16.12.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 331/17 COUNCIL DECISION of 30 November 2009 on the conclusion by the European Community of the Hague Protocol of 23 November 2007 on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations (2009/941/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 61(c) in conjunction with the second sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament ('), Whereas: (1) The Community is working towards the establishment of a common judicial area based on the principle of mutual recognition of decisions. (2)  Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations (?) provides that the law applicable to maintenance obligations shall be determined in accordance with the Hague Protocol of 23 November 2007 on the law applicable to main- tenance obligations (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol) in the Member States bound by that Protocol. (3)  The Protocol makes a valuable contribution to ensuring greater legal certainty and predictability to maintenance creditors and debtors. Application of uniform rules to determine the applicable law will allow free circulation of decisions on maintenance obligations in the Community, without any form of control in the Member State where enforcement is sought. (4)  Article 24 of the Protocol allows Regional Economic Integration Organisations such as the Community to sign, accept, approve or accede to the Protocol. (5)  The Community has exclusive competence over all matters governed by the Protocol. This does not affect the positions of the Member States which are not bound (") Opinion of 24 November 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal). ® OJ L 7, 10.1.2009, p. 1. (11) by this Decision or subject to its application as referred to in Recitals 11 and 12. The Community should therefore approve the Protocol. The Protocol should apply between the Member States at the latest on 18 June 2011, the date of application of Regulation (EC) No 4/2009. In view of the close link between the Protocol and Regu- lation (EC) No 4/2009, the rules of the Protocol should be applied in the Community on a provisional basis if the Protocol has not entered into force on 18 June 2011, the date of application of Regulation (EC) No 4/2009. A unilateral declaration to this effect should be made upon conclusion of the Protocol. The rules of the Protocol should determine the law applicable to a maintenance obligation if a decision on that obligation is to be recognised and enforceable under the rules concerning the abolition of exequatur laid down in Regulation (EC) No 4/2009. In order to ensure that the same conflict of laws rules will be applied in the Community to maintenance claims relating to a period prior to as well as posterior to the entry into force or the provisional application of the Protocol in the Community, the rules of the Protocol should also apply to claims relating to a period prior to this event, notwith- standing Article 22 thereof. A unilateral declaration to this effect should be made upon conclusion of the Protocol. In accordance with Article 3 of the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Ireland is taking part in the adoption and application of this Decision. In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, the United Kingdom is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its appli- cation.