MEPs have approved final amends to legislation surrounding the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance.
This multinational treaty will now come into force across the European Union, other than in Denmark and the UK, allowing member states to enforce legal decisions regarding child support and maintenance payments in other participating countries.
The Convention initially came into force on January 1 this year, between Albania and Norway.
Neither Albania or Norway are members of the EU.
Spanish MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White helped to guide the final amendments through the European Parliament. He said:
“In the EU 13 per cent of couples include someone from a country outside the EU. Thousands of European citizens that do not have the right to child maintenance can now ask for that. This new law also creates a central European authority, which will gather all the claims from all the citizens around the European Union and ask governments of [involved] countries about those particular claims.”
He added:
“I call on Denmark specifically and the United Kingdom to join the Convention as soon as possible so we can have an agreement for the whole of Europe.”
Denmark and the UK did not ratify the Protocol on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations in 2007.
On this subject (child support) the best we can do is follow the Danish model. Seriously. They have hit it about right and if they dont sign up to this then neither should we. Their nrps and pwcs and society are happier with separated couples arrangements then any other country in the world! The EU and this article are very wrong to criticize them on this subject at all!
The Presidential state of Europe have spoken, and we must drop everything and sign up at their behest.
As usual the EU are telling us what is good for us, in order to control us and have us subscribe to their political will.
The UK have all ready set up their ‘run for profit’ company, where there are CSA executives and political stakeholders, in order to share the ill-gotten gains from non resident parents.
The CSA is just an illusion. A money laundering scheme, to re-cycle benefits, in order to give the impression that it cares about childrens’ welfare.
What happens between responsible parents regarding finances for their children is for them to sort out through the courts where necessary, using professional, qualified personnel. Important financial matters regarding children do not belong in the hands of incompetent amateurs at the CSA!
I entirely agree with you John. The State has no business telling one parent what he/she owes the other parent. The CSA admit freely that provided they extract the money from the NRP their job is done and they have no interest in ensuring that it is spent directly on the children. It could be flushed down the toilet for all they care. So much for having the welfare of children at heart.