{"id":32424,"date":"2024-02-27T19:26:58","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T19:26:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/?p=32424"},"modified":"2024-02-27T20:06:42","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T20:06:42","slug":"divorce-eu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/","title":{"rendered":"Divorce &#038; Nullity EU"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#EU_Regulations\" title=\"EU Regulations\">EU Regulations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#Brussels_II_2003\" title=\"Brussels II 2003\">Brussels II 2003<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#Brussels_IIa_2005\" title=\"Brussels IIa 2005\">Brussels IIa 2005<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#Automatic_Recognition\" title=\"Automatic Recognition\">Automatic Recognition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#2019_Restatement\" title=\"2019 Restatement\">2019 Restatement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#Recognition\" title=\"Recognition\">Recognition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#Documents_to_be_produced_for_recognition\" title=\"Documents to be produced for recognition\">Documents to be produced for recognition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/divorce-eu\/#Stay_of_proceedings\" title=\"Stay of proceedings\">Stay of proceedings<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EU_Regulations\"><\/span>EU Regulations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The position among EU states is now governed by EU regulations.\u00a0 It applies to foreign divorces granted after 1st March 2001 in the original 15 EU states.\u00a0 After May 2004, it was extended to the 10 new EU accession states and states and the three states that later acceded.<\/p>\n<p>The Regulation is part of the general \u00a0Brussels II Regulation on the recognition of judgments and order. It applies to legal proceedings and settlements concluded after 1st March 2005.<\/p>\n<p>The Regulations provide for the procedure for application to recognise and enforce EU orders of divorce, legal separation and annulment.\u00a0 The court may also rule on the recognition of the same if it arises as an incidental issue in other proceedings.<\/p>\n<p data-block-key=\"xpx7r\">On 1 August 2022,\u00a0Regulation 2019\/1111 came into effect. It applies to legal proceedings that start after 1 August 2022 and agreements made after that date.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brussels_II_2003\"><\/span>Brussels II 2003<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>An application for recognition was made to the Master of The High Court.\u00a0 It was grounded on an affidavit exhibiting the judgment or a certified copy.\u00a0 Where judgment was in default, proof of service is required.<\/p>\n<p>If the Master grants an order, it will provide for the period in which an appeal may be made. \u00a0Notice of the order granting to leave to enforce the judgment must be served together with the order on the person affected by it.\u00a0 The same broad procedures that apply to recognise the recognition of civil judgments apply.<\/p>\n<p>The grounds of recognition of foreign divorces, legal separation, and annulments are relatively liberal.\u00a0 The Regulation provides that it shall not be recognised if:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the recognition is manifestly contrary to the public policy of the state in which recognition is sought.<\/li>\n<li>Where it is in default of appearance the respondent was not served with the document which instituted the proceedings in sufficient time to enable him defend the matter unless it is determined that the respondent has accepted the judgment unequivocally.<\/li>\n<li>it is irreconcilable with \u00a0judgment given in proceedings between the same parties in which the recognition is sought or<\/li>\n<li>it is irreconcilable with an earlier \u00a0judgment given in another state between the same parties, provided the earlier judgment fulfils the requirement for recognition.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brussels_IIa_2005\"><\/span>Brussels IIa 2005<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"normal\">Regulation (EC) No 2201\/2003 known as \u2018The Brussels IIa Regulation\u2019 applies to civil law cases involving more than one country that relate to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"disc\">\n<li>divorce<\/li>\n<li>legal separation<\/li>\n<li>the annulment of a marriage<\/li>\n<li>any aspect of parental responsibility (such as custody and access rights).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"normal\">The regulation\u00a0<span class=\"bold\">does not apply<\/span>\u00a0to cases concerning:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"disc\">\n<li>grounds for divorce or the law applicable in divorce cases<\/li>\n<li>divorce-related issues such as maintenance<\/li>\n<li>establishing and challenging paternity<\/li>\n<li>judgments on adoption and the associated preparatory measures<\/li>\n<li>annulling or revoking an adoption<\/li>\n<li>a child\u2019s first and last names<\/li>\n<li>the independence of children from their parents or guardians<\/li>\n<li>trusts and inheritance<\/li>\n<li>measures taken in response to criminal acts committed by children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"normal\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Automatic_Recognition\"><\/span>Automatic Recognition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"normal\">Under the regulation, any Member State must automatically recognise judgments given in another Member State on matrimonial and parental responsibility matters. Recognition can be refused if, for example:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"disc\">\n<li>recognition is clearly contrary to public policy<\/li>\n<li>the defendant did not receive the document initiating proceedings in time to arrange legal defence (in cases where the judgment was given in the defendant&#8217;s absence)<\/li>\n<li>recognition is incompatible with another judgment given between the same parties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"normal\">For judgments concerning parental responsibility, recognition can also be refused if:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"disc\">\n<li>the child was not given an opportunity to be heard<\/li>\n<li>on the request of a person claiming that the judgment infringes his or her parental responsibility, the judgment was issued without this person having been given an opportunity to be heard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2019_Restatement\"><\/span>2019 Restatement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"art_3\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<div id=\"art_3.tit_1\" class=\"eli-title\">\n<p class=\"oj-sti-art\">In matters relating to divorce, legal separation or marriage annulment, jurisdiction shall lie with the courts of the Member State:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">in whose territory:<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(i)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">the spouses are habitually resident,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(ii)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">the spouses were last habitually resident, insofar as one of them still resides there,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(iii)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">the respondent is habitually resident,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(iv)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">in the event of a joint application, either of the spouses is habitually resident,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(v)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">the applicant is habitually resident if he or she resided there for at least a year immediately before the application was made, or<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(vi)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">the applicant is habitually resident if he or she resided there for at least six months immediately before the application was made and is a national of the Member State in question; or<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">of the nationality of both spouses.