CELEX: 51994PC0366
Language: en
Date: 1994-09-09
Title: Amended proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION ON THE CONCLUSION, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, OF THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS USED FOR EXPERIMENTAL AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMVIUNITIES
                                                                   C0M(94) 366 final - CNS 198
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                                                                   Brussels, 09.09.1994
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                                                Amended proposal  for a
                                                    COUNCIL DECISION
                             ON THE CONCLUSION, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, OF THE
                                   EUROPEAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF
                                   VERTEBRATE ANIMALS USED FOR EXPERIMENTAL
                                           AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES
                              (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 A (2)
                                                   of the EC-Treaty)
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                          z
                        EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
  1. On 31 May 1985, concerned that better protection should be provided in Eurofie
     for vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes in a
     growing number of areas (chemicals, foodstuffs, cosmetics, toxicology), the
     Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a European Convention
     for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific
     purposes (hereinafter referred to as the Convention).
     The Convention establishes the scientific purposes and the conditions in which
     experiments on vertebrate animals may be authorized, the aim being to reduce the
     number of animals used, to keep their suffering to a minimum and to introduce
     the necessary controls to be applied by national authorities on breeding
     establishments and on the suppliers and users of laboratory animals.
     The ultimate aim of the Convention is, in the long term, to replace
     experimentation on animals, as far as is possible, by other procedures.
2.   The Convention has been open for signature by the Members of the Council of
     Europe and the European Communities since 18 March 1986 and entered into
     force on 1 January 1991. It was signed by the Community on 10 February 1987
     in accordance with the Council Decision of 24 November 1986.1
     On 14 July 1989 the Commission sent the Council a proposal for a Decision
     concluding the Convention, the legal basis of which was Article 100a of the
     Treaty establishing the European Community (COM(89) 302 final - SYN 198).2
3.   At Community level, on 24 November 1986 the Council adopted Directive
     86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for experimental and other
     scientific purposes,3 which incorporates the principles, objectives and main
     provisions of the Convention.
     With this Directive the Council also wished to harmonize the laws, regulations
     and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the protection of
     vertebrate animals used for experimental purposes with a view to promoting the
     proper functioning of the internal market and avoiding any competitive distortions
     between Member States.
i
     Not published in the Official Journal.
     OJC200, 05.08.1989, p. 8.
     OJL358, 18.12.1986, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak--- 4.  Since the matters covered by the Convention fall partly within the competence of
    the Community and partly within that of the Member States, the Council, with
    regard to the competence of the Member States, adopted a Resolution on
    24 November 1986 asking those Member States which had not yet signed the
    Convention to do so as quickly as possible.4
   The Convention has been signed by nine Member States and ratified by three.
   The Community and the Member States which have not yet ratified or acceded
   to the Convention ought now to do so in accordance with their respective
   competence. The instruments of approval should be deposited by the Community
   and its Member States simultaneously, as far as is possible.
5. Unlike the Convention (Article 28), Directive 86/609/EEC does not require the
   annual communication of statistical data. However, the Convention does allow
   a reservation to be made in this respect (Article 34).
   The Directive would need to be amended to meet the Convention's requirement
   that data be communicated annually. However, in view of the difficulties which
   the annual communication of statistical data would cause for the Member States
   and the Community, it seems that the latter must make a reservation in this
   respect.
6. Following the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union, the legal basis
   of the proposal was switched to Article 228(2) and (3), second subparagraph, in
   combination with Article 100a, of the Treaty establishing the European
   Community. This legal basis required the assent of the Parliament. This was
   deemed necessary because the conclusion of the Convention by the Community
   would have entailed an amendment to the Directive to make the annual
   communication of statistical data compulsory.          However, given that the
   abovementioned reservation obviates the need to amend Directive 86/609/EEC, the
   legal basis proposed in the amended proposal for a Decision is Article 228(2) and
   (3), first subparagraph, in combination with Article 100a.
   OJC331, 23.12.1986, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak---                 AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
                 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Community, of the
              European Convention for the protection of vertebrate animals
                   used for experimental and other scientific purposes
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular
 Article 100a in combination with Article 228(2) and (3), first subparagraph, thereof,
 Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,1
 Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,2
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,3
Whereas on 24 November 1986 the Council adopted Directive 86/609/EEC on the
 approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member
 States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific
purposes,4 setting out common rules incorporating the principles, objectives and main
provisions of the European Convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for
experimental and other scientific purposes adopted on 31 May 1985 by the Committee
of Ministers of the Council of Europe;
Whereas Directive 86/609/EEC does not require the annual communication of statistical
data; whereas, therefore, the Community is unable to meet the requirements of
Article 28(1) of the Convention; whereas, accordingly, a reservation should be made in
this regard;
1
        OJC200,    05.08.1989, p. 8.
