identifier: ETS No. 012

reference: ETS No. 012

title: European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes Relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: European Treaty Series - No. 12

text: European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,

text: Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members for the purpose, among others, of facilitating their social progress;

text: Affirming the principle that the nationals of any one of the Contracting Parties to this Agreement should receive under the laws and regulations of any other Contracting Party relating to benefits payable in respect of old age, invalidity or survivors, equal treatment with the nationals of the latter, a principle sanctioned by Conventions of the International Labour Organisation;

text: Affirming also the principle that the nationals of any one of the Contracting Parties should receive the benefits of agreements relating to old age, invalidity and survivors concluded by any two or more of the other Contracting Parties;

text: Desirous of giving effect to these principles by means of an Interim Agreement pending the conclusion of a general convention based on a network of bilateral agreements,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: benefits in respect of old age;

text: benefits in respect of invalidity, other than those awarded under an employment injury scheme;

text: benefits payable to survivors, other than death grants or benefits awarded under an employment injury scheme.

text: This Agreement shall apply to all social security laws and regulations which are in force at the date of signature or may subsequently come into force in any part of the territory of the Contracting Parties and which relate to:

text: This Agreement shall apply to schemes of contributory and non-contributory benefits. It shall not apply to public assistance, special schemes for civil servants or benefits paid in respect of war injuries or injuries due to foreign occupation.

text: ETS 12 – Social Security (Interim Agreement), 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: For the purpose of this Agreement the word "benefit" shall include any increase in or supplement to the benefit.

text: The terms "nationals" and "territory" of a Contracting Party shall have the meaning assigned to them by such a Party in a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for communication to all other Contracting Parties.

text: Article 1

text: in the case of invalidity benefit under either a contributory or non-contributory scheme he had become ordinarily resident in the territory of the latter Contracting Party before the first medical certification of the sickness responsible for such invalidity;

text: in the case of benefit payable under a non-contributory scheme, he has been resident in that territory for a period in the aggregate of not less than fifteen years after the age of twenty, has been ordinarily resident without interruption in that territory for at least five years immediately preceding the claim for benefit and continues to be ordinarily resident in that territory;

text: in the case of benefit payable under a contributory scheme, he is resident in the territory of any one of the Contracting Parties.

text: Subject to the provisions of

text: Article 9

text: , a national of any one of the Contracting Parties shall be entitled to receive the benefits of the laws and regulations of any other of the Contracting Parties under the same conditions as if he were a national of the latter, provided that:

text: In any case where the laws and regulations of any one of the Contracting Parties impose a restriction on the rights of a national of that Party who was not born in its territory, a national of any other of the Contracting Parties born in the territory of the latter shall be treated as if he were a national of the former Contracting Party born in its territory.

text: Article 2

text: for determining under which laws and regulations a person should be insured;

text: for maintaining acquired rights and rights in course of acquisition and, in particular, for adding together insurance periods and equivalent periods for the purpose of establishing the right to receive benefit and calculating the amount of benefit due;

text: for paying benefit to persons residing in the territory of any one of the Parties to such agreement;

text: for supplementing and administering the provisions of such agreement referred to in this paragraph.

text: Any agreement relating to the laws and regulations referred to in

text: Article 1

text: which has been or may be concluded by any two or more of the Contracting Parties shall, subject to the provisions of

text: Article 9

text: , apply to a national of any other of the Contracting Parties as if he were a national of one of the former Parties insofar as it provides, in relation to those laws and regulations:

text: The provisions of paragraph 1 of this article shall not apply to any provision of the said agreement which concerns benefits provided under a non-contributory scheme, unless the national concerned has been resident in the territory of the Contracting Party under whose laws and regulations he claims benefit for a period in the aggregate of not less than fifteen years after the age of twenty and has been ordinarily resident without interruption in that territory for a period of at least five years immediately preceding the claim for benefit.

text: Article 3

text: Subject to the provisions of any relevant bilateral and multilateral agreements, benefits which in the absence of this Agreement have not been awarded, or have been suspended, shall be awarded or reinstated from the date of the entry into force of this Agreement for all the Contracting Parties concerned with the claim in question, provided that the claim thereto is presented within one year after such date or within such longer period as may be determined by the Contracting Party under whose laws and regulations the benefit is claimed. If the claim is not presented within such period, the benefit shall be awarded or reinstated from the date of the claim or such earlier date as may be determined by the latter Contracting Party.

text: Article 4

text: The provisions of this Agreement shall not limit the provisions of any national laws or regulations, international conventions, or bilateral or multilateral agreements which are more favourable for the beneficiary.

text: Article 5

text: This Agreement shall not affect those provisions of national laws or regulations which relate to the participation of insured persons, and of other categories of persons concerned, in the management of social security.

text: Article 6

text: Annex I to this Agreement sets out in relation to each Contracting Party the social security schemes to which

text: Article 1

text: applies which are in force in any part of its territory at the date of signature of this Agreement.

text: Each Contracting Party shall notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of every new law or regulation of a type not included in Annex I in relation to that Party. Such notifications shall be made by each Contracting Party within three months of the date of publication of the new law or regulation, or if such law or regulation is published before the date of ratification of this Agreement by the Contracting Party concerned, at that date of ratification.

text: Article 7

text: Annex II to this Agreement sets out in relation to each Contracting Party the agreements concluded by it to which

text: Article 3

text: applies which are in force at the date of signature of this Agreement.

text: Each Contracting Party shall notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of every new agreement concluded by it to which

text: Article 3

text: applies. Such notification shall be made by each Contracting Party within three months of the date of coming into force of the agreement, or if such new agreement has come into force before the date of ratification of this Agreement, at that date of ratification.

text: Article 8

text: Annex III to this Agreement sets out the reservations hereto made at the date of signature.

text: Any Contracting Party may, at the time of making a notification in accordance with

text: Article 7

text: or

text: Article 8

text: , make a reservation in respect of the application of the present Agreement to any law, regulation or agreement which is referred to in such notification. A statement of any such reservation shall accompany the notification concerned; it will take effect from the date of entry into force of the new law, regulation or agreement.

text: Any Contracting Party may withdraw either in whole or in part any reservation made by it by a notification to that effect addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Such notification shall take effect on the first day of the month following the month in which it is received and this Agreement shall apply accordingly.

text: Article 9

text: The annexes to this Agreement shall constitute an integral part of this Agreement.

text: Article 10

text: Arrangements, where necessary, between the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall determine the methods of implementation of this Agreement.

text: The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties concerned shall endeavour to resolve by negotiation any dispute relating to the interpretation or application of this Agreement.

text: If any such dispute has not been resolved by negotiation within a period of three months, the dispute shall be submitted to arbitration by an arbitral body whose composition and procedure shall be agreed upon by the Contracting Parties concerned, or, in default of such agreement, within a further period of three months, by an arbitrator chosen at the request of any of the Contracting Parties concerned by the President of the International Court of Justice. Should the latter be a national of one of the Parties to the dispute, this task shall be entrusted to the Vice-President of the Court or to the next judge in order of seniority not a national of one of the Parties to the dispute.

