TAMPERE CONVENTION
ON THE PROVISION OF TELECOMMUNICATION RESOURCES
FOR DISASTER MITIGATION AND RELIEF OPERATIONS
(Tampere, 18.VI.1998)
The States Parties to this Convention,
recognizing
that the magnitude, complexity, frequency and impact of
disasters are increasing at a dramatic rate, with particularly
severe consequences in developing countries,
recalling
that humanitarian relief and assistance agencies require
reliable, flexible telecommunication resources to perform their
vital tasks,
further recalling
the essential role of telecommunication resources in
facilitating the safety of humanitarian relief and assistance
personnel,
further recalling
the vital role of broadcasting in disseminating accurate
disaster information to at-risk populations,
convinced
that the effective, timely deployment of telecommunication
resources and that rapid, efficient, accurate and truthful
information flows are essential to reducing loss of life, human
suffering and damage to property and the environment caused by
disasters,
concerned
about the impact of disasters on communication facilities and
information flows,
aware
of the special needs of the disaster-prone least developed
countries for technical assistance to develop telecommunication
resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations,
reaffirming
the absolute priority accorded emergency life-saving
communications in more than fifty international regulatory
instruments, including the Constitution of the International
Telecommunication Union,
noting
the history of international cooperation and coordination in
disaster mitigation and relief, including the demonstrated
life-saving role played by the timely deployment and use of
telecommunication resources,
further noting
the Proceedings of the International Conference on Disaster
Communications (Geneva, 1990), addressing the power of
telecommunication systems in disaster recovery and response,
further noting
the urgent call found in the Tampere Declaration on Disaster
Communications (Tampere, 1991) for reliable telecommunication
systems for disaster mitigation and disaster relief operations,
and for an international Convention on Disaster Communications to
facilitate such systems,
further noting
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 44/236, designating
1990 - 2000 the International Decade for Natural Disaster
Reduction, and Resolution 46/182, calling for strengthened
international coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance,
further noting
the prominent role given to communication resources in the
Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World, adopted by
the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction (Yokohama,
1994),
further noting
Resolution 7 of the World Telecommunication Development
Conference (Buenos Aires, 1994), endorsed by Resolution 36 of the
Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication
Union (Kyoto, 1994), urging governments to take all practical
steps for facilitating the rapid deployment and the effective use
of telecommunication equipment for disaster mitigation and relief
operations by reducing and, where possible, removing regulatory
barriers and strengthening cooperation among States,
further noting
Resolution 644 of the World Radiocommunication Conference
(Geneva, 1997), urging governments to give their full support to
the adoption of this Convention and to its national
implementation,
further noting
Resolution 19 of the World Telecommunication Development
Conference (Valletta, 1998), urging governments to continue their
examination of this Convention with a view to considering giving
their full support to its adoption,
further noting
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 51/94, encouraging
the development of a transparent and timely procedure for
implementing effective disaster relief coordination arrangements,
and of ReliefWeb as the global information system for the
dissemination of reliable and timely information on emergencies
and natural disasters,
with reference
to the conclusions of the Working Group on Emergency
Telecommunications regarding the critical role of
telecommunications in disaster mitigation and relief,
supported
by the work of many States, United Nations entities,
governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental
organizations, humanitarian agencies, telecommunication equipment
and service providers, media, universities and communication- and
disaster-related organizations to improve and facilitate
disaster-related communications,
desiring
to ensure the reliable, rapid availability of
telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief
operations, and
further desiring
to facilitate international cooperation to mitigate the impact
of disasters,
have agreed as follows:
Article 1
Definitions
Unless otherwise indicated by the context in which they are
used, the terms set out below shall have the following meanings
for the purposes of this Convention:
1. "State Party" means a State which has agreed to be bound by
this Convention.
2. "Assisting State Party" means a State Party to this
Convention providing telecommunication assistance pursuant hereto.
3. "Requesting State Party" means a State Party to this
Convention requesting telecommunication assistance pursuant
hereto.
4. "This Convention" means the Tampere Convention on the
Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation
and Relief Operations.
5. "The depositary" means the depositary for this Convention,
as set forth in Article 16.
6. "Disaster" means a serious disruption of the functioning of
society, posing a significant, widespread threat to human life,
health, property or the environment, whether caused by accident,
nature or human activity, and whether developing suddenly or as
the result of complex, long-term processes.