2
        OJC291,    20.11.1989, p. 43.
3
        OJC329,    30.12.1989, p. 10.
4
        OJL358,    18.12.1986, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak--- Whereas the provisions of the Convention and the Directive referred to above have an
 impact on the production and marketing conditions of products and substances whose
 development involves this type of experiment; whereas these provisions accordingly
 contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market, which is one of the primary
objectives of the Community;
Whereas on 10 February 1987 the Community signed the said Convention; whereas the
Convention entered into force on 1 January 1991;
Whereas the Community should approve the Convention,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
                                         Article 1
The Convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other
scientific purposes, adopted on 31 May 1985 in Strasbourg, is hereby adopted on behalf
of the European Community, subject to a reservation in respect of Article 28(1).
The text of the Convention and of the reservation are attached to this Decision.
                                         Article 2
The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the person(s) empowered
to deposit the instrument of accession to the Convention with the Secretary General of
the Council of Europe in accordance with Article 31 of the Convention.
Done at
                                                     For the Council
                                                     The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                      C
Text of the Community reservation
"In application of Article 34(1) of the European Convention for the protection d£
vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes, the European
Community states that it does not consider itself bound by the requirement to
communicate statistical data laid down in Article 28(1) of the said Convention."
 ---pagebreak---                      DRAFT COMMISSION STATEMENT
                      (to be entered in the Council minutes)
                                                                                  }
"The Commission states that the reservations entered by the Member States and that
entered by the Community are made within their respective spheres of competence."
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                              ô
       DRAFT STATEMENT TO BE ENTERED IN THE COUNCIL MINUTES
"The representatives of the Member States, meeting within the Council, which have not
yet ratified or acceded to the Convention referred to in Article 1 state that they will take
the necessary measures to ensure that the instruments of approval of the Community and
its Member States may, as far as possible, be deposited simultaneously, and by
at the latest."
 ---pagebreak---                         • * •
                    •                  •               3
                   •                     •
COUNCIL                                *
                                               CONSEIL
OF EUROPE               * • *              DE L'EUROPE
   EUROPEAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION
 OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS USED FOR EXPERIMENTAL
         AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES
             CONVENTION EUROPÉENNE
   SUR LA PROTECTION DES ANIMAUX VERTÉBRÉS
       UTILISÉS À DES FINS EXPÉRIMENTALES
        OU À D'AUTRES FINS SCIENTIFIQUES
                       STRASBOURG
                     Provisional edition
                      Edition provisoire
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                Aa
                                            PREAMBLE
        The member States of the Council of Europe, signatory hereto.
        Recalling that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between us
members and that it wishes to co-operate with other States in ihe protection of live animals used
for experimental and other scientific purposes ;
         Recognising that man has a moral obligation to respect all animals and to have due
consideration for their capacity for suffering and memory ;
        Accepting nevertheless that man in his quest for knowledge, health and safety has a need
to use animals where there is a reasonable expectation that the result will be lo extend knowledge
or he to the overall benefit of man or animal, just as he uses them for food, clothing and as
beasts of burden :
         Resolved to limit the use of animals for experimental and other scientific purposes, with
ihc aim of replacing such use wherever practical, in particular by seeking alternative measures
and encouraging the use of these alternative measures ;
         Desirous to adopt common provisions in order to protect animals used in those procedures
which may possibly cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm and to ensure that where unavoid-
able Lhcy shall be kept to a minimum.
         Have agreed as follows :
                                               PARTI
                                          General principles
                                              Article 1
 1.      This Convention applies to any animal used or intended for use in any experimental or
olher scientific procedure where that procedure may cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting
harm. It does not apply to any non-experimenLal agricultural or clinical veterinary practice.