text: The decision of the arbitral body, or arbitrator, as the case may be, shall be made in accordance with the principles and spirit of this Agreement and shall be final and binding.

text: Article 11

text: In the event of the denunciation of this Agreement by any of the Contracting Parties,

text: any right acquired by a person in accordance with its provisions shall be maintained and, in particular, if he has, in accordance with its provisions, acquired the right to receive any benefit under the laws and regulations of one of the Contracting Parties while he is resident in the territory of another, he shall continue to enjoy that right;

text: subject to any conditions which may be laid down by supplementary agreements concluded by the Contracting Parties concerned for the settlement of any rights then in course of acquisition, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply to insurance periods and equivalent periods completed before the date when the denunciation becomes effective.

text: Article 12

text: This Agreement shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. 2 This Agreement shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification. 3 As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, the Agreement shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: Article 13

text: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any State not a member of the Council of Europe to accede to this Agreement. 2 Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date of deposit. 3 Any instrument of accession deposited in accordance with this article shall be accompanied by a notification of such information as would be contained in the Annexes I and II to this Agreement if the government of the State concerned were, on the date of accession, a signatory hereto. 4 For the purposes of this Agreement any information notified in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article shall be deemed to be part of the annex in which it would have been recorded if the government of the State concerned were a signatory hereto.

text: Article 14

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify: a the members of the Council and the Director General of the International Labour Office: i of the date of entry into force of this Agreement and the names of any members who ratify it; ii of the deposit of any instrument of accession in accordance with

text: Article 14

text: and of such notifications as are received with it; iii of any notification received in accordance with

text: Article 16

text: and its effective date; b the Contracting Parties and the Director General of the International Labour Office: i of any notifications received in accordance with

text: Articles 7

text: and 8; ii of any reservation made in accordance with paragraph 2 of

text: Article 9

text: ; iii of the withdrawal of any reservation in accordance with paragraph 3 of

text: Article 9

text: Article 15

text: This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of two years from the date of its entry into force in accordance with paragraph 2 of

text: Article 13

text: . Thereafter it shall remain in force from year to year for such Contracting Parties as have not denounced it by a notification to that effect addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe at least six months before the expiry either of the preliminary two-year period, or of any subsequent yearly period. Such notification shall take effect at the end of the period to which it relates.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Agreement.

text: Done at Paris, this 11th day of December 1953, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain in the archives of the Council of Europe and of which the Secretary General shall send certified copies to each of the signatories and to the Director General of the International Labour Office.

text: Article 16


doctype: protocol

identifier: ETS No. 012A

openingPlace: Paris

publisher: Council of Europe Treaty Office

reference: ETS No. 012A

title: Protocol to the European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes Relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: European Treaty Series - No. 12A

type: stycke

text: Protocol to the European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe; Having regard to the provisions of the European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors, signed at Paris, on the 11th day of December 1953 (hereinafter referred to as "the principal Agreement"); Having regard to the provisions of the

text: Convention relating to the Status of Refugees

text: signed at Geneva on 28th July 1951 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"); Being desirous of extending the provisions of the principal Agreement so as to apply to refugees as defined in the Convention; Have agreed as follows:

text: For the purposes of this Protocol the term "refugee" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in

text: Article 1

text: of the Convention, provided that each Contracting Party shall make a declaration at the time of signature or ratification hereof or accession hereto, specifying which of the meanings set out in paragraph B of

text: Article 1

text: of the Convention it applies for the purpose of its obligations under this Protocol, unless such Party has already made such a declaration at the time of its signature or ratification of the Convention.

text: Article 1

type: artikel

text: The provisions of the principal Agreement shall apply to refugees under the same conditions as they apply to the nationals of the Contracting Parties thereto, provided that

text: Article 3

text: of that Agreement shall apply to refugees only in cases where the Contracting Parties to the agreements to which that article refers have ratified this Protocol or acceded thereto.

text: Article 2

text: This Protocol shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe who have signed the principal Agreement. It shall be ratified. 2 Any State which has acceded to the principal Agreement may accede to this Protocol. 3 This Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification.

text: ETS 12A – Social Security (Protocol), 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, or any acceding State, the Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession.

text: Instruments of ratification and accession shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who shall notify the members of the Council, acceding States and the Director General of the International Labour Office of the names of those who have ratified or acceded.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.

text: Article 3

type: internationell-overenskommelse


doctype: treaty

identifier: ETS No. 013

reference: ETS No. 013

title: European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: European Treaty Series - No. 13

text: European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe, Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members for the purpose, among others, of facilitating their social progress; Affirming the principles that the nationals of any one of the Contracting Parties to this Agreement should receive under the social security laws and regulations of any other Contracting Party equal treatment with the nationals of the latter, a principle sanctioned by Conventions of the International Labour Organisation; Affirming also the principle that nationals of any one of the Contracting Parties should receive the benefits of agreements on social security concluded by any two or more of the other Contracting Parties; Desirous of giving effect to these principles by means of an Interim Agreement, pending the conclusion of a general convention based on a network of bilateral agreements, Have agreed as follows:

text: This Agreement shall apply to all social security laws and regulations which are in force at the date of signature or may subsequently come into force in any part of the territory of the Contracting Parties and which relate to: a sickness, maternity and death (death grants), including medical benefits insofar as they are not subject to a needs test; b employment injury; c unemployment; d family allowances. 2 This Agreement shall apply to schemes of contributory and non-contributory benefits, including employers' obligations to compensate for employment injuries. It shall not apply to public assistance, special schemes for civil servants, or benefits paid in respect of war injuries or injuries due to foreign occupation.

text: ETS 13 – Social Security (Interim Agreement), 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: For the purposes of this Agreement, the word "benefit" includes any increase in or supplement to the benefit.

text: The terms "nationals" and "territory" of a Contracting Party shall have the meaning assigned to them by such a Party in a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for communication to all other Contracting Parties

text: Article 1

ordinal: a

text: in the case of benefit in respect of employment injury, provided that he resides in the territory of one of the Contracting Parties;

type: punkt

ordinal: b

text: in the case of any benefit other than benefit in respect of employment injury, provided that he is ordinarily resident in the territory of the latter Contracting Party;

ordinal: c

text: in the case of benefit claimed in respect of sickness, maternity or unemployment, provided that he had become ordinarily resident in the territory of the latter Contracting Party before the first medical certification of the sickness, the presumed date of conception or the beginning of the unemployment, as the case may be;

ordinal: d

text: in the case of a benefit provided under a non-contributory scheme, other than a benefit in respect of employment injury, provided that he has been resident for six months in the territory of the latter Contracting Party.

text: Subject to the provisions of

text: Article 9

text: , a national of any one of the Contracting Parties shall be entitled to receive the benefits of the laws and regulations of any other Contracting Parties under the same conditions as if he were a national of the latter:

text: In any case where the laws and regulations of any one of the Contracting Parties impose a restriction on the rights of a national of that Party who was not born in its territory, a national of any other of the Contracting Parties born in the territory of the latter shall be treated as if he were a national of the former Contracting Party born in its territory.