7. "Disaster mitigation" means measures designed to prevent,
predict, prepare for, respond to, monitor and/or mitigate the
impact of, disasters.
8. "Health hazard" means a sudden outbreak of infectious
disease, such as an epidemic or pandemic, or other event posing a
significant threat to human life or health, which has the
potential for triggering a disaster.
9. "Natural hazard" means an event or process, such as an
earthquake, fire, flood, wind, landslide, avalanche, cyclone,
tsunami, insect infestation, drought or volcanic eruption, which
has the potential for triggering a disaster.
10. "Non-governmental organization" means any organization,
including private and corporate entities, other than a State or
governmental or intergovernmental organization, concerned with
disaster mitigation and relief and/or the provision of
telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief.
11. "Non-State entity" means any entity, other than a State,
including non-governmental organizations and the Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement, concerned with disaster mitigation and relief
and/or the provision of telecommunication resources for disaster
mitigation and relief.
12. "Relief operations" means those activities designed to
reduce loss of life, human suffering and damage to property and/or
the environment caused by a disaster.
13. "Telecommunication assistance" means the provision of
telecommunication resources or other resources or support intended
to facilitate the use of telecommunication resources.
14. "Telecommunication resources" means personnel, equipment,
materials, information, training, radio-frequency spectrum,
network or transmission capacity or other resources necessary to
telecommunications.
15. "Telecommunications" means any transmission, emission, or
reception of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds or
intelligence of any nature, by wire, radio, optical fibre or other
electromagnetic system.
Article 2
Coordination
1. The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator shall be
the operational coordinator for this Convention and shall execute
the responsibilities of the operational coordinator identified in
Articles 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
2. The operational coordinator shall seek the cooperation of
other appropriate United Nations agencies, particularly the
International Telecommunication Union, to assist it in fulfilling
the objectives of this Convention, and, in particular, those
responsibilities identified in Articles 8 and 9, and to provide
necessary technical support, consistent with the purposes of those
agencies.
3. The responsibilities of the operational coordinator under
this Convention shall be limited to coordination activities of an
international nature.
Article 3
General Provisions
1. The States Parties shall cooperate among themselves and
with non-State entities and intergovernmental organizations, in
accordance with the provisions of this Convention, to facilitate
the use of telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and
relief.
2. Such use may include, but is not limited to:
a) the deployment of terrestrial and satellite
telecommunication equipment to predict, monitor and provide
information concerning natural hazards, health hazards and
disasters;
b) the sharing of information about natural hazards, health
hazards and disasters among the States Parties and with other
States, non-State entities and intergovernmental organizations,
and the dissemination of such information to the public,
particularly to at-risk communities;
c) the provision of prompt telecommunication assistance to
mitigate the impact of a disaster; and
d) the installation and operation of reliable, flexible
telecommunication resources to be used by humanitarian relief and
assistance organizations.
3. To facilitate such use, the States Parties may conclude
additional multinational or bilateral agreements or arrangements.
4. The States Parties request the operational coordinator, in
consultation with the International Telecommunication Union, the
depositary, and other relevant United Nations entities and
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, to use its
best efforts, in accordance with the provisions of this
Convention, to:
a) develop, in consultation with the States Parties, model
agreements that may be used to provide a foundation for
multinational or bilateral agreements facilitating the provision
of telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief;
b) make available model agreements, best practices and other
relevant information to States Parties, other States, non-State
entities and intergovernmental organizations concerning the
provision of telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation
and relief, by electronic means and other appropriate mechanisms;
c) develop, operate, and maintain information collection and
dissemination procedures and systems necessary for the
implementation of the Convention; and
d) inform States of the terms of this Convention, and to
facilitate and support the cooperation among States Parties
provided for herein.
5. The States Parties shall cooperate among themselves to
improve the ability of governmental organizations, non-State
entities and intergovernmental organizations to establish
mechanisms for training in the handling and operation of
equipment, and instruction courses in the development, design and
construction of emergency telecommunication facilities for
disaster prevention, monitoring and mitigation.
Article 4
Provision of Telecommunication Assistance
1. A State Party requiring telecommunication assistance for
disaster mitigation and relief may request such assistance from
any other State Party, either directly or through the operational
coordinator. If the request is made through the operational
coordinator, the operational coordinator shall immediately
disseminate this information to all other appropriate States
Parties. If the request is made directly to another State Party,
the requesting State Party shall inform the operational
coordinator as soon as possible.
