Key Benefits:
Original text
(State 1 Er June 2015)
The Governments that are signatories to this Convention,
Whereas it is appropriate to ensure the highest degree of harmonisation and uniformity in their customs regimes, and especially to study the problems inherent in the development and progress of the customs technique and the related legislation,
Convinced that there would be an interest in international trade to promote cooperation among Governments in these matters, taking into account both the economic factors and the customs technique it entails,
Agreed to the following:
A Council for Customs Cooperation, hereinafter referred to as "the Council", shall be established.
The Board is responsible for:
The Members of the Council shall, upon request, provide the Council with the information and documentation necessary for the performance of its mission; however, no Member of the Council shall be obliged to provide confidential information, including the Disclosure would impede law enforcement, would be contrary to the public interest, or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of public or private undertakings.
The Council is assisted by a Permanent Technical Committee and a Secretary-General.
The Contracting Parties shall accept the provisions of the Protocol on the Group of Studies for the European Customs Union open for signature in Brussels on the same date as this Convention. To determine the scale of contributions referred to in s. XIIb, the Council shall take into consideration the participation of its Members in the Study Group.
This Convention shall be open for signature until 3 1 March 1951.
This Convention shall be concluded for an unlimited period, but any Contracting Party may denounce it at any time, five years after its entry into force, as laid down in Art. XVIIa. The denunciation shall become effective at the expiration of one year from the date of receipt of the notification of denunciation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium; the latter shall notify all Governments of that receipt Signatories and members and the Secretary-General.
In witness whereof , the Undersigned, duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Convention.
Done at Brussels on 15 December 1950 in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authentic, in a single original which will be deposited in the archives of the Belgian Government which will deliver certified copies to all Signatory and acceding Governments.
(Suivent signatures)
Section 1
For the application of this Annex:
Section 2
The Council has legal personality. It has the capacity:
In these matters, the Secretary-General represents the Council.
Section 3
The Council, its property and assets, in any place whatsoever, and whatever the holder thereof, shall enjoy immunity from jurisdiction, except to the extent expressly waived in a particular case. It is understood, however, that the waiver cannot be extended to implementing measures.
Section 4
The Council premises are inviolable.
Its assets and assets, wherever they are located and whatever the holder, shall be exempt from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation or any other form of executive, administrative, judicial or legislative constraint.
Section 5
The archives of the Council and, in general, all documents belonging to or held by him, shall be inviolable in any place they are located.
Section 6
Without being bound by any financial control, regulation or moratorium:
Section 7
In the exercise of the rights granted to it under section 6 above, the Council shall take into account all representations made to it by one of its Members and shall do so in so far as it considers that it will be able to act thereon Without prejudice to its own interests.
Section 8
The Board, its assets, revenues and other assets are:
Section 9
Although the Council does not, as a general rule, claim exemption from excise duties and sales taxes in the price of movable or immovable property, however, when it does so for its official use of important purchases, including Shall include duties and taxes of this nature, the members of the Council shall, whenever possible, make appropriate administrative arrangements for the remission or refund of the amount of such duties and taxes.
Section 10
The Council shall, for its official communications, in the territory of each of its Members, be accorded treatment no less favourable than the treatment accorded by that Member to any other Government, including its diplomatic mission in respect of Priorities, rates and taxes on mail, cable, telegrams, radiotelegrams, telephotos, telephone communications and other communications, as well as press rates for press and radio information.
Section 11
Official correspondence and other official communications of the Council may not be censored.
This section shall in no way be construed as prohibiting the adoption of appropriate security measures to be determined by agreement between the Council and one of its members.
Section 12
At meetings of the Council, the Standing Technical Committee and the Committees of the Council, representatives of its Members shall enjoy during the performance of their duties and during their journeys to or from the meeting place, Privileges and immunities:
Section 13
In order to assure the representatives of the members of the Council at meetings of the Council, the Standing Technical Committee and the Committees of the Council, complete freedom of speech and complete independence in the performance of their functions, immunity from Jurisdiction in respect of words, writings or acts emanating from them in the performance of their duties shall continue to be accorded to them even after the term of office of such persons has been terminated.
Section 14
Privileges and immunities are granted to representatives of Members, not for their personal benefit, but for the purpose of ensuring independence in the exercise of their functions in respect of the Council. Therefore, a Member not only has the right, but the duty to waive the immunity of his representative in all cases where, in his opinion, immunity would prevent justice from being done and the immunity may be waived without prejudice to the purpose for which the immunity may be waived. It is granted.
