25/06/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 25 June, the Council of the European Union adopted the recast of the Brussels IIA regulation on judgments in matrimonial matters, parental responsibility and international child abduction (see EUROPE 11584/7). The new rules abolish the exequatur for all decisions on parental responsibility, subject to several safeguards. They introduce deadlines to deal more quickly with child abduction cases within the EU and require that the child be given a real and effective opportunity to express his or her views. The European Parliament had already adopted a favourable opinion a year ago (see EUROPE 11942/6), but the EU Council decided to consult it again (see EUROPE 12162/26), given the substantial changes it had made to the European Commission's initial proposal by unanimously adopting its position on the key elements of the reform (see EUROPE 12155/7). Parliament delivered its second favourable opinion on 14 March (see EUROPE 12214/14). (MF)