The German Central Authority keeps extensive statistics on procedures under the Hague Child Abduction Convention, the European Custody Convention and the Regulation (EU) 2019/1111 (Brussels II b Regulation) in which it is involved. This includes procedures aiming at the return of children who have been wrongfully removed to or retained in another Contracting State, but also cross-border rights of contact with a child. The statistics reflect cornerstones of the processing of applications as to substance and timeframe. Another important aim is the making available of data which could be of use for a scientific analysis of the legal and factual questions at issue.
The statistics only reflect procedures in which the German Central Authority was involved. In return and contact proceedings as well as in proceedings aiming at the recognition and, in appropriate cases, the enforcement of a foreign custody or contact order, the parties can immediately apply to the courts in Germany or abroad without seeking the assistance of the German Central Authority. Such proceedings are not covered in the statistics kept here.
In the statistics concerning return cases, a distinction is made between cases where a child living in Germany has been wrongfully removed abroad or is being retained there (outgoing procedures) and the reverse case where children habitually resident abroad were wrongfully removed to Germany or have been retained here (incoming procedures). The same distinction applies to procedures enforcing cross-border rights of contact.
An update is carried out in the first half of each year. In addition, an activity report is published for the previous year.