text: In any case where in determining a right to benefit the laws and regulations of any one of the Contracting Parties make any distinction which depends on the nationality of a child, a child who is a national of any other of the Contracting Parties shall be treated as if he were a national of the former Contracting Party.

text: Article 2

text: for determining under which laws and regulations a person should be insured;

text: for maintaining acquired rights and rights in course of acquisition and, in particular, for adding together insurance periods and equivalent periods for the purpose of establishing the right to receive benefit and calculating the amount of benefit due;

text: for paying benefit to persons residing in the territory of any one of the Parties to such agreement;

text: for supplementing and administering the provisions of such agreement referred to in this paragraph.

text: Any agreement relating to the laws and regulations referred to in

text: Article 1

text: which has been or may be concluded by any two or more of the Contracting Parties shall, subject to the provisions of

text: Article 9

text: , apply to a national of any other of the Contracting Parties as if he were a national of one of the former Parties insofar as it provides, in relation to those laws and regulations:

text: The provisions of paragraph 1 of this article shall not apply to any provision of the said agreement which concerns benefits provided under a non-contributory scheme unless the national concerned has resided for six months in the territory of the Contracting Party under whose laws and regulations he claims benefit.

text: Article 3

text: Subject to the provisions of any relevant bilateral and multilateral agreements, benefits which in the absence of this Agreement have not been awarded or have been suspended shall be awarded or reinstated from the date of the entry into force of this Agreement for all the Contracting Parties concerned with the claim in question, provided that the claim thereto is presented within one year after such date or within such longer period as may be determined by the Contracting Party under whose laws and regulations the benefit is claimed. If the claim is not presented within such period, the benefit shall be awarded or reinstated from the date of the claim or such earlier date as may be determined by the latter Contracting Party.

text: Article 4

text: The provisions of this Agreement shall not limit the provisions of any national laws or regulations, international conventions, or bilateral or multilateral agreements which are more favourable for the beneficiary.

text: Article 5

text: This Agreement shall not affect those provisions of national laws or regulations which relate to the participation of insured persons, and of other categories of persons, concerned in the management of social security.

text: Article 6

text: Annex I to this Agreement sets out in relation to each Contracting Party the social security schemes to which

text: Article 1

text: applies which are in force in any part of its territory at the date of signature of this Agreement.

text: Each Contracting Party shall notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of every new law or regulation of a type not included in Annex I in relation to that Party. Such notifications shall be made by each Contracting Party within three months of the date of publication of the new law or regulation, or if such law or regulation is published before the date of ratification of this Agreement by the Contracting Party concerned, at that date of ratification.

text: Article 7

text: Annex II to this Agreement sets out in relation to each Contracting Party the agreements concluded by it to which

text: Article 3

text: applies which are in force at the date of signature of this Agreement.

text: Each Contracting Party shall notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of every new agreement concluded by it to which

text: Article 3

text: applies. Such notification shall be made by each Contracting Party within three months of the date of coming into force of the agreement, or if such new agreement has come into force before the date of ratification of this Agreement, at that date of ratification.

text: Article 8

text: Annex III to this Agreement sets out the reservations hereto made at the date of signature.

text: Any Contracting Party may, at the time of making a notification in accordance with

text: Article 7

text: or

text: Article 8

text: , make a reservation in respect of the application of this Agreement to any law, regulation or agreement which is referred to in such notification. A statement of any such reservation shall accompany the notification concerned; it will take effect from the date of entry into force of the new law, regulation or agreement.

text: Any Contracting Party may withdraw either in whole or in part any reservation made by it by a notification to that effect addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Such notification shall take effect on the first day of the month following the month in which it is received and this Agreement shall apply accordingly.

text: Article 9

text: The annexes to this Agreement shall constitute an integral part of this Agreement.

text: Article 10

text: Arrangements where necessary between the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall determine the methods of implementation of this Agreement.

text: The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties concerned shall endeavour to resolve by negotiation any dispute relating to the interpretation or application of this Agreement.

text: If any dispute has not been resolved by negotiation within a period of three months, the dispute shall be submitted to arbitration by an arbitral body whose composition and procedure shall be agreed upon by the Contracting Parties concerned, or, in default of such agreement, within a further period of three months, by an arbitrator chosen at the request of any of the Contracting Parties concerned by the President of the International Court of Justice. Should the latter be a national of one of the Parties to the dispute, this task shall be entrusted to the Vice-President of the Court or to the next judge in order of seniority not a national of one of the Parties to the dispute.

text: The decision of the arbitral body, or arbitrator, as the case may be, shall be made in accordance with the principles and spirit of this Agreement and shall be final and binding.

text: Article 11

text: In the event of the denunciation of this Agreement by any of the Contracting Parties,

text: any right acquired by a person in accordance with its provisions shall be maintained and, in particular, if he has, in accordance with its provisions, acquired the right to receive any benefit under the laws and regulations of one of the Contracting Parties while he is resident in the territory of another, he shall continue to enjoy that right;

text: subject to any conditions which may be laid down by supplementary agreements concluded by the Contracting Parties concerned for the settlement of any rights then in course of acquisition, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply to insurance periods and equivalent periods completed before the date when the denunciation becomes effective.

text: Article 12

text: This Agreement shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. 2 This Agreement shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification. 3 As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, the Agreement shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: Article 13

text: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any State not a member of the Council of Europe to accede to this Agreement. 2 Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date of deposit. 3 Any instrument of accession deposited in accordance with this article shall be accompanied by a notification of such information as would be contained in the Annexes I and II to this Agreement if the government of the State concerned were, on the date of accession, a signatory hereto. 4 For the purposes of this Agreement any information notified in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article shall be deemed to be part of the annex in which it would have been recorded if the government of the State concerned were a signatory hereto.

text: Article 14

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify: a the members of the Council and the Director General of the International Labour Office: i of the date of entry into force of this Agreement and the names of any members who ratify; ii of the deposit of any instrument of accession in accordance with

text: Article 14

text: and of such notifications as are received with it; iii of any notification received in accordance with

text: Article 16

text: and its effective date; b the Contracting Parties and the Director General of the International Labour Office: i of any notifications received in accordance with

text: Articles 7

text: and 8; ii of any reservation made in accordance with paragraph 2 of

text: Article 9

text: ; iii of the withdrawal of any reservation in accordance with paragraph 3 of

text: Article 9

text: Article 15

text: This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of two years from the date of its entry into force in accordance with paragraph 2 of

text: Article 13

text: . Thereafter it shall remain in force from year to year for such Contracting Parties as have not denounced it by a notification to that effect addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe at least six months before the expiry either of the preliminary two-year period, or of any subsequent yearly period. Such notification shall take effect at the end of the period to which it relates.

text: Article 16


identifier: ETS No. 013A

reference: ETS No. 013A

title: Protocol to the European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

text: European Treaty Series - No. 13A

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe, Having regard to the provisions of the European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors, signed at Paris on the 11th day of December 1953 (hereinafter referred to as "the principal Agreement"); Having regard to the provisions of the

text: Convention relating to the Status of Refugees

text: signed at Geneva on 28 July 1951 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"); Being desirous of extending the provisions of the principal Agreement so as to apply to refugees as defined in the Convention, Have agreed as follows:

text: For the purposes of this Protocol the term "refugee" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in

text: Article 1

text: of the Convention, provided that each Contracting Party shall make a declaration at the time of signature or ratification hereof or accession hereto, specifying which of the meanings set out in paragraph B of

text: Article 1

text: of the Convention it applies for the purpose of its obligations under this Protocol, unless such Party has already made such a declaration at the time of its signature or ratification of the Convention.