 2.      In this Convention :
         a. "animal", unless otherwise qualified, means any live non-human vertebrate, including
free-living and/or reproducing larval forms, but excluding other foetal or embryonic forms : ,
         b. "in tended for use" means bred or kept for the purpose of sale, disposal or use in any
 experimental or other scientific procedure :
 ---pagebreak---                                                      1  -
                                                                                                    y]
         c. "procedure" means any experimental or other scientific use of an animal which "may
cause ir pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm, including any course of action intended to, or
liable to. result in the birth of an animal in any such conditions, but excluding the least painful
methods accepted in modem practice (that is. "humane" methods) of killing or marking an
animal. A procedure starts when an animal is first prepared for use and ends when no further
observations are to be made for that procedure; the elimination of pain, suffering, distress or
lasting harm by the successful use of anaesthesia or analgesia or other methods does not place
the use of an animal outside the scope of this definition ;
          d. "compere»! penton" means any person who is considered by a Party to be competent in
 its territory to perform the relevant function described in this Convention ;
          e. "responsible authority" means, in the territory of a given Party, any authority, body or
 person designated for the relevant purpose ;
         /. "establishment" means any stable or mobile facility, any building, group of buildings
 or other premises, including a place which is not wholly enclosed or covered ;
          g. "breeding establishment" means any establishment where animals are bred with a view
 to their use in procedures ;
          h. "supplying establishment" means any establishment, other than a breeding establish-
 ment, from which animals are supplied with a view to their use in procedures ;
          i. 'user establishment" means any establishment where animals are used in procedures ;
         / "humane method of killing" means the killing of an animal with a minimum of
 physical and mental suffering appropriate 10 the species.
                                                Article 2
          A procedure may be performed for one or more of the following purposes only and subject
 to the restrictions laid down in this Convention :
a.        i. avoidance or prevention of disease, ill-health or other abnormality, or their effects, in
 man. vertebrate or invertebrate animals or plants, including the production and the quality,
 efficacy and safety testing of drugs, substances or products ;
          ii. diagnosis or treatment of disease, ill-health or other abnormality, or their effects, in
 man. vertebrate or invertebrate animals or plants ;
 b.       detection, assessment, regulation or modification of physiological conditions in man,
 vertebrate and invertebrate animals or plants :
 c.       protection of the environment ;
 d.       scientific research ;
 e.       education and training :
f.        forensic inquiries.
                                                Article 3
          Each Party undertakes to take all the necessary steps to give effect to the provisions of this
 Convention and to ensure an effective system of control and supervision as soon as possible and in
 any case within a period of five years from the date of entry into force of the present Convention
 in respect of that Party.
 ---pagebreak---                  A /i.V O*. *. m<*<J V o v» i .
                                                      _ 4 _
                                                                                           ^4
                                                      Article 4
         No provision in this Convention shall affect the liberty of the Parties to adopt stricter
 measures for the protection of animals used in procedures or for the control and restriction of the
 use of animals in procedures.
                                                     PART U
                                      General care and accommodation
                                                     Article 5
 1.      Any animal used or intended for use in a procedure shall be provided with accommodation,
an environment, at least a minimum degree of freedom of movement, food, water and care,
appropriate lu its health and welNbeing. Any restriction on the extent to which an animal can
•satisfy its physiological and ethological needs shall be limited as far as practicable. In the im-
plementation of this provision, regard should be paid to the guidelines foe accommodation and
care of animals set out in Appendix A to this Convention.
2.       The environmental conditions in which animals are bred, kept or used shall be checked       I")
 daily.
3.       The well-being and state of health of animals shall be observed sufficiently closely and
frequently to prevent pain or avoidable suffering, distress or lasting harm.
4.       Each Party shall determine arrangements to ensure that any defect or suffering discovered
is corrected as quickly as» possible.
                                                     PART III
                                                Conduct of procedure
                                                     Article 6
 1.      A procedure shall not be performed for any of the purposes referred to in Article 2, if
another scientifically satisfactory method, not entailing the use of an animal, is reasonably and
practicably available.                                                        ^--        '
2.       Each Party should encourage scientific research into the development of methods which
could provide the same information as that obtained in procedures.
                                                     Article 7
         When a procedure has to be performed, the choice of species shall be carefully considered
and. where required, be explained to the responsible authority ; in a choice between procedures,
those should be selected which use the minimum number of animals, cause the least pain,
suffering, distress or lasting harm and which are. most likely to provide satisfactory results.
                                                     Article 8
        A procedure shall be performed under general or local anaesthesia or analgesia or by
other methods designed to eliminate as far as practicable pain, suffering, distress or lasting
harm, applied throughout the procedure unless :
        a. the pain caused by the procedure is less than the impairment of the animal's well-being
caused by the use of anaesthesia or analgesia, or
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                            ->J
           b. Lhc use of anaesthesia or analgesia is compatible with the aim of the procedure. In
   such cases, appropriate legislative and/or administrative measures shall be taken to ensure that
   no such procedure is carried out unnecessarily.
