希望創立適當方法，以確保須予送達到國外的司法文書和司法外文書在足夠的時間裡為收件人所知悉， 希望透過簡化並加快有關程式，改進為此目的而進行相互司法協助的體制， 為此目的，茲決定締結一項公約

CONVENTION ON THE SERVICE ABROAD OF JUDICIAL AND EXTRAJUDICIAL DOCUMENTS IN CIVIL OR COMMERCIAL MATTERS

(Concluded 15 November 1965) (Entered into force 10 February 1969)

The States signatory to the present Convention,

Desiring to create appropriate means to ensure that judicial and extrajudicial documents to be served abroad shall be brought to the notice of the addressee in sufficient time,

Desiring to improve the organization of mutual judicial assistance for that purpose by simplifying and expediting the procedure,

Have resolved to conclude a Convention to this effect and have agreed upon the following provisions:

Article 1

The present Convention shall apply in all cases, in civil or commercial matters, where there is occasion to transmit a judicial or extrajudicial document for service abroad.

This Convention shall not apply where the address of the person to be served with the document is not known.

關於向國外送達民事和商事司法文書和司法外文書公約

本公約締約國，

　　希望創立適當方法，以確保須予送達到國外的司法文書和司法外文書在足夠的時間內為收件人所知悉，

　　希望透過簡化並加快有關程式，改進為此目的而進行相互司法協助的體制，　

　　為此目的，茲決定締結一項公約，並議定下列各條：

　　第一條　在所有民事或商事案件中，如有須遞送司法文書或司法外文書以便向國外送達的情形，均應適用本公約。　在文書的受送達人地址不明的情況下，本公約不予適用。

CHAPTER I – JUDICIAL DOCUMENTS

Article 2

Each Contracting State shall designate a Central Authority which will undertake to receive requests for service coming from other Contracting States and to proceed in conformity with the provisions of Articles 3 to 6.

Each State shall organize the Central Authority in conformity with its own law.

第一章　司法文書

第二條　每一締約國應指定一箇中央機關，負責根據第三條至第六條的規定，接收來自其它締約國的送達請求書，並予以轉遞。　每一締約國應依其本國法律組建中央機關。

Article 3

The authority or judicial officer competent under the law of the State in which the documents originate shall forward to the Central Authority of the State addressed a request conforming to the model annexed to the present Convention, without any requirement of legalization or other equivalent formality.

The document to be served or a copy thereof shall be annexed to the request. The request and the document shall both be furnished in duplicate.

第三條　依文書發出國法律有權主管的當局或司法助理人員應將符合本公約所附範本的請求書送交文書發往國中央機關，無須認證或其它類似手續。　請求書應附有須予送達的文書或其副本。請求書和文書均須一式兩份。

Article 4

If the Central Authority considers that the request does not comply with the provisions of the present Convention it shall promptly inform the applicant and specify its objections to the request.

第四條　如中央機關認為該請求書不符合本公約的規定，應及時通知申請者，並說明其對請求書的異議。

Article 5

The Central Authority of the State addressed shall itself serve the document or shall arrange to have it served by an appropriate agency, either –

a) by a method prescribed by its internal law for the service of documents in domestic actions upon persons who are within its territory, or

b) by a particular method requested by the applicant, unless such a method is incompatible with the law of the State addressed.

Subject to sub-paragraph (b) of the first paragraph of this Article, the document may always be served by delivery to an addressee who accepts it voluntarily.

If the document is to be served under the first paragraph above, the Central Authority may require the document to be written in, or translated into, the official language or one of the official languages of the State addressed.

That part of the request, in the form attached to the present Convention, which contains a summary of the document to be served, shall be served with the document.

