Among other news from the Hague Conference this month:

An informal “expert group” met on October 8-9, 2012 in The Hague and adopted recommendations regarding the financial aspects of intercountry adoption.  The group  endorsed and recommended some revisions to a “Discussion Paper on  the Financial Aspects of Intercountry Adoption” prepared by the Permanent Bureau and available on the Hague Conference web site. The recommendations include the use of more standard terminology in this area and tables designed to elicit information on the costs and contributions associated with intercountry adoption in different countries.

Sweden has ratified the 1996 Child Protection Convention, bringing the total number of Contracting States to 39.

Albania has ratified the 2007 Child Support Convention, the second country to do so (after Norway).  Under the terms of theConvention, this means that it will come into force on January 1, 2013. (The United States and the European Union have also signed teh Convention, but have not yet ratified it.)