Določbe te konvencije se uporabljajo samo za že sprožene pravne postopke, za listine, ki so uradno pripravljene ali registrirane kot verodostojne listine, in za poravnave, ki jih je odobrilo sodišče med postopkom po njeni uveljavitvi v državi članici izvora in, kadar se zahteva priznanje ali izvršitev sodbe ali verodostojne listine, v naslovljeni državi članici.
The provisions of this Convention shall apply only to legal proceedings instituted, to documents formally drawn up or registered as authentic instruments and to settlements which have been approved by a court in the course of proceedings after its entry into force in the Member State of origin and, where recognition or enforcement of a judgment or authentic instruments is sought, in the Member State addressed.