[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 50617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25272]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice No. 2893]


Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Private International 
Law (ACPIL) Study Group on Judgments Meeting Notice

    There will be a public meeting of the Study Group on Judgments of 
the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Private International 
Law on Friday, October 2, 1998, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM in Room 1105 of 
the main building of the U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street, N.W., 
Washington, D.C.
    The purpose of the meeting is to review various legal issues 
related to the project of the Hague Conference on Private International 
Law to prepare by 2000 a multilateral convention on jurisdiction and 
the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial 
matters. The October 2 Study Group meeting and the advice provided by 
attending persons and organizations will assist the Department of State 
and the U.S. delegation to prepare for the November 10-20, 1998, third 
session of the Hague Conference's Special Commission that is charged 
with preparing a draft convention on this topic.
    Specifically, at the November Special Commission session at The 
Hague will discuss and reach decisions on various proposals made by 
country delegations at previous meetings in June 1997 and March 1998. 
Such decisions will make it possible for the Special Commission and its 
drafting committee to prepare a first draft of the convention. The 
draft provisions prepared as a result of the November 1998 session will 
then be reviewed and refined at the fourth session of the Special 
Commission in June 1999. There will be a diplomatic session of the 
Hague Conference in 2000 to adopt the final text of the convention.
    Among the issues on which at least preliminary decisions may be 
made in November are the scope of the convention, excluded areas of 
law, required and prohibited bases of jurisdiction for actions in 
contract, tort and product liability, choice of court and exclusive 
bases of jurisdiction, the structure of the convention, forum non 
conveniens, lis pendens, provisional and protective measures, 
notification, irreconcilable decisions, recognition/enforcement 
procedures and the role of the court addressed, public policy 
exceptions to recognition and enforcement, uniform interpretation, and 
how the convention should operate in federal states.
    Persons interested in attending the October 2 Study Group meeting 
may request the report on the March 1998 Special Commission session and 
the compilation that is in preparation by the Hague Conference's 
Permanent Bureau of delegation proposals for dealing with various 
issues, which will be the basic working document for the November 
session at The Hague. Requests for documents may be sent to Ms. Rosie 
Gonzales by fax at (202) 776-8482, by phone at (202) 776-8420 (you may 
leave your request, name, phone number and address on the answering 
machine) or by email to <[email protected]<.
    The Study Group meeting is open to the public up to the capacity of 
the meeting room. As access to the State Department building is 
controlled, any person wishing to attend should by no later than 
Wednesday, September 30 provide Ms. Gonzales with his or her name, 
Social Security number and birth date to facilitate admission to the 
building. It would also be helpful to include affiliation, address, fax 
and phone numbers, and email addresses for purposes of updating the 
Department's address list. Participants should be sure to use only the 
C Street (``diplomatic'') entrance of the State Department, on C 
Street, N.W. between 21st and 23rd Streets, where someone will be 
present to assist them.
    Those unable to attend but wishing to have their views considered 
may send their views to Ms. Gonzales at the above fax number or email 
address, or to the following address: L/PIL, Room 357 South Building, 
2430 ``E'' Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2800.
Jeffrey D. Kovar,
Assistant Legal Adviser for Private International Law.
[FR Doc. 98-25272 Filed 9-21-98; 8:45 am]
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