Hague Abolishes Certification Convention New Opportunities and Challenges for Reshaping Global Notarial Order

The New Pattern and Challenges Brought by the Hague Convention Abolition in Global Notarization

With the continuous advancement of globalization, international personnel mobility and economic cooperation have become increasingly frequent. As an important legal safeguard tool, notarization plays an irreplaceable role in transnational affairs. However, the recent news of the Hague Convention's abolition has attracted widespread attention. This change not only marks the entry of the international notarization field into a new phase but also brings new opportunities and challenges to various countries.

Since the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, commonly known as the Apostille Convention, came into effect in 1961, it has greatly simplified the process of cross-border document usage, reducing cumbersome certification procedures and improving efficiency. For instance, according to Xinhua News Agency reports, over the past few decades, the convention has covered more than 100 countries and regions, enabling business contracts, academic credentials, and other documents to circulate quickly worldwide. However, in recent years, some countries and regions have questioned the effectiveness and applicability of the convention, arguing that it has shortcomings in certain specific situations. Ultimately, the Hague Conference decided to terminate some provisions or readjust the convention, which undoubtedly brought far-reaching impacts on the international community that relied on this mechanism.

Firstly, the cancellation of the Hague Apostille Convention means that the traditional single standard will be broken. In the past, as long as the document was certified by the Hague, it could circulate unimpeded globally; now, countries may need to re-examine their legal frameworks and formulate more detailed rules to cope with new situations. For example, the BBC mentioned that some countries might strengthen the status of their domestic notary institutions, requiring all foreign-related affairs to be completed by notaries authorized by the country. Although this trend helps protect local interests, it will also increase the cost and complexity of cross-border transactions.

Secondly, this transformation will make technological innovation the core driving force behind the development of the notary industry. With the popularity of emerging technologies such as blockchain and electronic signatures, more and more countries are exploring digital notarization models. For instance, Singapore has launched pilot projects to use smart contract technology for automatic verification and archiving of documents. These attempts indicate that future notary services may no longer be limited to the traditional form of paper documents but provide more convenient and efficient solutions through online platforms.

Of course, any major reform comes with risks and uncertainties. On one hand, there may be issues of inconsistent technical standards between different countries, leading to incompatible data or even security vulnerabilities; on the other hand, for resource-limited developing countries, how to balance cost investment and return is a significant challenge. Establishing an open, inclusive, coordinated, and consistent cooperative mechanism is particularly important. As the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law UNCITRAL emphasized, the international community should strengthen communication and exchanges, jointly study solutions, and ensure that the notary system under the new order can meet practical needs while promoting fairness and justice.

In conclusion, the adjustment of the Hague Apostille Convention has opened a new chapter in global notarization. Facing this historic turning point, countries need to adopt an open attitude, actively embrace changes, and at the same time pay attention to safeguarding their own rights and interests. Only in this way can they find their own positioning in the complex and ever-changing world pattern and achieve sustainable development.