text: Article 1

text: The provisions of the principal Agreement shall apply to refugees under the same conditions as they apply to the nationals of the Contracting Parties thereto, provided that

text: Article 3

text: of that Agreement shall apply to refugees only in cases where the Contracting Parties to the agreements to which that article refers have ratified this Protocol or acceded thereto.

text: Article 2

text: This Protocol shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe who have signed the principal Agreement. It shall be ratified. 2 Any State which has acceded to the principal Agreement may accede to this Protocol.

text: ETS 13A – Social Security (Protocol), 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: This Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification.

text: As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, or any acceding State, the Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession.

text: Instruments of ratification and accession shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who shall notify the members of the Council, acceding States and the Director General of the International Labour Office of the names of those who have ratified or acceded.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.

text: Done at Paris, this 11th day of December 1953, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain in the archives of the Council of Europe and of which the Secretary General shall send certified copies to each of the signatories and to the Director General of the International Labour Office.

text: Article 3


identifier: ETS No. 014

reference: ETS No. 014

title: European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance

text: European Treaty Series - No. 14

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,

text: Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose, among others, of facilitating their social progress;

text: Being resolved, in accordance with this purpose, to extend their co-operation in the social field by establishing the principle of equal treatment for the nationals of each of them in the application of legislation providing for social and medical assistance; and

text: Desiring to conclude a Convention to this end,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: Section I – General provisions

type: rubrik

text: Each of the Contracting Parties undertakes to ensure that nationals of the other Contracting Parties who are lawfully present in any part of its territory to which this Convention applies, and who are without sufficient resources, shall be entitled equally with its own nationals and on the same conditions to social and medical assistance (hereinafter referred to as "assistance") provided by the legislation in force from time to time in that part of its territory.

text: Article 1

text: For the purposes of this Convention the terms "assistance", "nationals", "territory" and "country of origin" shall have the following meanings, that is to say:

ordinal: i

text: "Assistance" means in relation to each Contracting Party all assistance granted under the laws and regulations in force in any part of its territory under which persons without sufficient resources are granted means of subsistence and the care necessitated by their condition, other than non-contributory pensions and benefits paid in respect of war injuries due to foreign occupation.

text: ii The terms "nationals" and "territory" of a Contracting Party shall have the meaning assigned to them by such a Party in a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for communication to all other Contracting Parties, provided that a person who has lost his nationality otherwise than by deprivation and has thereby become stateless shall, until he has acquired another nationality, continue to be treated as a national.

text: iii "Country of origin" means the country of which a person covered by the provisions of the present Convention is a national.

text: ETS 14 – Social and Medical Assistance (Convention), 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: The laws and regulations in force in the territories of the Contracting Parties and to which the present Convention applies, and the reservations formulated by Contracting Parties, are set forth in Annex I and Annex II respectively.

text: Article 2

text: Proof of the nationality of the person concerned shall be provided in accordance with the regulations governing such matters under the legislation of the country of origin.

text: Article 3

text: The cost of assistance to a national of any of the Contracting Parties shall be borne by the Contracting Party which has granted the assistance.

text: Article 4

text: The Contracting Parties undertake, so far as their laws and regulations permit, to help each other to recover the full cost of assistance as far as possible either from third parties under financial obligation to the assisted person or from persons who are liable to contribute to the cost of maintenance of the person concerned.

text: Article 5

text: Section II – Repatriation

text: A Contracting Party in whose territory a national of another Contracting Party is lawfully resident shall not repatriate that national on the sole ground that he is in need of assistance. b Nothing in this Convention shall prejudice the right to deport on any ground other than the sole ground mentioned in the previous paragraph.

text: Article 6

text: The provisions of

text: Article 6

text: .a notwithstanding, a Contracting Party may repatriate a national of another Contracting Party resident in its territory on the sole ground mentioned in

text: Article 6

text: .a if the following conditions are fulfilled: i the person concerned has not been continuously resident in the territory of that Contracting Party for at least five years if he entered it before attaining the age of 55 years, or for at least ten years if he entered it after attaining that age; ii he is in a fit state of health to be transported; and iii has no close ties in the territory in which he is resident. b The Contracting Parties agree not to have recourse to repatriation except in the greatest moderation and then only where there is no objection on humanitarian grounds. c In the same spirit, the Contracting Parties agree that, if they repatriate an assisted person, facilities should be offered to the spouse and children, if any, to accompany the person concerned.

text: Article 7

text: The Contracting Party repatriating any national in accordance with the provisions of

text: Article 7

text: shall bear the cost of repatriation as far as the frontier of the territory to which the national is being repatriated.

text: Each Contracting Party undertakes to receive any of its nationals repatriated in accordance with the provisions of

text: Article 7

text: Each Contracting Party undertakes to facilitate the transit across its territory of any persons repatriated in accordance with

text: Article 7

text: Article 8

text: If the country of which the assisted person claims to be a national does not recognise him as such, the grounds of the disclaimer must be forwarded to the country of residence within thirty days or as soon as possible thereafter.

text: Article 9

text: When repatriation is decided upon, the diplomatic or consular authorities of the country of origin shall be advised (if possible, three weeks in advance) of the repatriation of their national.

text: The authorities of the country of origin shall duly inform the authorities of any country or countries of transit.

text: The places for handing over such persons shall be decided by arrangement between the competent authorities of the country of residence and the country of origin.

text: Article 10

text: Section III – Residence

text: Residence by an alien in the territory of any of the Contracting Parties shall be considered lawful within the meaning of this Convention so long as there is in force in his case a permit or such other permission as is required by the laws and regulations of the country concerned to reside therein. Failure to renew any such permit, if due solely to the inadvertence of the person concerned, shall not cause him to cease to be entitled to assistance.

text: Lawful residence shall become unlawful from the date of any deportation order made out against the person concerned, unless a stay of execution is granted.

text: Article 11

text: The commencing date of the period of residence laid down in

text: Article 7

text: shall in each country be established, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, on the basis of evidence supplied by official investigation or by the documents listed in Annex III or any documents recognised by the laws and regulations of the country as affording proof of residence.

text: Article 12

text: Proof of continuity of residence may be shown by the production of any evidence acceptable in the country of residence, such as proof of occupational activity or the production of rent receipts.

text: i Residence shall be regarded as continuous notwithstanding periods of absence of less than three months, provided that the absence is not caused by repatriation or deportation.

text: ii Periods of absence of six months or more shall be held to interrupt the continuity of residence.

text: iii In order to determine whether a period of absence of between three and six months shall interrupt the continuity of residence, regard shall be had to the intention or otherwise of the person concerned to return to the country of residence and to the extent to which he has preserved his connection therewith during the period of his absence.

text: iv Service in ships registered in the country of residence shall not be held to interrupt the continuity of residence. Service in other ships shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraphs i to iii above.

text: Article 13

text: There shall be excluded in the calculation of length of residence those periods during which the person concerned has been in receipt of assistance from public monies as laid down in the legislative measures mentioned in Annex I, except in the case of medical treatment for acute illness or short-term medical treatment.

text: Article 14

text: Section IV – Miscellaneous provisions

text: The administrative, diplomatic and consular authorities of the Contracting Parties shall afford to one another all possible assistance in the implementation of this Convention.

text: Article 15

text: The Contracting Parties shall notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of any subsequent amendment of their laws and regulations which may affect Annexes I and III.

text: Each Contracting Party shall notify to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe any new law or regulation not already included in Annex I. At the time of making such notification a Contracting Party may make a reservation in respect of the application of this new law or regulation to the nationals of other Contracting Parties.