第五條　文書發往國中央機關應按照下列方法之一，自行送達該文書，或安排經由一適當機構使之得以送達：　(一)按照其國內法規定的在國內訴訟中對在其境內的人員送達文書的方法，或　(二)按照申請者所請求採用的特定方法，除非這一方法與文書發往國法律相牴觸。　除本條第一款第(二)項規定外，均可透過將文書交付自願接受的收件人的方法進行送達。　如依上述第一款送達文書，則中央機關可要求該文書以文書發往國的官方文字或其中之一寫成，或譯為該種文字。　依本公約所附格式填寫的請求書中包括被送達文書概要的部分應連同文書一併送達。

Article 6

The Central Authority of the State addressed or any authority which it may have designated for that purpose shall complete a certificate in the form of the model annexed to the present Convention.

The certificate shall state that the document has been served and shall include the method, the place and the date of service and the person to whom the document was delivered. If the document has not been served, the certificate shall set out the reasons which have prevented service.

The applicant may require that a certificate not completed by a Central Authority or by a judicial authority shall be countersigned by one of these authorities.

The certificate shall be forwarded directly to the applicant.

第六條　文書發往國中央機關或該國為此目的可能指定的任何機關應依本公約所附範本格式出具證明書。　證明書應說明文書已經送達，並應包括送達的方法、地點和日期，以及文書被交付人。如文書並未送達，則證明書中應載明妨礙送達的原因。　申請者可要求非中央機關或司法機關出具的證明書由上述一個機關副署。　證明書應直接送交申請者。

Article 7

The standard terms in the model annexed to the present Convention shall in all cases be written either in French or in English. They may also be written in the official language, or in one of the official languages, of the State in which the documents originate.

The corresponding blanks shall be completed either in the language of the State addressed or in French or in English.

第七條　本公約所附範本的標準欄目均應用法文或英文寫成，亦可用文書發出國的官方文字或其中之一寫成。　相應空格應用文書發往國文字或法文或英文填寫。

Article 8

Each Contracting State shall be free to effect service of judicial documents upon persons abroad, without application of any compulsion, directly through its diplomatic or consular agents.

Any State may declare that it is opposed to such service within its territory, unless the document is to be served upon a national of the State in which the documents originate.

第八條　每一締約國均有權直接透過其外交或領事代表機構向身在國外的人完成司法文書的送達，但不得采用任何強制措施。　任何國家均可宣告其對在其境內進行此種送達的異議，除非該文書須送達給文書發出國國民。

Article 9

Each Contracting State shall be free, in addition, to use consular channels to forward documents, for the purpose of service, to those authorities of another Contracting State which are designated by the latter for this purpose.

Each Contracting State may, if exceptional circumstances so require, use diplomatic channels for the same purpose.

第九條　此外，每一締約國有權利用領事途徑將文書送交另一締約國為此目的指定的機關，以便送達。　如有特別情況需要，每一締約國可為同一目的使用外交途徑。

Article 10

Provided the State of destination does not object, the present Convention shall not interfere with –

a) the freedom to send judicial documents, by postal channels, directly to persons abroad,

b) the freedom of judicial officers, officials or other competent persons of the State of origin to effect service of judicial documents directly through the judicial officers, officials or other competent persons of the State of destination,

c) the freedom of any person interested in a judicial proceeding to effect service of judicial documents directly through the judicial officers, officials or other competent persons of the State of destination.

第十條　如送達目的地國不表異議，本公約不妨礙：　(一)透過郵寄途徑直接向身在國外的人送交司法文書的自由；　(二)文書發出國的司法助理人員、官員或其他主管人員直接透過送達目的地國的司法助理人員、官員或其他主管人員完成司法文書的送達的自由；　(三)任何在司法程式中有利害關係的人直接透過送達目的地國的司法助理人員、官員或其他主管人員完成司法文書的送達的自由。　

Article 11

The present Convention shall not prevent two or more Contracting States from agreeing to permit, for the purpose of service of judicial documents, channels of transmission other than those provided for in the preceding Articles and, in particular, direct communication between their respective authorities.