                                                  Article 9
   1.      Where it is planned to subject an animal to a procedure in which it will or may experience
   severe pain which is likely to endure, that procedure must be specifically declared and justified to,
   or specifically authorised by, the responsible authority.
   2.       Appropriate legislative and/or administrative measures shall be taken to ensure that no
   such procedure is carried out unnecessarily.
            Such measures shall include :
            — either specific authorisation by the responsible authority :
            — or specific declaration of such procedure to the responsible authority and judicial or
   administrative action by that authority if it is not satisfied that the procedure is of sufficient
   importance for meeting the essential needs of man or animal, including the solution of scientific
   problems.
                                                  Article 10
            During a procedure, an animal used shall remain subject to the provisions of Article 5
   except where those provisions are incompatible with the objective of the procedure.
                                                  Article 11
    1.      At the end of a procedure it shall be decided whether the animal shall be kept alive or
   killed by a humane method. An animal shall not be kept alive if. even though it has been
    restored to normal health in all other respects, it is likely to remain in lasting pain or distress.
    2.      The decisions referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall be taken by a competent
    person, in particular a veterinarian, or the person who, in accordance with, Article 13. is
    responsible for, or has performed, the procedure.
    3.      Where, at the end of a procedure :
           a. an animal is to be kept alive, it shall receive the care appropriate to its state of health,
    be placed under the supervision of a veterinarian or other competent person and kept under con-
    ditions conforming to the requiremenis of Article 5. The conditions laid down in this
    sub-paragraph may, however, be waived where, in the opinion of a veterinarian, the animal
    would not suffer as a consequence of such exemption ;
            b. an animal is not to be kept alive or cannot benefit from the provisions of Article 5 for
    its well-being, it shall be killed by a humane method as soon as possible.
    4.      No animal which has been used in a procedure entailing severe or enduring pain or
    suffering, irrespective of whether anaesthesia or analgesia was employed, shall be used in a
    further procedure unless it has returned to good health and well-being, and either :
            a, the further procedure is one in which the animal is subject throughout to general
    anaesthesia which is to be maintained until the animal is killed ; or
            b. the further procedure will involve minor interventions only.
rmmammmuËmmmmmËimÊmwm
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                    n
                                                   -   6 -•
                                                                                                       1
                                                 Article 12
         Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Convention, where it is necessary for the
legitimate purposes of the procedure, the responsible authority may allow the animal concerned
to he set free provided that it is satisfied that the maximum practicable care has been taken to safe-
guard the animal's well-being. Procedures that involve setting the animal free shall not be permitted
solely lor educational or training purposes.
                                                  PART IV
                                                Authorisation
                                                  Article 13
          A procedure for the purposes referred to in Article 2 may be carried out only by persons
  authorised, or under the direct responsibility of a person authorised, or if the experimental or
  other scientific project concerned is authorised in accordance with the provisions of national         t)
  legislation. Authorisation shall be granted only to persons deemed to be competent by the
  responsible authority.
                                                  PART V
                                  Breeding or supplying establishments
                                                  Article 14
          Breeding and supplying establishments shall be registered with the responsible authority
 subject to the grant of an exemption under Article 21 or Article 22. Such registered establishments
shall comply with the requirements of Article 5.
                                                 Article 15
         The registration provided for in Article 14 shall specify the person in charge of the
establishment, who shall be competent to administer or arrange for suitable care for animals of          *
the species bred or kept in the establishment.
                                                  Article 16
 1.     , Arrangements shall be made at registered breeding establishments to record, in respect of
 the animals bred there, the number and species of such animals leaving, the dates they leave and
 the name and address of the recipient.
 2.      Arrangements shall be made at registered supplying establishments to record the number
 and species of such animals entering and leaving, the dates of these movements, from whom the
 animals concerned were acquired and the name and address of the recipient.
 3.      The responsible authority shall prescribe the records which are to be kept and made
 available to it by the person in charge of the establishments mentioned in paragraph i and 2 of
 this article ; such records shall be kept for a minimum of three years from the date of the last
entry.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                   ir
                                               Article 17
 1.     Each dog and cat in an establishment shall be individually and permanently marked in
the least painful manner possible before it is weaned.
2.      Where an unmarked dog or cat is taken into an establishment for the first time after it
has been weaned, it shall be marked as soon as possible.
 3.      Where a dog or cat is transferred from one establishment to another before it is weaned
 and it is not practical to mark it beforehand, a full documentary record, specifying in particular
 its mother, shall be kept until it can be marked.