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall communicate to the other Contracting Parties any information notified to him in accordance with paragraphs a and b.

text: Article 16

text: The Contracting Parties may, by bilateral arrangement, take interim measures to deal with cases in which assistance was granted prior to the entry into force of this Convention.

text: Article 17

text: The provisions of this Convention shall not limit the provisions of any national laws or regulations, international conventions or bilateral or multilateral agreements which are more favourable for the beneficiary.

text: Article 18

text: Annexes I, II and III shall constitute an integral part of this Convention.

text: Article 19

text: The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall endeavour to resolve by negotiation any dispute relating to the interpretation or application of this Convention.

text: If any such dispute has not been resolved by negotiation within a period of three months, the dispute shall be submitted to arbitration by an arbitral body whose composition and procedure shall be agreed upon by the Contracting Parties concerned or, in default of such agreement within a further period of three months, by an arbitrator chosen at the request of any of the Contracting Parties concerned by the President of the International Court of Justice. Should the latter be a national of one of the Parties to the dispute, this task shall be entrusted to the Vice-President of the Court or to the next judge in order of seniority not a national of one of the Parties to the dispute.

text: The decision of the arbitral body or arbitrator, as the case may be, shall be made in accordance with the principles and spirit of this Convention and shall be final and binding.

text: Article 20

text: This Convention shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: This Convention shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification.

text: As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, the Convention shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: Article 21

text: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any State not a member of the Council to accede to this Convention.

text: Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date of deposit.

text: Any instrument of accession deposited in accordance with this article shall be accompanied by a notification of such information as would be contained in the Annexes I and III to this Convention if the government of the State concerned were, on the date of accession, a signatory hereto.

text: For the purposes of this Convention any information notified in accordance with paragraph c of this article shall be deemed to be part of the annex in which it would have been recorded if the government of the State concerned were a signatory hereto.

text: Article 22

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the members of the Council:

text: of the date of entry into force of this Convention and the names of any members who ratify it;

text: of the deposit of any instrument of accession in accordance with

text: Article 22

text: and of such notifications as are received with it;

text: of any notification received in accordance with

text: Article 24

text: and its effective date.

text: Article 23

text: This Convention shall remain in force for a period of two years from the date of its entry into force in accordance with paragraph b of

text: Article 21

text: . Thereafter it shall remain in force from year to year for such Contracting Parties as have not denounced it by a notification to that effect addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe at least six months before the expiry either of the preliminary two-year period or of any subsequent yearly period. Such notification shall take effect at the end of the period to which it relates.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Convention.

text: Done at Paris, this 11th day of December 1953, in English and French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy, which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatories.

text: Article 24


identifier: ETS No. 014A

reference: ETS No. 014A

title: Protocol to the European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance

text: European Treaty Series - No. 14A

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe, Having regard to the provisions of the European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance, signed at Paris, on the 11th day of December 1953 (hereinafter referred to as "the Assistance Convention"); Having regard to the provisions of the

text: Convention relating to the Status of Refugees

text: signed at Geneva on 28th July 1951 (hereinafter referred to as "the Geneva Convention"); Being desirous of extending the provisions of the Assistance Convention so as to apply to refugees as defined in the Geneva Convention, Have agreed as follows:

text: For the purposes of this Protocol the term "refugee" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in

text: Article 1

text: of the Geneva Convention, provided that each Contracting Party shall make a declaration at the time of signature or ratification hereof or accession hereto, specifying which of the meanings set out in paragraph B of

text: Article 1

text: of that Convention it applies for the purpose of its obligations under this Protocol, unless such Party has already made such a declaration at the time of its signature or ratification of that Convention.

text: Article 1

text: The provisions of Section I of the Assistance Convention shall apply to refugees under the same conditions as they apply to the nationals of the Contracting Parties thereto.

text: Article 2

text: The provisions of Section II of the Assistance Convention shall not apply to refugees. 2 In the case of a person who has ceased to qualify for the benefits of the Geneva Convention in accordance with the provisions of paragraph C of

text: Article 1

text: thereof, the period for repatriation laid down in Article 7.a.i of the Assistance Convention shall begin from the date when he has thus ceased to qualify.

text: Article 3

text: As between the Contracting Parties, the provisions of

text: Articles 1

text: , 2 and 3 of this Protocol shall be regarded as additional articles to the Assistance Convention, and the remaining provisions of that Convention shall apply accordingly.

text: ETS 14A – Social and Medical Assistance (Protocol), 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: Article 4

text: This Protocol shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe who have signed the Assistance Convention. It shall be ratified.

text: Any State which has acceded to the Assistance Convention may accede to this Protocol.

text: This Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification.

text: As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, or any acceding State, the Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession.

text: Instruments of ratification and accession shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who shall notify the members of the Council and acceding States of the names of those who have ratified or acceded.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.

text: Article 5


identifier: ETS No. 015

reference: ETS No. 015

title: European Convention on the Equivalence of Diplomas leading to Admission to Universities

text: European Treaty Series - No. 15

text: Universities

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,

text: Considering that one of the objects of the Council of Europe is to pursue a policy of common action in cultural and scientific matters;

text: Considering that this object would be furthered by making the intellectual resources of members freely available to European youth;

text: Considering that the university constitutes one of the principal sources of the intellectual activity of a country;

text: Considering that students who have successfully completed their secondary school education in the territory of one member should be afforded all possible facilities to enter a university of their choice in the territory of other members;

text: Considering that such facilities, which are also desirable in the interests of freedom of movement from country to country, require the equivalence of diplomas leading to admission to universities,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: Each Contracting Party shall recognise for the purpose of admission to the universities situated in its territory, admission to which is subject to State control, the equivalence of those diplomas awarded in the territory of each other Contracting Party which constitute a requisite qualification for admission to similar institutions in the country in which these diplomas were awarded.

text: Admission to any university shall be subject to the availability of places.

text: Each Contracting Party reserves the right not to apply the provisions of paragraph 1 to its own nationals.

text: _____ (*) Parties to the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (ETS No. 165) undertook to abstain from becoming a Party to this Convention to which they are not already a Party (see Article XI.4 of ETS No. 165).

