Press Release: Commission proposes EU-wide recognition of family law rulings to tackle child abduction

The European Commission adopted a proposal on 3 May 2002 to complete the legal framework for the mutual recognition of judgments on divorce and parental responsibility throughout the European Union. The aim of this Proposal is to discourage child abduction within the EU by establishing a mechanism for the return of abducted children through cooperation between the courts and authorities of the EU's Member States. The abduction of children in disputed custody cases across EU borders is a growing problem which causes appalling distress to the children and parents concerned.

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