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"art_4\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">The court before which proceedings are pending above shall also have jurisdiction to examine a counterclaim, insofar as that counterclaim falls within the scope of the Regulation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"art_5\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<div id=\"art_5.tit_1\" class=\"eli-title\">\n<p class=\"oj-sti-art\">A court of a Member State that has given a decision granting a legal separation shall also have jurisdiction to convert that legal separation to a divorce if the law of that Member State so provides. Where no court of a Member State has jurisdiction pursuant above, jurisdiction shall be determined, in each Member State, by the laws of that State.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"art_6\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<div id=\"006.002\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">A spouse who is habitually resident in the territory of a Member State or a national of a Member State may be sued in another Member State only in accordance with the Regulation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"006.003\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">As against a respondent who is not habitually resident in and is not a national of a Member State, any national of a Member State who is habitually resident within the territory of another Member State may, like the nationals of that State, avail himself of the rules of jurisdiction applicable in that State.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"cpt_IV.tit_1\" class=\"eli-title\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"cpt_IV.sct_1\">\n<h3 id=\"d1e1919-1-1\" class=\"oj-ti-section-1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recognition\"><\/span>Recognition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"cpt_IV.sct_1.sbs_1\">\n<div id=\"art_30\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<div id=\"030.001\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">\u00a0A decision given in a Member State shall be recognised in the other Member States without any special procedure being required.\u00a0 \u00a0 In particular, no special procedure shall be required for updating the civil-status records of a Member State on the basis of a decision relating to divorce, legal separation or marriage annulment given in another Member State, and against which no further appeal lies under the law of that Member State.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"030.003\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">Any interested party may, in accordance with the procedures provided, apply for a decision that there are no grounds for refusal of recognition referred to.<\/p>\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">Where the recognition of a decision is raised as an incidental question before a court of a Member State, that court may determine that issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"art_31\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<h3 id=\"d1e1970-1-1\" class=\"oj-ti-art\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Documents_to_be_produced_for_recognition\"><\/span>Documents to be produced for recognition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"031.001\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">A party who wishes to invoke in a Member State a decision given in another Member State shall produce the following:<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(a)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">a copy of the decision which satisfies the conditions necessary to establish its authenticity; and<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(b)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">the appropriate certificate issued pursuant to Article 36.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"031.002\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">The court or competent authority before which a decision given in another Member State is invoked may, where necessary, require the party invoking it to provide a translation or transliteration, in accordance with Article 91, of the translatable content of the free text fields of the certificate referred to.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"031.003\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">The court or competent authority before which a decision given in another Member State is invoked may require the party to provide a translation or transliteration, in accordance with Article 91, of the decision in addition to a translation or transliteration of the translatable content of the free text fields of the certificate if it is unable to proceed without such a translation or transliteration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"art_32\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<div id=\"art_32.tit_1\" class=\"eli-title\">\n<p class=\"oj-sti-art\">If the documents specified are not produced, the court or competent authority may specify a time for its production, accept equivalent documents, or, if it considers that it has sufficient information before it, dispense with its production.\u00a0 \u00a0If the court or competent authority so requires, a translation or transliteration,, of such equivalent documents shall be produced.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"art_33\" class=\"eli-subdivision\">\n<h3 id=\"d1e2019-1-1\" class=\"oj-ti-art\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stay_of_proceedings\"><\/span>Stay of proceedings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">The court before which a decision given in another Member State is invoked may stay its proceedings, in whole or in part, where:<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(a)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">an ordinary appeal against that decision has been lodged in the Member State of origin; or<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"4%\" \/>\n<col width=\"96%\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">(b)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"oj-normal\">an application has been submitted for a decision that there are no grounds for refusal of recognition referred to in Articles 38 and 39 or for a decision that the recognition is to be refused on the basis of one of those grounds.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-32424\" data-postid=\"32424\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-32424 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EU Regulations The position among EU states is now governed by EU regulations.\u00a0 It applies to foreign divorces granted after 1st March 2001 in the original 15 EU states.\u00a0 After May 2004, it was extended to the 10 new EU accession states and states and the three states that later acceded. The Regulation is part [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32424"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32424"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32431,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32424\/revisions\/32431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}