text: ETS 15 – Equivalence of Diplomas, 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: Where admission to universities situated in the territory of a Contracting Party is outside the control of the State, that Contracting Party shall transmit the text of this Convention to the universities concerned and use its best endeavours to obtain the acceptance by the latter of the principles stated in the preceding paragraphs.

text: Article 1

text: Each Contracting Party shall, within a year of the coming into force of this Convention, provide the Secretary General of the Council of Europe with a written statement of the measures taken to implement the previous article.

text: Article 2

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall communicate to the other Contracting Parties the information received from each of them in accordance with

text: Article 2

text: above and shall keep the Committee of Ministers informed of the progress made in the implementation of this Convention.

text: Article 3

text: For the purpose of this Convention:

text: the term "diploma" shall mean any diploma, certificate or other qualification, in whatever form it may be awarded or recorded, which entitles the holder or the person concerned to apply for admission to a university;

text: the term "universities" shall mean:

text: universities;

text: ii institutions regarded as being similar in character to universities by the Contracting Party in whose territory they are situated.

text: Article 4

text: This Convention shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: The Convention shall come into force as soon as three instruments of ratification have been deposited.

text: As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, the Convention shall come into force at the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify all the members of the Council of Europe of the entry into force of the Convention, the names of the Contracting Parties which have ratified it, and the deposit of all instruments of ratification which may be effected subsequently.

text: Article 5

text: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any State which is not a member of the Council to accede to this Convention. Any State so invited may accede by depositing its instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council, who shall notify all the Contracting Parties thereof. As regards any acceding State, this Convention shall come into force on the date of the deposit of its instrument of accession.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed the present Convention.

text: Done at Paris, this 11th day of December 1953, in English and French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatories.

text: Article 6


identifier: ETS No. 016

reference: ETS No. 016

title: European Convention relating to the Formalities required for Patent Applications

text: European Treaty Series - No. 16

text: Paris, 11.XII.1953

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe, Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members for the purpose, among others, of facilitating their economic and social progress by agreements and common action in economic, social, cultural, scientific, legal and administrative matters; Considering that it is in the general interest to simplify and unify as far as possible the formalities prescribed by the various national legislations in respect of applications for patents; Having regard to Article 15 of the International Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property signed at Paris on 20th March 1883, revised at Brussels on 14th December, 1900, at Washington on 2nd June 1911, at The Hague on 6th November 1925 and at London on 2nd June 1934, Have agreed as follows:

text: An application for a patent in any Contracting State: a may be required to accord with the provisions of

text: Article 2

text: of this Convention; b shall not be denied its date of filing on formal grounds if it complies with the requirements specified in

text: Article 3

text: of this Convention; c shall, if it otherwise complies with the law of that Contracting State, not be refused, so long as the requirements specified in

text: Articles 4

text: to 6 of this Convention are satisfied. 2 The Contracting States shall make no other formal requirements than those set out in this Convention, but a Contracting State may dispense with any of the requirements contained herein.

text: Article 1

text: drawings necessary for the understanding of the specification, in duplicate, or, if the law of the country in which the application is made requires it, in triplicate;

text: such samples as the law of the country in which the application is made requires;

ordinal: e

text: if an agent is employed, a document proving his authorisation to act as such, and, if the law of the country in which application is made requires it, his acceptance of the authorisation; no legalisation or certification shall be necessary for this document;

ordinal: f

text: if the applicant is not himself the inventor according to the law of the country in which the application is made, and if such law requires it, a document proving his status, such as assignee of the inventor, or the assent of the inventor to the making of the application by an assignee;

ordinal: g

text: the fees required for an application or proof that they have been paid.

text: The applicant for a patent may be required to submit: a an application form; a Contracting State may, however, require this form in duplicate; b a specification of the invention in duplicate; a Contracting State which makes use of a system of examination for novelty may, however, require this specification in triplicate;

text: ETS 16 – Patent Applications, 11.XII.1953 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: The application form and the accompanying documents shall be written in the language of, or in a language recognised for the purpose by, the country in which the application is made. The specification filed in support of an application for a patent or certificate of addition may be required to be in the same language as the application for the main patent.

text: Article 2

text: one copy of a specification of the invention in the language of, or in a language recognised for the purpose by, the country in which the application is made, even though that specification does not comply with the requirements of

text: Article 5

text: one copy of the drawings where necessary for the understanding of the specification, even though those drawings do not comply with the requirements of

text: Article 6

text: the amount of the fees or proof that they have been paid.

text: An application shall not be denied its date of filing on formal grounds if the application form, though it does not comply with the requirements of

text: Article 4

text: , is filed accompanied by:

text: The law of the country in which application is made may fix time-limits within which the other documents mentioned in

text: Article 2

text: shall be filed or the documents already filed shall be regularised.

text: The Contracting States shall permit applications to be sent by post, provided that nothing in this paragraph shall affect the validity of any laws of any Contracting State relating to the requirement of an agent or of an address for service.

text: Article 3

text: The application form shall be regarded as formally in order, as regards its size and the kind of paper used, if it is made on strong white paper of a size of 29 to 34 cms by 20 to 22 cms.

text: the surname and first names (or in the case of a body corporate, the name), nationality, domicile or registered office and complete address of the applicant;

text: the full name and address of the agent, if there is one;

text: a short and precise title for the invention, without any fancy names;

text: if the law of the country in which application is made requires it, a declaration stating that the applicant is the true and first inventor or the assignee thereof;

text: a statement whether the applicant requires an independent patent, a patent of importation, a patent for an improvement or a patent or certificate of addition or whether his application is a divisional application. There shall also be given the number of the patent, or of the application for the patent, to which the application for a patent for an improvement, or for a patent or certificate of addition or the divisional application relates;

text: if there are several applicants and no common agent, the name of the person to whom official communications are to be addressed;

text: the signature of the applicant or that of his agent, if, under the law of the country in which the application is made, the latter is empowered by the applicant to sign. If two application forms are required, only one need be signed;

ordinal: h

text: if the law of the country in which application is made requires it, a list of the documents accompanying the application as set out in

text: Article 2

text: an address for service in the country in which the application is made, if the applicant's address is outside the country and its law does not require that there be an agent therein.

text: The application form shall be regarded as formally in order as regards its contents if it is properly made on one of the standard application forms annexed to this Convention, or if it complies with the provisions of paragraph 2 of

text: Article 2

text: and contains:

text: Article 4

text: The specification shall be regarded as formally in order if it complies with the provisions of paragraph 2 of

text: Article 2

text: and with the following conditions:

text: it is written on one side only of one or more sheets of strong white paper, 29 to 34 cms long and 20 to 22 cms wide; the sheets are connected together in such a way that they can be separated and re-united without causing any difficulty to the reader; and the pages are numbered;

text: it is handwritten, typed, lithographed or printed, and easily legible, the ink being dark and indelible;

text: a margin of about 3 or 4 cms is left on the left-hand side of each sheet as well as spaces of about 8 cms at the head of the first page and foot of the last;

text: a space sufficient to permit the interlineation of corrections is left between the lines;

text: the specification does not contain drawings other than graphic chemical and mathematical formulae;

text: units of weights and measures are in accordance with the metric system, temperatures in degrees centigrade, and density as specific gravity: for electrical units the rules agreed by international practice are observed and for chemical formulae the symbols, atomic weights and molecular formulae in general use in the country in which the application is made are employed;

text: the specification is reasonably free from erasures, alterations or over-writings, and any which do occur in the originally filed document are mentioned in the margin or recited at the end of the description and initialled, and are made in the same manner on all the copies;

text: the heading recites the surname and first names of the applicant (or in the case of a body corporate, its name) and the title of the invention;

text: one or more copies of the specification is or are signed by the applicant or his agent, according to the law of the country in which the application is made.

