PROTOCOL No. 12
                  TO THE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION
                OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS

                           (Rome, 4.XI.2000)

       The member States of the Council of Europe signatory hereto,
       Having regard to the fundamental principle according to  which
   all persons are equal before the law and are entitled to the equal
   protection of the law;
       Being resolved  to  take further steps to promote the equality
   of all persons through the collective  enforcement  of  a  general
   prohibition  of  discrimination by means of the Convention for the
   Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed at Rome
   on 4 November 1950 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention");
       Reaffirming that the principle of non-discrimination does  not
   prevent  States  Parties  from taking measures in order to promote
   full and effective equality,  provided that there is an  objective
   and reasonable justification for those measures,
       Have agreed as follows:

                               Article 1

                 General prohibition of discrimination

       1 The enjoyment of any right set forth by law shall be secured
   without  discrimination on any ground such as sex,  race,  colour,
   language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social
   origin,  association with a national minority,  property, birth or
   other status.
       2 No   one  shall  be  discriminated  against  by  any  public
   authority on any ground such as those mentioned in paragraph 1.

                               Article 2

                        Territorial application

       1 Any State may,  at the time of signature or when  depositing
   its  instrument of ratification,  acceptance or approval,  specify
   the territory or territories to which this Protocol shall apply.
       2 Any State may at any later date,  by a declaration addressed
   to the Secretary General of the  Council  of  Europe,  extend  the
   application  of  this Protocol to any other territory specified in
   the declaration.  In respect of such territory the Protocol  shall
   enter  into  force  on  the  first  day of the month following the
   expiration of a period of three months after the date  of  receipt
   by the Secretary General of such declaration.
       3 Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs may,
   in  respect  of  any  territory specified in such declaration,  be
   withdrawn or modified by a notification addressed to the Secretary
   General. The withdrawal or modification shall become effective  on
   the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of
   three months after the date of receipt of such notification by the
   Secretary General.
       4 A  declaration made in accordance with this article shall be
   deemed to have been made in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article
   56 of the Convention.
       5 Any State which has made a declaration  in  accordance  with
   paragraph  1  or  2  of  this  article  may at any time thereafter
   declare on behalf of one or more of the territories to  which  the
   declaration relates that it accepts the competence of the Court to
   receive    applications    from    individuals,   non-governmental
   organisations  or  groups of individuals as provided by Article 34
   of the Convention in respect of Article 1 of this Protocol.

                               Article 3

                     Relationship to the Convention

       As between the States Parties,  the provisions of  Articles  1
   and 2 of this Protocol shall be regarded as additional articles to
   the Convention,  and all the provisions of  the  Convention  shall
   apply accordingly.

                               Article 4

                       Signature and ratification

       This Protocol  shall be open for signature by member States of
   the Council of Europe which have  signed  the  Convention.  It  is
   subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. A member State of
   the Council of Europe may  not  ratify,  accept  or  approve  this
   Protocol   without  previously  or  simultaneously  ratifying  the
   Convention.  Instruments of ratification,  acceptance or  approval
   shall  be  deposited  with the Secretary General of the Council of
   Europe.

                               Article 5

                            Entry into force

       1 This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the
   month  following  the expiration of a period of three months after
   the date on which ten member States of the Council of Europe  have
   expressed  their consent to be bound by the Protocol in accordance
   with the provisions of Article 4.
       2 In  respect of any member State which subsequently expresses
   its consent to be bound by it, the Protocol shall enter into force
   on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period
   of three months after the date of the deposit of the instrument of
   ratification, acceptance or approval.

                               Article 6

                          Depositary functions

       The Secretary  General  of  the Council of Europe shall notify
   all the member States of the Council of Europe of:
       a any signature;
       b the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or
   approval;
       c any date of entry into force of this Protocol in  accordance
   with Articles 2 and 5;
       d any other act,  notification or  communication  relating  to
   this Protocol.
       In witness whereof  the  undersigned,  being  duly  authorised
   thereto, have signed this Protocol.

       Done at Rome, this 4th day of November 2000, in English and in
   French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which
   shall  be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe.  The
   Secretary  General  of  the  Council  of  Europe  shall   transmit
   certified copies to each member State of the Council of Europe.