2. A State Party requesting telecommunication assistance shall
specify the scope and type of assistance required and those
measures taken pursuant to Articles 5 and 9 of this Convention,
and, when practicable, provide the State Party to which the
request is directed and/or the operational coordinator with any
other information necessary to determine the extent to which such
State Party is able to meet the request.
3. Each State Party to which a request for telecommunication
assistance is directed, either directly or through the operational
coordinator, shall promptly determine and notify the requesting
State Party whether it will render the assistance requested,
directly or otherwise, and the scope of, and terms, conditions,
restrictions and cost, if any, applicable to such assistance.
4. Each State Party determining to provide telecommunication
assistance shall so inform the operational coordinator as soon as
possible.
5. No telecommunication assistance shall be provided pursuant
to this Convention without the consent of the requesting State
Party. The requesting State Party shall retain the authority to
reject all or part of any telecommunication assistance offered
pursuant to this Convention in accordance with the requesting
State Party's existing national law and policy.
6. The States Parties recognize the right of requesting States
Parties to request telecommunication assistance directly from
non-State entities and intergovernmental organizations, and the
right of non-State entities and intergovernmental organizations,
pursuant to the laws to which they are subject, to provide
telecommunication assistance to requesting States Parties pursuant
to this Article.
7. A non-State entity or intergovernmental organization may
not be a "requesting State Party" and may not request
telecommunication assistance under this Convention.
8. Nothing in this Convention shall interfere with the right
of a State Party, under its national law, to direct, control,
coordinate and supervise telecommunication assistance provided
under this Convention within its territory.
Article 5
Privileges, Immunities, and Facilities
1. The requesting State Party shall, to the extent permitted
by its national law, afford to persons, other than its nationals,
and to organizations, other than those headquartered or domiciled
within its territory, who act pursuant to this Convention to
provide telecommunication assistance and who have been notified
to, and accepted by, the requesting State Party, the necessary
privileges, immunities, and facilities for the performance of
their proper functions, including, but not limited to:
a) immunity from arrest, detention and legal process,
including criminal, civil and administrative jurisdiction of the
requesting State Party, in respect of acts or omissions
specifically and directly related to the provision of
telecommunication assistance;
b) exemption from taxation, duties or other charges, except
for those which are normally incorporated in the price of goods or
services, in respect of the performance of their assistance
functions or on the equipment, materials and other property
brought into or purchased in the territory of the requesting State
Party for the purpose of providing telecommunication assistance
under this Convention; and
c) immunity from seizure, attachment or requisition of such
equipment, materials and property.
2. The requesting State Party shall provide, to the extent of
its capabilities, local facilities and services for the proper and
effective administration of the telecommunication assistance,
including ensuring that telecommunication equipment brought into
its territory pursuant to this Convention shall be expeditiously
licensed or shall be exempt from licensing in accordance with its
domestic laws and regulations.
3. The requesting State Party shall ensure the protection of
personnel, equipment and materials brought into its territory
pursuant to this Convention.
4. Ownership of equipment and materials provided pursuant to
this Convention shall be unaffected by their use under the terms
of this Convention. The requesting State Party shall ensure the
prompt return of such equipment, material and property to the
proper assisting State Party.
5. The requesting State Party shall not direct the deployment
or use of any telecommunication resources provided pursuant to
this Convention for purposes not directly related to predicting,
preparing for, responding to, monitoring, mitigating the impact of
or providing relief during and following disasters.
6. Nothing in this Article shall require any requesting State
Party to provide its nationals or permanent residents, or
organizations headquartered or domiciled within its territory,
with privileges and immunities.
7. Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities in
accordance with this Article, all persons entering the territory
of a State Party for the purpose of providing telecommunication
assistance or otherwise facilitating the use of telecommunication
resources pursuant to this Convention, and all organizations
providing telecommunication assistance or otherwise facilitating
the use of telecommunication resources pursuant to this
Convention, have a duty to respect the laws and regulations of
that State Party. Such persons and organizations also shall have a
duty not to interfere in the domestic affairs of the State Party
into whose territory they have entered.