4.       Particulars of the identity and origin of each dog or cat shall be entered in the records of
the establishment.
                                                PART VI
                                          User establishments
                                                Article 18
         User establishments shall be registered with or otherwise approved by the responsible
 authority and shall comply with the conditions laid down in Article 5.
                                                Article 19
         Provisions shall be made at user establishments for installations and equipment appropriate
 I or the species of animals used and the performance of the procedures conducted there. The
design, construction and functioning of such installations and equipment shall be such as to
ensure that the procedures are performed as effectively as possible, with the object of obtaining
consistent results with the minimum number of animals and the minimum degree of pain,
suffering, distress or lasting harm
                                               Article 20
        In user establishments :
        a. the person or persons who are administratively responsible for the care of the animals
and the functioning of the equipment shall be identified :
        b. sufficient trained staff shall be provided ;
        c. adequate arrangements shall be made for the provision of veterinary advice and treat-
ment ;
        d. a veterinarian or other competent person should be charged with advisory duties in
relation to the well-being of the animals.
                                               Article 21
1.      Animals of the species listed below which are for use in procedures shall be acquired
directly from or originate from registered breeding establishments, unless a general or special
exemption has been obtained under arrangements to be determined by the Parry :
        Mouse                 Mus musculus
        Rat                   Rattus norvégiens
        Guinea pig            Cavia porcelLus
        Golden hamster        Mesocricerus auratus
        Rabbit                Oryciolagus funiculus
        Dog                   Cants familiaris
        Cat                   Felts catus
        Quail                 Coturnix cotumix
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                 AQ
 2.      Each Party undertakes to extend the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article to other
 species, in particular of the order of primates, as soon as there is a reasonable prospect of a
 sufficient supply of purpose-bred animals of the species concerned.
 3.       Straying animals of a domesticated species shall not be used in procedures. A general
 exemption made under the conditions of paragraph 1 of this article may not extend to stray dogs
  and cats.
                                                 Article 22
          In user establishments, only animals supplied from registered breeding or supplying
 establishments shall be used, unless a general or special exemption has been obtained under
 arrangements to be determined by the Party.
                                                 Article 23
         Procedures may. where authorised by the responsible authority, be conducted outside user
 establishments.
                                                 Article 24
                                                                                                       0
         Arrangements shall be made at user establishments to maintain records and make them
 available as required by the responsible authority. In particular, these records shall be sufficient
 to meet the requirements of Article 27 and. in addition, show the number and species of all
 animals acquired, from whom .they were acquired and their date of arrival.
                                                PART VII
                                        Education and training
                                                 Article 25
 1.      Procedures carried out for the purpose of education, training or further training for
 professions or other occupations, including the care of animals being used or intended for use in
 procedures, must be notified to the responsible authority and shall be carried out by or under the
 supervision of a competent person, who will be responsible for ensuring that the procedures
 comply with national legislation under the terms of this Convention.
 2.      Procedures within the scope of education, training, or further traming for purposes other
 than those referred to in paragraph 1 above shall not be permitted.                                   W
3.       Procedures referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall be restricted to those absolutely
necessary for the purpose of the education or training concerned and be permirted only if their
 objective cannot be achieved by comparably effective audio-visual or any other suitable methods.
                                                 Article 26
         Persons who carry out procedures, or take part in procedures, or take care of animals
used in procedures, including supervision, shall have had appropriate education and training.
                                               PART VÏII
                                         Statistical information
                                                Article 27
1.       Each Party shall collect statistical information on the use of animals in procedures and
this information shall where lawful be made available to the public.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                    ' v -x X.' VJ j
                                                                                                 -1\
2.      information shall be collected in respect of :
        a. the numbers and kinds of animals used in procedures ;
        b. the numbers of animals in selected categories used in procedures directly concerned
with medicine and in education and traming ;
        c. the numbers of animals in selected categories used in procedures for the protection of
man and the environment :
        d. the numbers of animals in selected categories used in procedures required by law.
                                               Article 28
 1.      Subject to requirements of national legislation relating to secrecy and confidentiality, each
Party shall communicate every year to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe infor-
mation in respect of the items mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 27. presented in the form
set out in Appendix B to this Convention.
2.       The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall publish the statistical information
received from the Parties in respect of the items mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 27.