text: Article 5

text: The drawings shall be regarded as formally in order if they comply with the following conditions:

text: one of the copies of the drawings is made on one or more sheets of strong, non-shiny, flexible, transparent material. Not more than two other copies, exact replicas of the first, are supplied on strong, white, smooth, non-shiny paper; these copies may be good quality lithographs. If the copy on flexible, transparent material is made by means of a printing press, the other copies may be printed from the same block. Any Contracting State may, however, require that one of these latter copies shall bear no reference signs;

text: each sheet is 29 to 34 cms long by 21 cms wide, or, exceptionally, 42 cms wide. With sheets 21 cms wide, the surface used is no more than 25.7 cms by 17 cms;

text: all parts of the drawings are executed in durable, dark (if possible, black) markings without colours or colour washes and lend themselves to simple photographic reproduction or to reproduction without any intermediary steps on a stereotype;

text: sections are indicated by oblique hatching which does not impede the clear reading of the reference signs and leading lines;

text: the scale of the drawings is such that, depending on the degree of complexity of the figure, a photographic reproduction with a linear reduction in size to two-thirds allows all the detail to be seen without difficulty; and, if the scale is shown on the drawings, it is drawn and not indicated in writing;

text: the different figures are clearly separated one from another, arranged on as few sheets as possible and numbered continuously and independently of the number of sheets;

text: all numbers, letters and reference lines appearing on the drawings are simple and clear, the letters and numbers being at least 0.32 cms high; and each item depicted in the figures, insofar as the understanding of the specification requires it, is denoted by the same reference letter or number throughout and these agree with those used in the specification;

text: the drawings do not contain explanatory matter, with the exception of such terms as "water", "steam", "section on AB", "open", "shut", and, in the case of electric block schematic diagrams and flow sheet diagrams, explanatory matter sufficient to enable them to be understood, when such terms and explanatory matter appear in the language of, or in a language recognised for the purpose by, the country in which the application is filed;

text: each sheet carries in the margin the name of the applicant, the total number of sheets with the number of each sheet, and the signature of the applicant or his agent;

ordinal: j

text: the drawings are filed in such a way as to be free from creases or cracks unfavourable to photographic reproduction.

text: Article 6

text: In each Contracting State any person desiring to take advantage, under the Convention of Paris for the Protection of Industrial Property, of the priority of a previous application shall enjoy a period of at least two months, starting from the subsequent application, to make a declaration to this effect. Each Contracting State, however, reserves the right to prescribe that this declaration should be made within the priority period laid down by that Convention.

text: When a declaration of priority is made in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article, the applicant may be required to submit a certified copy of the specification and drawings of the original application and such other documents as the law of the country in which the subsequent application is made may require.

text: Insofar as the documents referred to in paragraph 2 of this article are drawn up in English, French or German or accompanied by an officially certified translation in one of these languages, it shall not be necessary to provide a translation in the language of, or in a language recognised for the purpose by, the country in which application is made, unless the competent authority requires it.

text: Article 7

text: This Convention shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: This Convention shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the fourth instrument of ratification.

text: As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, the Convention shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: Article 8

text: After it has come into force, this Convention shall be open to accession by all States which are members of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property.

text: Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date of deposit.

text: Article 9

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify to the members of the Council, to any States which may have acceded to this Convention and to the Director of the International Bureau for the Protection of Industrial Property at Berne:

text: the date of entry into force of this Convention and the names of any members of the Council which ratify it;

text: the deposit of any instruments of accession in accordance with

text: Article 9

text: any notification received in accordance with

text: Article 11

text: Article 10

text: This Convention shall remain in force for an unlimited time.

text: Any Contracting State may denounce this Convention by giving one year's notice to this effect to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Convention.

text: Done at Paris, this 11th day of December 1953, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy, which shall remain in the archives of the Council of Europe and of which the Secretary General shall send certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding governments and to the Director of the International Bureau for the Protection of Industrial Property at Berne.

text: Article 11


identifier: ETS No. 017

reference: ETS No. 017

title: European Convention on the International Classification of Patents for Inventions

text: European Treaty Series - No. 17

text: Paris, 19.XII.1954

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe,

text: Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose, among others, of facilitating their economic and social progress by agreements and common action in economic, social, cultural, scientific, legal and administrative matters;

text: Considering that the adoption of a uniform system of classification of patents for inventions is in the common interest and likely to contribute to the harmonisation of national legislation;

text: Having regard to the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe of 12th September 1952, relating to the generalisation of the practice of examination of patent applications for novelty;

text: Having regard to Article 15 of the Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property signed at Paris on 20th March 1883, revised at Brussels on 14th December 1900, at Washington on 2nd June 1911, at The Hague on 6th November 1925, and at London on 2nd June 1934,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: Subject to the provisions of this Convention, each Contracting Party shall adopt the system of classification of patents for inventions set out in the annex hereto, together with any elaborations or modifications which shall have entered into force in accordance with paragraph 2 of

text: Article 2

text: . This system, including the said elaborations and modifications, is hereinafter referred to as the "International Classification".

text: Each Contracting Party shall be at liberty to apply the International Classification either as a principal or as a subsidiary system.

text: Article 1

text: The Committee of Experts on Patents of the Council of Europe shall be responsible for the further elaboration of the International Classification and shall give its opinion to the Contracting Parties on any modification thereof which may be proposed by any of them.

text: ETS 17 – Classification of Patents, 19.XII.1954 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: Any elaboration or modification approved by that committee shall enter into force six months after all the Contracting Parties have been notified of such approval, unless two at least of the Parties have informed the Secretary General of the Council of their objection to the proposed elaboration or modification not less than one month before the expiry of the said period of six months.

text: Article 2

text: The printed patent specifications issued by the Contracting Parties or, in their absence, any extract or similar document which may be issued by a Contracting Party as a substitute for such a printed specification shall, after the expiry of a period of six months from the date on which this Convention enters into force, be marked by the national authorities with the complete symbols of the International Classification.

text: Any signatory or acceding government which does not classify patents for the purpose of examining the novelty of inventions may, when signing this Convention or when depositing its instrument of ratification, or when notifying its accession, declare that it does not undertake to mark the printed patent specifications, extracts or similar documents with all or some of the symbols relating to the elaborations of the classification system referred to in

text: Articles 1

text: and 2. No such reservation may be made in connection with the annex to this Convention or any modification thereof which does not constitute an elaboration.

text: The symbols of the International Classification, preceded by the words: "International Classification" or an abbreviation thereof, shall be printed in heavy type in the heading of the document.

