The UIHJ, represented by Patrick Gielen, Secretary of the Board, and the UEHJ, represented by Duarte Pinto, member of the Executive Committee, participated in the 97th meeting of the contact points of the European Judicial Network. The event took place from October 16 to 18 in Budapest, under the auspices of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council.
Held at the Castle Garden Bazaar, the meeting addressed key topics related to the implementation and digitalization of judicial cooperation procedures, with a particular focus on maintenance issues.
The first day featured a workshop on the iSupport platform, with presentations by representatives of the HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law). Sweden and Germany shared their experiences using this digital platform in cross-border maintenance cases.
Discussions extended to themes such as the digitalization of judicial cooperation procedures, with an emphasis on facilitating amicable agreements, especially through mediation and videoconferencing. Several Member States shared their experiences applying these methods to resolve maintenance-related disputes.
Challenges related to maintenance recovery in specific contexts, such as debtor incarceration or the recovery of maintenance for adult children, were also widely discussed. A session for contact points and central authorities provided an overview of the iSupport platform’s implementation and its future prospects.
The discussions also touched on the challenges of applying bilateral agreements and the 2007 Hague Convention.
The three-day meeting fostered rich exchanges among participants from Member States, highlighting best practices for the implementation of EU regulations and offering insights into overcoming the current challenges of cross-border judicial cooperation.