8. Nothing in this Article shall prejudice the rights and
obligations with respect to privileges and immunities afforded to
persons and organizations participating directly or indirectly in
telecommunication assistance, pursuant to other international
agreements (including the Convention on the Privileges and
Immunities of the United Nations, adopted by the General Assembly
on 13 February 1946, and the Convention on the Privileges and
Immunities of the Specialized Agencies, adopted by the General
Assembly on 21 November 1947) or international law.
Article 6
Termination of Assistance
1. The requesting State Party or the assisting State Party
may, at any time, terminate telecommunication assistance received
or provided under Article 4 by providing notification in writing.
Upon such notification, the States Parties involved shall consult
with each other to provide for the proper and expeditious
conclusion of the assistance, bearing in mind the impact of such
termination on the risk to human life and ongoing disaster relief
operations.
2. States Parties engaged in providing or receiving
telecommunication assistance pursuant to this Convention shall
remain subject to the terms of this Convention following the
termination of such assistance.
3. Any State Party requesting termination of telecommunication
assistance shall notify the operational coordinator of such
request. The operational coordinator shall provide such assistance
as is requested and necessary to facilitate the conclusion of the
telecommunication assistance.
Article 7
Payment or Reimbursement of Costs or Fees
1. The States Parties may condition the provision of
telecommunication assistance for disaster mitigation and relief
upon agreement to pay or reimburse specified costs or fees, always
bearing in mind the contents of paragraph 8 of this Article.
2. When such condition exists, the States Parties shall set
forth in writing, prior to the provision of telecommunication
assistance:
a) the requirement for payment or reimbursement;
b) the amount of such payment or reimbursement or terms under
which it shall be calculated; and
c) any other terms, conditions or restrictions applicable to
such payment or reimbursement, including, but not limited to, the
currency in which such payment or reimbursement shall be made.
3. The requirements of paragraphs 2 "b" and 2 "c" of this
Article may be satisfied by reference to published tariffs, rates
or prices.
4. In order that the negotiation of payment and reimbursement
agreements does not unduly delay the provision of
telecommunication assistance, the operational coordinator shall
develop, in consultation with the States Parties, a model payment
and reimbursement agreement that may provide a foundation for the
negotiation of payment and reimbursement obligations under this
Article.
5. No State Party shall be obligated to make payment or
reimbursement of costs or fees under this Convention without
having first expressed its consent to the terms provided by an
assisting State Party pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article.
6. When the provision of telecommunication assistance is
properly conditioned upon payment or reimbursement of costs or
fees under this Article, such payment or reimbursement shall be
provided promptly after the assisting State Party has presented
its request for payment or reimbursement.
7. Funds paid or reimbursed by a requesting State Party in
association with the provision of telecommunication assistance
shall be freely transferable out of the jurisdiction of the
requesting State Party and shall not be delayed or withheld.
8. In determining whether to condition the provision of
telecommunication assistance upon an agreement to pay or reimburse
specified costs or fees, the amount of such costs or fees, and the
terms, conditions and restrictions associated with their payment
or reimbursement, the States Parties shall take into account,
among other relevant factors:
a) United Nations principles concerning humanitarian
assistance;
b) the nature of the disaster, natural hazard or health
hazard;
c) the impact, or potential impact, of the disaster;
d) the place of origin of the disaster;
e) the area affected, or potentially affected, by the
disaster;
f) the occurrence of previous disasters and the likelihood of
future disasters in the affected area;
g) the capacity of each State affected by the disaster,
natural hazard or health hazard to prepare for, or respond to,
such event; and
h) the needs of developing countries.
9. This Article shall also apply to those situations in which
telecommunication assistance is provided by a non-State entity or
intergovernmental organization, provided that:
a) the requesting State Party has consented to, and has not
terminated, such provision of telecommunication assistance for
disaster mitigation and relief;
b) the non-State entity or intergovernmental organization
providing such telecommunication assistance has notified to the
requesting State Party its adherence to this Article and Articles
4 and 5; and
c) the application of this Article is not inconsistent with
any other agreement concerning the relations between the
requesting State Party and the non-State entity or
intergovernmental organization providing such telecommunication
assistance.
Article 8
Telecommunication Assistance Information Inventory
1. Each State Party shall notify the operational coordinator
of its authority(ies):
a) responsible for matters arising under the terms of this
Convention and authorized to request, offer, accept and terminate
telecommunication assistance; and
b) competent to identify the governmental, intergovernmental
and/or non-governmental resources which could be made available to
facilitate the use of telecommunication resources for disaster
mitigation and relief, including the provision of
telecommunication assistance.