text: The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall not prejudice the right of any Contracting Party to require that the printed documents issued by their national authorities shall bear other symbols.

text: Article 3

text: This Convention shall be open for signature by the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: Subject to the provisions of

text: Article 6

text: , this Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the fourth instrument of ratification.

text: Subject to the provisions of

text: Article 6

text: , this Convention shall enter into force, for any signatory government which subsequently ratifies it, on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: Article 4

text: After its entry into force, this Convention shall be open to accession by any member of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property which is not a member of the Council of Europe.

text: Accession shall be effected by notifying the Government of the Swiss Confederation through the diplomatic channel, in accordance with the corresponding article of the Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. That government shall notify such accessions to all other members of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property and to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Accession shall take effect one month after the date of the notification by the Government of the Swiss Confederation.

text: Article 5

text: Any signatory or acceding government may, when signing this Convention or when depositing its instrument of ratification, or when notifying its accession, declare that this Convention shall not come into force, so far as the said government is concerned, until it has been ratified by the Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

text: Article 6

text: of the date of entry into force of this Convention and the names of any members of the Council which ratify it;

text: of the approval of any elaborations or modifications of the kind referred to in paragraph 2 of

text: Article 2

text: , of any objections thereto, and of the entry into force of any such elaborations or modifications;

text: of any notification received in accordance with paragraph 2 of

text: Article 8

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the members of the Council and the Director of the International Bureau for the Protection of Industrial Property at Berne:

text: He shall inform the members of the Council of Europe who are not members of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property of each accession notified pursuant to

text: Article 5

text: , and of any notice of denunciation given in accordance with paragraph 3 of

text: Article 8

text: Article 7

text: This Convention shall remain in force indefinitely.

text: Any member of the Council of Europe which has signed and ratified this Convention may denounce it by giving one year's notice to this effect to the Secretary General of the Council.

text: Any acceding government may denounce this Convention by giving one year's notice to this effect to the Government of the Swiss Confederation through the diplomatic channel, in accordance with the corresponding article of the Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. That government shall notify such denunciations to all other members of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property and to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: Done at Paris this 19th day of December 1954, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe and of which the Secretary General shall send certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding governments and to the Director of the International Bureau for the Protection of Industrial Property at Berne.

text: Article 8


identifier: ETS No. 018

reference: ETS No. 018

title: European Cultural Convention

text: European Treaty Series - No. 18

text: European Cultural Convention

text: Paris, 19.XII.1954

text: The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe, Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose, among others, of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage; Considering that the achievement of this aim would be furthered by a greater understanding of one another among the peoples of Europe; Considering that for these purposes it is desirable not only to conclude bilateral cultural conventions between members of the Council but also to pursue a policy of common action designed to safeguard and encourage the development of European culture; Having resolved to conclude a general European Cultural Convention designed to foster among the nationals of all members, and of such other European States as may accede thereto, the study of the languages, history and civilisation of the others and of the civilisation which is common to them all, Have agreed as follows:

text: Each Contracting Party shall take appropriate measures to safeguard and to encourage the development of its national contribution to the common cultural heritage of Europe.

text: Article 1

text: Each Contracting Party shall, insofar as may be possible: a encourage the study by its own nationals of the languages, history and civilisation of the other Contracting Parties and grant facilities to those Parties to promote such studies in its territory; and b endeavour to promote the study of its language or languages, history and civilisation in the territory of the other Contracting Parties and grant facilities to the nationals of those Parties to pursue such studies in its territory.

text: Article 2

text: The Contracting Parties shall consult with one another within the framework of the Council of Europe with a view to concerted action in promoting cultural activities of European interest.

text: ETS 18 – Cultural Convention, 19.XII.1954 __________________________________________________________________________________

text: Article 3

text: Each Contracting Party shall, insofar as may be possible, facilitate the movement and exchange of persons as well as of objects of cultural value so that

text: Articles 2

text: and 3 may be implemented.

text: Article 4

text: Each Contracting Party shall regard the objects of European cultural value placed under its control as integral parts of the common cultural heritage of Europe, shall take appropriate measures to safeguard them and shall ensure reasonable access thereto.

text: Article 5

text: Proposals for the application of the provisions of the present Convention and questions relating to the interpretation thereof shall be considered at meetings of the Committee of Cultural Experts of the Council of Europe.

text: Any State not a member of the Council of Europe which has acceded to the present Convention in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4 of

text: Article 9

text: may appoint a representative or representatives to participate in the meetings provided for in the preceding paragraph.

text: The conclusions reached at the meetings provided for in paragraph 1 of this article shall be submitted in the form of recommendations to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, unless they are decisions which are within the competence of the Committee of Cultural Experts as relating to matters of an administrative nature which do not entail additional expenditure.

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall communicate to the members of the Council and to the government of any State which has acceded to the present Convention any decisions relevant thereto which may be taken by the Committee of Ministers or by the Committee of Cultural Experts.

text: Each Contracting Party shall notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in due course of any action which may be taken by it for the application of the provisions of the present Convention consequent on the decisions of the Committee of Ministers or of the Committee of Cultural Experts.

text: In the event of certain proposals for the application of the present Convention being found to interest only a limited number of the Contracting Parties, such proposals may be further considered in accordance with the provisions of

text: Article 7

text: , provided that their implementation entails no expenditure by the Council of Europe.

text: Article 6

text: If, in order to further the aims of the present Convention, two or more Contracting Parties desire to arrange meetings at the seat of the Council of Europe other than those specified in paragraph 1 of

text: Article 6

text: , the Secretary General of the Council shall afford them such administrative assistance as they may require.

text: Article 7

text: Nothing in the present Convention shall be deemed to affect:

text: the provisions of any existing bilateral cultural convention to which any of the Contracting Parties may be signatory or to render less desirable the conclusion of any further such convention by any of the Contracting Parties, or

text: the obligation of any person to comply with the laws and regulations in force in the territory of any Contracting Party concerning the entry, residence and departure of foreigners.

text: Article 8

text: The present Convention shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe. It shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: As soon as three signatory governments have deposited their instruments of ratification, the present Convention shall enter into force as between those governments.

text: With respect to each signatory government ratifying subsequently, the Convention shall enter into force on the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification.

text: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may decide, by a unanimous vote, to invite, upon such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, any European State which is not a member of the Council to accede to the present Convention. Any State so invited may accede by depositing its instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Such accession shall take effect on the date of receipt of the said instrument.

text: The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify all members of the Council and any acceding States of the deposit of all instruments of ratification and accession.

text: Article 9

text: Any Contracting Party may specify the territories to which the provisions of the present Convention shall apply by addressing to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe a declaration which shall be communicated by the latter to all the other Contracting Parties.

text: Article 10

text: Any Contracting Party may denounce the present Convention at any time after it has been in force for a period of five years by means of a notification in writing addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who shall inform the other Contracting Parties.

text: Such denunciation shall take effect for the Contracting Party concerned six months after the date on which it is received by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

text: In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorised thereto by their respective governments, have signed the present Convention.

text: Done at Paris this 19th day of December 1954, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding governments.

text: Article 11

title: European Cultural Convention