Section 15
The provisions of Sections 12 and 13 shall not be enforceable against the authorities of the State of which the person is a national or whose representative is or has been the representative.
Section 16
The Council shall determine the categories of officials to which the provisions of this Article apply.
The Secretary-General shall communicate to the Members of the Council the names of the officials included in these categories.
Section 17
Council officials:
Section 18
In addition to the privileges and immunities provided for in Section 17, the Secretary-General of the Council, as far as he is concerned, his spouse and minor children, shall enjoy the privileges, immunities, exemptions and facilities accorded, in accordance with the law International, to heads of diplomatic missions.
The Under-Secretary-General will enjoy privileges, immunities, exemptions and facilities accorded to diplomatic representatives of comparable rank.
Section 19
Privileges and immunities are granted to civil servants solely in the interest of the Council and not for their personal benefit. The Secretary-General may and shall waive the immunity granted to an official in all cases where, in his opinion, such immunity would prevent justice from being done and where immunity may be waived without prejudice to the interests of the Council. Only the Council will have the right to waive the Secretary-General's immunity.
Section 20
Experts (other than employees referred to in s. VI), when performing missions for the Council, shall enjoy for the duration of this mission, including the time of travel, the privileges, immunities and facilities necessary to carry out their functions independently, including:
Section 21
The privileges, immunities and facilities are granted to the experts in the interest of the Council and not to their personal benefit. The Secretary-General may and shall waive the immunity granted to an expert, in all cases where, in his opinion, such immunity would prevent justice from being done and where it could be waived without prejudice to the interests of the Council.
Section 22
Representatives of Members at meetings of the Council, the Standing Technical Committee and the Committees of the Council, during the performance of their duties and during their travel to and from the meeting place, as well as Officials referred to in Section 16 and in Section 20 shall not be obliged by the territorial authorities to leave the country in which they perform their duties as a result of activities performed by them in their official capacity. However, in the event that such a person would abuse the residence privilege by carrying out activities in that country unrelated to his official duties, the person may be forced to leave the country by the Government of the country, under Reservation of the following provisions:
Section 23
The Secretary-General shall cooperate at all times with the competent authorities of the Members of the Council with a view to facilitating the proper administration of justice, ensuring compliance with police regulations and avoiding any possible abuse Give rise to the privileges, immunities and facilities listed in this Annex.
Section 24
The Council shall provide for appropriate methods of regulation for:
Section 25
The Council may conclude with one or more of the Contracting Parties complementary agreements, as far as this Contracting Party or Contracting Parties are concerned, the provisions of this Annex.
The Governments that are signatories to this Protocol,
Considering the mission of the European Customs Union Studies Group, hereinafter referred to as the "Study Group", as set out in the declaration made by certain Governments to the European Economic Cooperation Committee on 12 September 1947,
Desiring to relieve the Government of Belgium of the costs associated with the Study Group,
Whereas the Convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council opened for signature in Brussels as of today, hereinafter referred to as "the Convention",
Agreed to the following:
1. Subject to the provisions of subs. 2 below, the expenses of the Study Group incurred from 1 Er January 1951 will be included in the budget of the Customs Cooperation Council established under the Convention.
The Council shall take the necessary steps to allocate such expenditure among its Members and, if it considers it desirable, any other interested Governments;
2. If the Convention has not entered into force on 1 Er January 1952, the signatory Governments undertake to take immediately and jointly the provisions necessary to provide for the expenses of the Study Group incurred from 1 Er January 1951 until the day the Convention enters into force.
The General Secretariat and the Standing Technical Committee established under Article V of the Convention shall be made available to the Study Group.
4. This Protocol shall remain open for signature. It shall enter into force on the day of its signature in respect of the signatory Governments, with the exception of those who sign it subject to ratification. It will enter into force in respect of the Governments which will sign it subject to ratification on the date on which they deposit their instruments of ratification with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium.
5. The present Protocol would lapse if the Working Group or the Customs Cooperation Council were dissolved or if the de facto status of the Study Group were amended either by merger with another body or in any other way.
In witness whereof , the undersigned duly authorized to that effect by their respective Governments have signed this Protocol.
Done at Brussels, on 15 December 1950 in the English and French languages, the two texts being equally authentic, in a single original which will be deposited in the archives of the Belgian Government which will deliver certified copies to all Signatory Governments and all Governments that sign or accede to the Convention.
