Cap. 507 Art. 2Interpretation.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

"central authority" means the Authority appointed under article 6; "child" means a person under the age of eighteen years;

"Contracting State" means those States, other than Malta, as shall from time to time be specified by the Minister by an order made under article 4; "Convention" means the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Cooperation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children concluded on the 19th October, 1996 within the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the text of which is set out in the First Schedule; "judgment" means a judgment or order which is directed to the protection of the person or property of a child and is made either by a court in the State or by a competent judicial or administrative authority of another contracting state; "Malta" has the same meaning assigned to it by article 124 of the Constitution; "measure" means a judgment or decision which is made in accordance with Chapter II of the Convention, and references to the taking of a measure shall be construed as references to the making of such a judgment or decision;

"the Minister" means the Minister responsible for justice; "Non-Contracting State" means any State which is not a Contracting State; "prescribed" means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under this Act.