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| No.5 October, 2011 |
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Hong Kong 'ideal for Hague Conference' |
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 Hong Kong's strength as a legal service centre in the Asia-Pacific region makes it an ideal base for the Hague Conference on Private International Law to develop its work and extend its influence in the region, according to the Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung.
Speaking recently at a roundtable session commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Hague Apostille Convention in Paris, Mr Wong said Hong Kong is willing to collaborate and partner with the Hague Conference to promote its work in the Asia-Pacific region.
"We have offered to facilitate the setting up of the Hague Conference's Regional Office in Hong Kong and to provide support and assistance," he said.
Hong Kong is one of the places in which the Apostille Convention has been smoothly and successfully implemented. The convention simplifies the formalities required for the authentication of foreign public documents.
Under the Convention, the only formality required is a certificate issued pursuant to Article 4 of the Convention. This certificate, entitled Apostille, is recognised by all contracting parties to the Convention.
There has been substantial growth in demand for Apostilles in Hong Kong in recent years. The number of Apostilles issued in Hong Kong rose from an annual average of 8,000 Apostilles for the years from 1997 to 2007, to more than 21,000 last year.
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