Singapore Accedes to the Service Convention

17 MAY 2023

17 May 2023 Posted in Press releases

  1. Singapore on 16 May deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Convention of 15 November 1965 on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (“Service Convention”), making us a Contracting Party to the Service Convention. The accession will facilitate and streamline the process for service of court and related documents in civil and commercial matters overseas. This provides greater legal certainty in cross-border litigation, which enhances business confidence, including for companies operating overseas, and reduces costs and delays for Singapore litigants.
  1. With the deposit of the instrument yesterday with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Service Convention will enter into force on 1 December 2023 for Singapore. Singapore will implement the obligations under the Service Convention through amendments to the Rules of Court 2021, the Singapore International Commercial Court Rules 2021, and the Family Justice Rules, which will be implemented at the same time when the Service Convention enters into force for Singapore.
  1. The Ministry of Law will be designated as Singapore’s Central Authority under the Service Convention.

Background

  1. The service of court and related documents is a key step in legal proceedings as it establishes the authority of a court to hear a matter.
  1. As a Contracting Party to the Service Convention, Singapore will be able to leverage on a harmonised set of rules for the service of judicial and extrajudicial documents abroad, including in many of Singapore’s major trading partners.
  1. As the channels of transmission are internationally recognised, this would go towards ensuring that Singapore legal proceedings are not challenged or stayed due to invalid service, and the Singapore judgment that is subsequently issued may be recognised or enforced outside Singapore. This would, in turn, provide greater legal certainty for Singapore litigants to enforce their rights in foreign jurisdictions more efficiently and effectively.
  1. Further details on the implementation of the Service Convention in Singapore will be announced in due course.

MINISTRY OF LAW
17 MAY 2023

Last updated on 17 May 2023