(Suivent signatures)
States Parties |
Ratification Accession (A) |
Entry into force |
||
Afghanistan |
10 August |
2004 A |
10 August |
2004 |
South Africa |
24 March |
1964 A |
24 March |
1964 |
Albania |
August 31 |
1992 A |
August 31 |
1992 |
Algeria |
19 December |
1966 A |
19 December |
1966 |
Germany |
4 November |
1952 |
4 November |
1952 |
Andorra |
3 September |
1998 A |
3 September |
1998 |
Angola |
26 September |
1990 A |
26 September |
1990 |
Saudi Arabia |
8 May |
1973 A |
8 May |
1973 |
Argentina |
1 Er July |
1968 A |
1 Er July |
1968 |
Armenia |
30 June |
1992 A |
30 June |
1992 |
Australia * |
5 January |
1961 A |
5 January |
1961 |
Austria |
21 January |
1953 A |
21 January |
1953 |
Azerbaijan |
17 June |
1992 A |
17 June |
1992 |
Bahamas |
August 16 |
1974 A |
August 16 |
1974 |
Bahrain |
18 April |
2001 A |
18 April |
2001 |
Bangladesh |
1 Er July |
1978 A |
1 Er July |
1978 |
Barbados |
7 January |
1999 A |
7 January |
1999 |
Belarus |
16 December |
1993 A |
16 December |
1993 |
Belgium |
11 December |
1952 |
11 December |
1952 |
Belize |
22 April |
2008 A |
22 April |
2008 |
Benin |
9 November |
1998 A |
9 November |
1998 |
Bermuda A |
July 13 |
1990 |
July 13 |
1990 |
Bhutan |
12 February |
2002 A |
12 February |
2002 |
Bolivia |
August 14 |
1997 A |
August 14 |
1997 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
4 July |
2008 A |
4 July |
2008 |
Botswana |
August 25 |
1978 A |
August 25 |
1978 |
Brazil |
19 January |
1981 A |
19 January |
1981 |
Brunei |
1 Er July |
1996 A |
1 Er July |
1996 |
Bulgaria |
1 Er August |
1973 A |
1 Er August |
1973 |
Burkina Faso |
16 September |
1966 A |
16 September |
1966 |
Burundi |
20 October |
1964 A |
20 October |
1964 |
Cambodia |
3 April |
2001 A |
3 April |
2001 |
Cameroon |
April 9 |
1965 A |
April 9 |
1965 |
Canada |
12 October |
1971 A |
12 October |
1971 |
Cape Verde |
1 Er July |
1992 A |
1 Er July |
1992 |
Chile |
1 Er July |
1966 A |
1 Er July |
1966 |
China |
18 July |
1983 A |
18 July |
1983 |
Hong Kong A B |
1 Er July |
1987 |
1 Er July |
1987 |
Macao A C |
7 July |
1993 |
7 July |
1993 |
Cyprus |
August 31 |
1967 A |
August 31 |
1967 |
Colombia |
1 Er July |
1993 A |
1 Er July |
1993 |
Comoros |
1 Er July |
1993 A |
1 Er July |
1993 |
Congo (Brazzaville) |
2 September |
1975 A |
2 September |
1975 |
Congo, Kinshasa |
26 July |
1972 A |
26 July |
1972 |
Korea (South) |
July 2 |
1968 A |
July 2 |
1968 |
Costa Rica |
29 August |
2001 A |
29 August |
2001 |
Côte d' Ivoire |
2 September |
1963 A |
2 September |
1963 |
Croatia |
1 Er July |
1993 A |
1 Er July |
1993 |
Cuba |
July 11 |
1988 A |
July 11 |
1988 |
Denmark |
19 October |
1951 |
4 November |
1952 |
Djibouti |
19 March |
2008 A |
19 March |
2008 |
Egypt |
26 October |
1956 A |
26 October |
1956 |
El Salvador |
7 July |
2005 A |
7 July |
2005 |
United Arab Emirates |
7 February |
1979 A |
7 February |
1979 |
Ecuador |
16 December |
1997 A |
16 December |
1997 |
Eritrea |
8 August |
1995 A |
8 August |
1995 |
Spain |
July 13 |
1952 A |
4 November |
1952 |
Estonia |
18 June |
1992 A |
18 June |
1992 |
United States * |
5 November |
1970 A |
5 November |
1970 |
Ethiopia |
August 6 |
1973 A |
August 6 |