第十一條　本公約不妨礙兩個或更多締約國達成協議，允許採用上述各條所規定的遞送途徑以外的途徑，特別是透過其各自機關直接聯絡的途徑，以便送達司法文書。

Article 12

The service of judicial documents coming from a Contracting State shall not give rise to any payment or reimbursement of taxes or costs for the services rendered by the State addressed.

The applicant shall pay or reimburse the costs occasioned by-

a) the employment of a judicial officer or of a person competent under the law of the State of destination,

b) the use of a particular method of service.

第十二條　發自締約一國的司法文書的送達不應產生因文書發往國提供服務所引起的稅款或費用的支付或補償。　申請者應支付或補償下列情況產生的費用：　(一)有司法助理人員或依送達目的地國法律主管人員的參與；　(二)特定送達方法的使用。

Article 13

Where a request for service complies with the terms of the present Convention, the State addressed may refuse to comply therewith only if it deems that compliance would infringe its sovereignty or security.

It may not refuse to comply solely on the ground that, under its internal law, it claims exclusive jurisdiction over the subject-matter of the action or that its internal law would not permit the action upon which the application is based.

The Central Authority shall, in case of refusal, promptly inform the applicant and state the reasons for the refusal.

　第十三條　如果送達請求書符合本公約的規定，則文書發往國只在其認為執行請求將損害其主權或安全時才可拒絕執行。　一國不得僅根據下列理由拒絕執行，即：依其國內法，該國主張對該項訴訟標的專屬管轄權，或其國內法不允許進行該項申請所依據的訴訟。　在拒絕執行的情況下，中央機關應迅速通知申請者，並說明拒絕的理由。

Article 14

Difficulties which may arise in connection with the transmission of judicial documents for service shall be settled through diplomatic channels.

第十四條　在為了送達而遞送司法文書的過程中可能產生的困難，應透過外交途徑解決。

Article 15

Where a writ of summons or an equivalent document had to be transmitted abroad for the purpose of service, under the provisions of the present Convention, and the defendant has not appeared, judgment shall not be given until it is established that –

a) the document was served by a method prescribed by the internal law of the State addressed for the service of documents in domestic actions upon persons who are within its territory, or

b) the document was actually delivered to the defendant or to his residence by another method provided for by this Convention,

and that in either of these cases the service or the delivery was effected in sufficient time to enable the defendant to defend.

Each Contracting State shall be free to declare that the judge, notwithstanding the provisions of the first paragraph of this Article, may give judgment even if no certificate of service or delivery has been received, if all the following conditions are fulfilled-

a) the document was transmitted by one of the methods provided for in this Convention,

b) a period of time of not less than six months, considered adequate by the judge in the particular case, has elapsed since the date of the transmission of the document,

c) no certificate of any kind has been received, even though every reasonable effort has been made to obtain it through the competent authorities of the State addressed.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraphs the judge may order, in case of urgency, any provisional or protective measures.

第十五條　如須根據本公約向國外遞送傳票或類似文書，以便送達，而被告沒有出庭，則在確定以下情況之前，不得作出判決：　

　　(一)該文書已依文書發往國的國內法所規定的在國內訴訟中對在其境內的人送達文書的方法予以送達；或　

　　(二)該文書已依本公約規定的其它方法被實際交付被告或其居所。　並且，在上述任何一種情況下，送達或交付均應在能保證被告進行答辯的足夠時間內完成。　

　　每一締約國均可宣告，只要滿足下述條件，即使未收到送達或交付的證明書，法官仍可不顧本條第一款的規定，作出判決：　

　　(一)已依本公約所規定的一種方法遞送該文書；　

　　(二)法官根據具體案件認為自遞送文書之日起不少於六個月的適當期間已滿；　

　　(三)儘管為獲取證明書已透過文書發往國的主管機關盡了一切合理的努力，但仍未收到任何種類的證明書。　雖有上述各款規定，法官仍可在緊急情況下決定採取任何臨時性或保護性的措施。

Article 16

When a writ of summons or an equivalent document had to be transmitted abroad for the purpose of service, under the provisions of the present Convention, and a judgment has been entered against a defendant who has not appeared, the judge shall have the power to relieve the defendant from the effects of the expiration of the time for appeal from the judgment if the following conditions are fulfilled –

a) the defendant, without any fault on his part, did not have knowledge of the document in sufficient time to defend, or knowledge of the judgment in sufficient time to appeal, and

b) the defendant has disclosed a prima facie defence to the action on the merits.