3.       Each Party is invited to communicate to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
the address of its national authority from which information about more comprehensive national
statistics may be obtained on request. Such addresses will be contained in the publications of
statistics made by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
                                               PART IX
               Recognition of procedures carried out in the territory of another Parry
                                               Article 29
1.       In order to avoid unnecessary repetition of procedures required by law on health and
safety, each Party shall, where practicable, recognise the results of procedures carried out in the
territory of another Party.
2.      To that end the Parties undertake, where practicable and lawful, to render each other
mutual assistance, in particular by furnishing information on their legislation and administrative
practice relating to the requirements for procedures to be carried out in support of submissions
for registration of products, as well as factual information on procedures carried out in their
territory and on authorisation or any other administrative particulars pertaining to these
procedures.
                                               PARTX
                                      Multilateral consultations
                                               Article 30
        The Parties shall, within five years from the entry into force of this Convention and every
five years thereafter, or more frequently if a majority of the Parties should so requesr. hold
multilateral consultations within the Council of Europe to examine the application of this
Convention, and the advisability of revising it or extending any of its provisions. These
consultations shall take place at meetings convened by the Secretary General of the Council of
Europe. The Parties shall communicate the name of their representative to the Secretary General
of the Council of Europe at least two months before meetings.
 ---pagebreak---                                                 — 10 --
                                                                                                    17
                                              PART XI
                                           Final provisions
                                              Article 31
        This Convention shall be open for signature by the member States of the Council of Europe
and by the European Communities. It is subject to ratification, acceptance or approval.
Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General
of the Council of Europe.
                                              Article 32
1.      This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration
of a period of six months after the date on which four member States of the Council of Europe
have expressed their consent to be bound by the Convention in accordance with the provisions of
Article 31.
2.      In respect of a Signatory which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it, the
Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a          ^
period of six months after the date of the deposit of the instrument of ratification, acceptance or
approval.
                                               Article 33
 1.     After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe may invite any State not a member of the Council to accede to this Convention, by a
decision taken by the majority provided for in Article 20,d of the Statute of the Council of
Europe and by the unanimous vote of the representatives of the Contracting States entitled to sit
on the Committee.
2.      In respect of any acceding State, the Convention shall enter into force on the first day of
the month following the expiration of a period of six months after the date of deposit ' of the
 instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
                                               Article 34
 1.     Any Signatory may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratifi-        $'
cation, acceptance, approval or accession, make one or more reservations. No réservations may,
however, be made in respect of Articles 1 to 14 or Articles 18 to 20.
2.       Any Party which has made a reservation under the preceding paragraph may wholly or
 partly withdraw it by means of a notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of
 Europe. The withdrawal shall take effect on the date of receipt of such notification by the
 Secretary General.
 3.      A Party which has made a reservation in respect of a provision of this Convention may not
 claim the application of that provision by any other Party ; it may, however, if its reservation is
 partial or conditional, claim the application of that provision insofar as it has itself accepted it.
                                               Article 35
 I.     Any Signatory may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratifi-
cation, acceptance, approval or accession, specify the territory or territories to which this Con-
vention shall apply.
 ---pagebreak---                                                 - 11
                                                                                             ^9
2.      Any Party may at any later dale, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of
the Council of Europe, extend the application of this Convention to any other territory specified
in the declaration. In respect of such territory, the Convention shall enter into force on the first
day of the month following the expiration of a period of six months after the date of receipt of
such declaration by the Secretary General.
3.      Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs may, in respect of any territory
specified in such declaration, be withdrawn by a notification addressed to the Secretary General.
The withdrawal shall become effective on the first day of the month following the expiration of a
period of six months after the date of receipt of such notification by the Secretary General.
                                                Article 36
 1.     Any Party may at any time denounce this Convention by means of a notification addressed
to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2.      Such denunciation shall become effective on the first day of the month following the
expiration of a period of six months after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary
General.
                                                Article 37
        The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the member States of the
Council of Europe, the European Communities and any State which has acceded to this
Convention of :
        a. any signature :
        b. the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession ;
        c. any date of entry into force of this Convention in accordance with Articles 32, 33 and 35 ;
        d. any other act, notification or communication relating to this Convention.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                            2a
     In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto,
have signed this Convention.
   ^Qoneat Strasbourg, this 18th day of March 1986, in English and
French7boTh"lëxTs"b~êmg 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, to the European Communities and to any
State invited to accede to this Convention.
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                                                                     ÏSSN 0254-1475
                                                              COM (94) 366 final
                                                      DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                              14
                                 Catalogue number : CB-CÔ-94-382-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-77-80004-6
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
L-2985 Luxembourg