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Protection of Abducting Mothers in Return Proceedings:
Intersection between Domestic Violence and Parental Child Abduction

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Best Practice Guide published today

Screenshot 2020-11-03 at 11.46.26

The POAM Team are very pleased to announce a major milestone in the project as the POAM Best Practice Guide is officially published today and is now available.

The Best Practice Guide on the protection of abducting mothers in return proceedings involving allegations of domestic violence was prepared under the auspices of the POAM research project funded by the European Commission from the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme. It presents the findings of the POAM project, collated from the project local workshops, international experts’ workshop and national reports prepared by the University of Aberdeen (United Kingdom – Scotland), the University of Osijek (Croatia), the University of Milan-Bicocca (Italy) and the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich (Germany) and the National Points of Contact for Spain, Slovenia and Serbia, and refined through a process of consultations with relevant specialists, including experts from the European Commission and the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

The aim of the Guide is to assist child abduction professionals, including judges, legal practitioners, NGO representatives, Central Authorities and other public authorities involved in child abduction cases where allegations of domestic violence by the left-behind father have been made by the abducting mother in return proceedings. The Guide will also contribute towards the awareness and implementation of Regulation 606/2013 and Directive 2011/99 and compliment the HCCH Guide to Good Practice on Article 13(1) b of the 1980 Hague Convention, but with a focus on the utility and implementation of protective measures.

Alongside the Guide is an Executive Summary which has also been published to outline the key points and recommendations from the Guide.

Notes for Editors

Issued by POAM Project
Directorate of External Relations, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen
Tel: +44 (0)1224 272014

Issued on: 3rd November 2020
POAM Project Links
  • 1980 Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
  • 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
  • Regulation 606/2013 on mutual recognition of protection measures in civil matters
  • Directive 2011/99/EU on the European Protection Order

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