An application for relief may be filed only within a reasonable time after the defendant has knowledge of the judgment.

Each Contracting State may declare that the application will not be entertained if it is filed after the expiration of a time to be stated in the declaration, but which shall in no case be less than one year following the date of the judgment.

This Article shall not apply to judgments concerning status or capacity of persons.

第十六條　如須根據本公約向國外遞送傳票或類似文書，以便送達，且已對未出庭的被告作出敗訴判決，則在滿足下述條件的情況下，法官有權使被告免於該判決因上訴期間屆滿所產生的喪失上訴權的效果：　

　　(一)被告非因自己的過失，未能在足夠期間內知悉該文書，以便提出答辯，或未能在足夠期間內知悉該判決，以便提起上訴，並　

　　(二)被告對該案的實質問題提出了表面可以成立的答辯理由。　被告只能在其知悉該判決後的合理期間內提出免除喪失上訴權效果的申請。　

　　每一締約國均可宣告對在該宣告中所指明的期間屆滿後提出的申請不予受理，但這一期間在任何情況下均不得少於自判決之日起的一年。　本條不適用於有關人的身份或能力的判決。

CHAPTER II – EXTRAJUDICIAL DOCUMENTS

Article 17

Extrajudicial documents emanating from authorities and judicial officers of a Contracting State may be transmitted for the purpose of service in another Contracting State by the methods and under the provisions of the present Convention.

第二章　司法外文書

　　第十七條　締約一國的機關和司法助理人員發出的司法外文書可依本公約的方法並按照本公約各條規定遞送到締約另一國，以便送達。

CHAPTER III – GENERAL CLAUSES

Article 18

Each Contracting State may designate other authorities in addition to the Central Authority and shall determine the extent of their competence.

The applicant shall, however, in all cases, have the right to address a request directly to the Central Authority.

Federal States shall be free to designate more than one Central Authority.

Article 19

To the extent that the internal law of a Contracting State permits methods of transmission, other than those provided for in the preceding Articles, of documents coming from abroad, for service within its territory, the present Convention shall not affect such provisions.

第三章　一般條款

第十八條　每一締約國除指定中央機關外，還可指定其它機關，並應確定這些機關的主管範圍。　但在任何情況下，申請者均有權將請求書直接送交中央機關。　聯邦制國家有權指定一個以上的中央機關。

第十九條　只要締約國的國內法允許使用上述各條規定之外的其它方法遞送來自國外的文書，以便在其境內送達，本公約不影響此類規定。

Article 20

The present Convention shall not prevent an agreement between any two or more Contracting States to dispense with –

a) the necessity for duplicate copies of transmitted documents as required by the second paragraph of Article 3,

b) the language requirements of the third paragraph of Article 5 and Article 7,

c) the provisions of the fourth paragraph of Article 5,

d) the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 12.

第二十條　本公約不妨礙兩個或更多的締約國達成協議，以免除下列規定的適用：　

　　(一)第三條第二款關於須予遞送的文書必須一式兩份的要求；　

　　(二)第五條第三款和第七條關於文字的要求；　(三)第五條第四款的規定；　

(四)第十二條第二款的規定。

Article 21

Each Contracting State shall, at the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession, or at a later date, inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlandsof the following –

a) the designation of authorities, pursuant to Articles 2 and 18,

b) the designation of the authority competent to complete the certificate pursuant to Article 6,

c) the designation of the authority competent to receive documents transmitted by consular channels, pursuant to Article 9.

