement where necessary.
Geen regels voor jurisdictietoewijzing
Het verdrag bepaalt niet van welk land de rechtbanken een geschil moeten behandelen. Vragen over jurisdictie zullen ook in de toekomst worden opgelost op basis van nationale wetten of andere internationale overeenkomsten.
Conclusie
The UK’s accession to the 2019 Hague Judgments Convention is a major advancement in re-establishing international legal cooperation after Brexit. It introduces a clearer and more efficient system for cross-border enforcement of civil and commercial judgments, benefiting UK businesses, consumers, and the broader legal sector.
While some limitations remain—such as exclusions in scope and concerns over fairness in certain jurisdictions—the Convention is expected to strengthen the UK’s position as a preferred venue for dispute resolution and promote smoother global trade and investment.
If you require any assistance in relation to enforcing a foreign judgment in the UK or a judgment outside of the UK, please contact Partner Jonathan Chan at J.Chan@rfblegal.co.uk.
Jonathan Chan
Partner procesvoering
