The EU and Ukraine will recognise and enforce each other’s court decisions

Today the Council agreed to establish treaty relations with Ukraine in the framework of the Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (so called Judgments Convention). Concluded in 2019, this Hague Convention is an international treaty that commits contracting states to recognise and enforce judgments handed down in civil or commercial matters in other states party to it.

With this decision to recognise and enforce each other’s judgments the ties between the EU and Ukraine will only become stronger. 

• Gunnar Strömmer, Swedish Minister for Justice

No obstacles to two-way recognition

In 2022, Ukraine ratified the Convention, under which treaty relations between Ukraine and the EU will be established on 1 September 2023 unless either of them objects to them.

European Union member states consider that there are no fundamental obstacles, such as related to the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, the fight against corruption or the respect of fundamental rights, which could prevent the EU from entering into treaty relations with Ukraine.

Today’s decision therefore clears the path for the EU to enter into treaty relations with Ukraine under the Judgments Convention. It will facilitate the recognition and enforcement of the EU’s and Ukrainian judgments in civil and commercial matters, making it an important instrument to facilitate international trade.

Background and next steps

The Judgments Convention was negotiated at the Hague Conference on Private International Law and was signed on 2 July 2019. It will enter into force on 1 September 2023.