Each Contracting State shall similarly inform the Ministry, where appropriate, of –

a) opposition to the use of methods of transmission pursuant to Articles 8 and 10,

b) declarations pursuant to the second paragraph of Article 15 and the third paragraph of Article 16,

c) all modifications of the above designations, oppositions and declarations.

Article 22

Where Parties to the present Convention are also Parties to one or both of the Conventions on civil procedure signed at The Hague on 17th July 1905, and on 1st March 1954, this Convention shall replace as between them Articles 1 to 7 of the earlier Conventions.

Article 23

The present Convention shall not affect the application of Article 23 of the Convention on civil procedure signed at The Hague on 17th July 1905, or of Article 24 of the Convention on civil procedure signed at The Hague on 1st March 1954.

These Articles shall, however, apply only if methods of communication, identical to those provided for in these Conventions, are used.

Article 24

Supplementary agreements between Parties to the Conventions of 1905 and 1954 shall be considered as equally applicable to the present Convention, unless the Parties have otherwise agreed.

Article 25

Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 22 and 24, the present Convention shall not derogate from Conventions containing provisions on the matters governed by this Convention to which the Contracting States are, or shall become, Parties.

Article 26

The present Convention shall be open for signature by the States represented at the Tenth Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

It shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlands.

Article 27

The present Convention shall enter into force on the sixtieth day after the deposit of the third instrument of ratification referred to in the second paragraph of Article 26.

The Convention shall enter into force for each signatory State which ratifies subsequently on the sixtieth day after the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

Article 28

Any State not represented at the Tenth Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law may accede to the present Convention after it has entered into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 27. The instrument of accession shall be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlands.

The Convention shall enter into force for such a State in the absence of any objection from a State, which has ratified the Convention before such deposit, notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlandswithin a period of six months after the date on which the said Ministry has notified it of such accession.

In the absence of any such objection, the Convention shall enter into force for the acceding State on the first day of the month following the expiration of the last of the periods referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 29

Any State may, at the time of signature, ratification or accession, declare that the present Convention shall extend to all the territories for the international relations of which it is responsible, or to one or more of them. Such a declaration shall take effect on the date of entry into force of the Convention for the State concerned.

At any time thereafter, such extensions shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlands.

The Convention shall enter into force for the territories mentioned in such an extension on the sixtieth day after the notification referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 30

The present Convention shall remain in force for five years from the date of its entry into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 27, even for States which have ratified it or acceded to it subsequently.

If there has been no denunciation, it shall be renewed tacitly every five years.

Any denunciation shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlandsat least six months before the end of the five year period.

It may be limited to certain of the territories to which the Convention applies.

The denunciation shall have effect only as regards the State which has notified it. The Convention shall remain in force for the other Contracting States.

Article 31

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theNetherlandsshall give notice to the States referred to in Article 26, and to the States which have acceded in accordance with Article 28, of the following –

a) the signatures and ratifications referred to in Article 26;

b) the date on which the present Convention enters into force in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 27;

c) the accessions referred to in Article 28 and the dates on which they take effect;

d) the extensions referred to in Article 29 and the dates on which they take effect;

e) the designations, oppositions and declarations referred to in Article 21;

f) the denunciations referred to in the third paragraph of Article 30.

In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed the present Convention.

Done at The Hague, on the 15th day of November, 1965, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the Netherlands, and of which a certified copy shall be sent, through the diplomatic channel, to each of the States represented at the Tenth Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

N.B. On 25 October 1980 the Fourteenth Session adopted a Recommendation on information to accompany judicial and extrajudicial documents to be sent or served abroad in civil or commercial matters (Actes et documents de la Quatorzième session (1980), Tome I, Matières diverses, p. I-67; idem, Tome IV, Entraide judiciaire, p. 339; Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters).