2. Each State Party shall endeavour to inform the operational
coordinator promptly of any changes in the information provided
pursuant to this Article.
3. The operational coordinator may accept notification from a
non-State entity or intergovernmental organization of its
procedures for authorization to offer and terminate
telecommunication assistance as provided in this Article.
4. A State Party, non-State entity or intergovernmental
organization may, at its discretion, include in the material it
deposits with the operational coordinator information about
specific telecommunication resources and about plans for the use
of those resources to respond to a request for telecommunication
assistance from a requesting State Party.
5. The operational coordinator shall maintain copies of all
lists of authorities, and shall expeditiously disseminate such
material to the States Parties, to other States, and to
appropriate non-State entities and intergovernmental
organizations, unless a State Party, non-State entity or
intergovernmental organization has previously specified, in
writing, that distribution of its material be restricted.
6. The operational coordinator shall treat material deposited
by non-State entities and intergovernmental organizations in a
similar manner to material deposited by States Parties.
Article 9
Regulatory Barriers
1. The States Parties shall, when possible, and in conformity
with their national law, reduce or remove regulatory barriers to
the use of telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and
relief, including to the provision of telecommunication
assistance.
2. Regulatory barriers may include, but are not limited to:
a) regulations restricting the import or export of
telecommunication equipment;
b) regulations restricting the use of telecommunication
equipment or of radio-frequency spectrum;
c) regulations restricting the movement of personnel who
operate telecommunication equipment or who are essential to its
effective use;
d) regulations restricting the transit of telecommunication
resources into, out of and through the territory of a State Party;
and
e) delays in the administration of such regulations.
3. Reduction of regulatory barriers may take the form of, but
shall not be limited to:
a) revising regulations;
b) exempting specified telecommunication resources from the
application of those regulations during the use of such resources
for disaster mitigation and relief;
c) pre-clearance of telecommunication resources for use in
disaster mitigation and relief, in compliance with those
regulations;
d) recognition of foreign type-approval of telecommunication
equipment and/or operating licenses;
e) expedited review of telecommunication resources for use in
disaster mitigation and relief, in compliance with those
regulations; and
f) temporary waiver of those regulations for the use of
telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief.
4. Each State Party shall, at the request of any other State
Party, and to the extent permitted by its national law, facilitate
the transit into, out of and through its territory of personnel,
equipment, materials and information involved in the use of
telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief.
5. Each State Party shall notify the operational coordinator
and the other States Parties, directly or through the operational
coordinator, of:
a) measures taken, pursuant to this Convention, for reducing
or removing such regulatory barriers;
b) procedures available, pursuant to this Convention, to
States Parties, other States, non-State entities and/or
intergovernmental organizations for the exemption of specified
telecommunication resources used for disaster mitigation and
relief from the application of such regulations, pre-clearance or
expedited review of such resources in compliance with applicable
regulations, acceptance of foreign type-approval of such
resources, or temporary waiver of regulations otherwise applicable
to such resources; and
c) the terms, conditions and restrictions, if any, associated
with the use of such procedures.
6. The operational coordinator shall regularly and
expeditiously make available to the States Parties, to other
States, to non-State entities and to intergovernmental
organizations an up-to-date listing of such measures, their scope,
and the terms, conditions and restrictions, if any, associated
with their use.
7. Nothing in this Article shall permit the violation or
abrogation of obligations and responsibilities imposed by national
law, international law, or multilateral or bilateral agreements,
including obligations and responsibilities concerning customs and
export controls.
Article 10
Relationship to Other International Agreements
This Convention shall not affect the rights and obligations of
States Parties deriving from other international agreements or
international law.
Article 11
Dispute Settlement
1. In the event of a dispute between States Parties concerning
the interpretation or application of this Convention, the States
Parties to the dispute shall consult each other for the purpose of
settling the dispute. Such consultation shall begin promptly upon
the written declaration, delivered by one State Party to another
State Party, of the existence of a dispute under this Convention.
The State Party making such a written declaration of the existence
of a dispute shall promptly deliver a copy of such declaration to
the depositary.
2. If a dispute between States Parties cannot be settled
within six (6) months of the date of delivery of the written
declaration to a State Party to the dispute, the States Parties to
the dispute may request any other State Party, State, non-State
entity or intergovernmental organization to use its good offices
to facilitate settlement of the dispute.
