Since Brexit’s obliteration of the EU Service Regulation’s mechanism for service in Member States, the Hague Service Convention has assumed increasing significance as a ‘straightforward’ mechanism for cross-border service.
But those who have actually done this will know all too well that serving under the Hague Service Convention involves jumping through a series of surprisingly complex administrative hoops. A small mistake in the most meticulously prepared service bundle can trigger a refusal by the Foreign Process Section to serve – not what you want when the clock is ticking and your best-case service timeline is already in the region of 6 to 12 months.
Fortunately, the 2025 King’s Bench Division Guide now includes a checklist for effecting service via the Foreign Process Section under the Hague Service Convention. This is at Annex 11. It can also be found in word format here (a helpful webpage with some tips on serving abroad). As a bonus, when putting together your service bundle make sure to also have a look at the Hague Service Convention’s Guidelines for Completing the Model Form.
Happy serving.
This update was prepared by our Editor Emeritus, James Pickering.