Dobro dziecka w sprawach o uprowadzenie dziecka za granicę. Zmiany w prawie i ich spodziewane skutki

Abstract

The international child abduction is regulated in the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, in the Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000 (Brussels II bis), and in the domestic law — in the Code of Civil Procedure. In the recent years the Regulation Brussels II bis was subject to review. As a result drawbacks were indicated and amendments have been proposed, in particular with a view of simplifying the procedures. The changes were triggered by the increasing number of cases in which one of the parents removes the child without a consent from the other. The Ministry of Justice does not provide any data on the amount of cases taking place in Poland. It is nevertheless certain that this amount has increased in comparison to previous years. Moreover, it is acknowledged that contrary to the Hague Convention and the EU Regulation, many children abducted by their parents are retained in Poland. The amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure seem to address this situation and streamline the process of the return of the children. The question remains: do the proposed amendments to the EU Regulation and those already enacted in the Code of Civil Procedure warrant to a sufficient degree that the welfare of a child — being one of the determinants of these regulations — is safeguarded?