3. If neither State Party seeks the good offices of another
State Party, State, non-State entity or intergovernmental
organization, or if the exercise of good offices fails to
facilitate a settlement of the dispute within six (6) months of
the request for such good offices being made, then either State
Party to the dispute may:
a) request that the dispute be submitted to binding
arbitration; or
b) submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice
for decision, provided that both States Parties to the dispute
have, at the time of signing, ratifying or acceding to this
Convention, or at any time thereafter, accepted the jurisdiction
of the International Court of Justice in respect of such disputes.
4. In the event that the respective States Parties to the
dispute request that the dispute be submitted to binding
arbitration and submit the dispute to the International Court of
Justice for decision, the submission to the International Court of
Justice shall have priority.
5. In the case of a dispute between a State Party requesting
telecommunication assistance and a non-State entity or
intergovernmental organization headquartered or domiciled outside
of the territory of that State Party concerning the provision of
telecommunication assistance under Article 4, the claim of the
non-State entity or intergovernmental organization may be espoused
directly by the State Party in which the non-State entity or
intergovernmental organization is headquartered or domiciled as a
State-to-State claim under this Article, provided that such
espousal is not inconsistent with any other agreement between the
State Party and the non-State entity or intergovernmental
organization involved in the dispute.
6. When signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding
to this Convention, a State may declare that it does not consider
itself bound by either or both of the dispute settlement
procedures provided for in paragraph 3 above. The other States
Parties shall not be bound by a dispute settlement procedure
provided for in paragraph 3 with respect to a State Party for
which such a declaration is in force.
Article 12
Entry into Force
1. This Convention shall be open for signature by all States
which are members of the United Nations or of the International
Telecommunication Union at the Intergovernmental Conference on
Emergency Telecommunications in Tampere on 18 June 1998, and
thereafter at the headquarters of the United Nations, New York,
from 22 June 1998 to 21 June 2003.
2. A State may express its consent to be bound by this
Convention:
a) by signature (definitive signature);
b) by signature subject to ratification, acceptance or
approval followed by deposit of an instrument of ratification,
acceptance or approval; or
c) by deposit of an instrument of accession.
3. The Convention shall enter into force thirty (30) days
after the deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance,
approval or accession or definitive signature of thirty (30)
States.
4. For each State which signs definitively or deposits an
instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession,
after the requirement set out in paragraph 3 of this Article has
been fulfilled, this Convention shall enter into force thirty (30)
days after the date of the definitive signature or consent to be
bound.
Article 13
Amendments
1. A State Party may propose amendments to this Convention by
submitting such amendments to the depositary, which shall
circulate them to the other States Parties for approval.
2. The States Parties shall notify the depositary of their
approval or disapproval of such proposed amendments within one
hundred and eighty (180) days of their receipt.
3. Any amendment approved by two-thirds of all States Parties
shall be laid down in a Protocol which is open for signature at
the depositary by all States Parties.
4. The Protocol shall enter into force in the same manner as
this Convention. For each State which signs the Protocol
definitively or deposits an instrument of ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession, after the requirements for the
entry into force of the Protocol have been fulfilled, the Protocol
shall enter into force for such State thirty (30) days after the
date of the definitive signature or consent to be bound.
Article 14
Reservations
1. When definitively signing, ratifying or acceding to this
Convention or any amendment hereto, a State Party may make
reservations.
2. A State Party may at any time withdraw its prior
reservation by written notification to the depositary. Such
withdrawal of a reservation becomes effective immediately upon
notification to the depositary.
Article 15
Denunciation
1. A State Party may denounce this Convention by written
notification to the depositary.
2. Denunciation shall take effect ninety (90) days following
the date of deposit of the written notification.
3. At the request of the denouncing State Party, all copies of
the lists of authorities and of measures adopted and procedures
available for reducing regulatory measures provided by any State
Party denouncing this Convention shall be removed from use by the
effective date of such denunciation.
Article 16
Depositary
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be the
depositary of this Convention.
Article 17
Authentic Texts
The original of this Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic,
shall be deposited with the depositary. Only the English, French
and Spanish authentic texts will be made available for signature
at Tampere on 18 June 1998. The depositary shall prepare the
authentic texts in Arabic, Chinese and Russian as soon as possible
thereafter.
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