第二十一條　每一締約國均應在其交存批准書或加入書時或在此之後，就下述事項通知荷蘭外交部：　

　　(一)根據第二條和第十八條指定的機關；　

　　(二)根據第六條指定的有權出具證明書的機關；　

　　(三)根據第九條指定的有權接收透過領事途徑遞送的文書的機關。　

　　適當時，每一締約國還應通知荷蘭外交部：　

　　(一)對使用第八條和第十條所規定的遞送方法所提出的異議；　

　　(二)根據第十五條第二款和第十六條第三款所作出的宣告；　

　　(三)對上述指定、異議和宣告的任何修改。

第二十二條　如本公約當事國亦為1905年7月17日和1954年3月1日訂於海牙的兩個《民事訴訟程式公約》或其中之一的締約國，則本公約應在這些國家之間取代上述兩公約第一條至第七條的規定。

第二十三條　本公約不應影響1905年7月17日訂於海牙的《民事訴訟程式公約》第二十三條和1954年3月1日訂於海牙的《民事訴訟程式公約》第二十四條的適用。　但只在使用與上述公約規定一致的聯絡方法時才應適用這些條款。

第二十四條　1905年和1954年公約當事國之間締結的補充協定應被認為同樣適用於本公約，除非上述當事國另有協議。

第二十五條　在不損害第二十二條和第二十四條規定的情況下，本公約不損及締約國已經或將要成為當事國並含有本公約所規定事項的條款的其它公約。

第二十六條　本公約應開放供出席海牙國際私法會議第十屆會議的國家簽署。　本公約須經批准，批准書應交存荷蘭外交部。

第二十七條　本公約自第二十六條第二款所指的第三份批准書交存後的第六十天起生效。　對於此後批准本公約的簽署國，本公約自其交存批准書後的第六十天起對其生效。

第二十八條　在本公約依第二十七條第一款規定生效後，任何未出席海牙國際私法會議第十屆會議的國家均可加入本公約。加入書應交存荷蘭外交部。　如該加入書交存前已批准本公約的國家在荷蘭外交部將這一加入行為通知該國之日後六個月期間內並未通知荷蘭外交部表示異議，則本公約對該加入國生效。　如未提出任何異議，則本公約自前款所指的最後期間屆滿後下個月的第一天起對該加入國生效。

第二十九條　任何國家均可在簽署、批准或加入時宣告，本公約應擴充套件適用於其為之負責國際關係的全部領土，或其中一個或幾個部分。這類宣告自本公約對有關國家生效之日起發生效力。　在其後任何時候，此類擴充套件適用事項均應通知荷蘭外交部。　本公約自前款所指的通知發出後第六十天起對擴充套件適用通知中所提及的領土生效。

第三十條　本公約自依第二十七條第一款規定生效之日起五年有效，即使對後來批准或加入本公約的國家亦如此。　如未經通知退出，本公約應每五年自動展期一次。　任何退出通知均須在五年期滿的至少六個月前通知荷蘭外交部。　這類退出通知可僅限於適用本公約的某些領土。　此項退出通知只對通知退出的國家有效。本公約對其它締約國應繼續有效。

第三十一條　荷蘭外交部應將下述事項通知第二十六條所指的國家以及已依第二十八條加入本公約的國家：　(一)第二十六條所指的簽署和批准；　(二)本公約依第二十七條第一款生效的日期；　(三)第二十八條所指的加入及其生效日期；　(四)第二十九條所指的擴充套件適用及其生效日期；　(五)第二十一條所指的指定、異議和宣告；　(六)第三十條第三款所指的退出通知。　

　　下列簽署人經正式授權，簽署本公約，以昭信守。　

　　1965年11月15日訂於海牙，用英文和法文寫成，兩種文字同一作準。正本一份，存於荷蘭政府檔案庫。經證明無誤的副本應透過外交途徑送交出席海牙國際私法會議第十屆會議的各國。