1973 |
Fiji |
1 Er July |
1997 A |
1 Er July |
1997 |
Finland |
27 January |
1961 A |
27 January |
1961 |
France |
6 October |
1952 |
4 November |
1952 |
Gabon |
18 February |
1965 A |
18 February |
1965 |
Gambia |
14 October |
1987 A |
14 October |
1987 |
Georgia |
26 October |
1993 A |
26 October |
1993 |
Ghana |
1 Er August |
1968 A |
1 Er August |
1968 |
Greece |
10 December |
1951 |
4 November |
1952 |
Guatemala |
22 February |
1985 A |
22 February |
1985 |
Guinea |
30 October |
1991 A |
30 October |
1991 |
Guinea-Bissau |
19 August |
2010 A |
19 August |
2010 |
Guyana |
July 29 |
1976 A |
July 29 |
1976 |
Haiti |
31 January |
1958 A |
31 January |
1958 |
Honduras |
8 December |
2005 A |
8 December |
2005 |
Hungary |
16 September |
1968 A |
16 September |
1968 |
India |
February 15 |
1971 A |
February 15 |
1971 |
Indonesia |
April 30 |
1957 A |
April 30 |
1957 |
Iran |
October 16 |
1959 A |
October 16 |
1959 |
Iraq |
6 June |
1990 A |
6 June |
1990 |
Ireland |
23 September |
1952 A |
4 November |
1952 |
Iceland |
February 15 |
1971 |
February 15 |
1971 |
Israel |
23 May |
1958 A |
23 May |
1958 |
Italy |
20 November |
1952 |
20 November |
1952 |
Jamaica |
March 29 |
1963 A |
March 29 |
1963 |
Japan |
15 June |
1964 A |
15 June |
1964 |
Jordan |
1 Er January |
1964 A |
1 Er January |
1964 |
Kazakhstan |
30 June |
1992 A |
30 June |
1992 |
Kenya |
24 May |
1965 A |
24 May |
1965 |
Kyrgyzstan |
10 February |
2000 A |
10 February |
2000 |
Kuwait |
4 October |
1993 A |
4 October |
1993 |
Laos |
16 January |
2007 A |
16 January |
2007 |
Lesotho |
2 August |
1978 A |
2 August |
1978 |
Latvia |
22 June |
1992 A |
22 June |
1992 |
Lebanon |
20 May |
1960 A |
20 May |
1960 |
Liberia |
7 January |
1975 A |
7 January |
1975 |
Libya |
11 January |
1983 A |
11 January |
1983 |
Lithuania |
18 June |
1992 A |
18 June |
1992 |
Luxembourg |
23 January |
1953 |
23 January |
1953 |
Macedonia |
1 Er July |
1994 A |
1 Er July |
1994 |
Madagascar |
18 February |
1964 A |
18 February |
1964 |
Malaysia |
30 June |
1964 A |
30 June |
1964 |
Malawi |
6 June |
1966 A |
6 June |
1966 |
Maldives |
8 September |
1995 A |
8 September |
1995 |
Mali |
7 August |
1987 A |
7 August |
1987 |
Malta |
July 6 |
1968 A |
July 6 |
1968 |
Morocco |
1 Er July |
1968 A |
1 Er July |
1968 |
Mauritius |
March 29 |
1973 A |
March 29 |
1973 |
Mauritania |
2 October |
1979 A |
2 October |
1979 |
Mexico |
February 8 |
1988 A |
February 8 |
1988 |
Moldova |
28 October |
1994 A |
28 October |
1994 |
Mongolia |
September 17 |
1991 A |
September 17 |
1991 |
Montenegro |
24 October |
2006 A |
24 October |
2006 |
Mozambique |
1 Er July |
1987 A |
1 Er July |
1987 |
Myanmar |
25 March |
1991 A |
25 March |
1991 |
Namibia |
30 June |
1992 A |
30 June |
1992 |
Nepal |
July 22 |
1985 A |
July 22 |
1985 |
Nicaragua |
24 September |
1998 A |
24 September |
1998 |
Niger |
1 Er July |
1981 A |
1 Er July |
1981 |
Nigeria |
August 21 |
1963 A |
August 21 |
1963 |
Norway |
August 6 |
1951 |
4 November |
1952 |
New Zealand |
May 16 |
1963 A |
May 16 |
1963 |
Oman |
11 September |
2000 A |
11 September |
2000 |
Uganda |
3 November |
1964 A |
3 November |
1964 |
Uzbekistan |
28 July |
1992 A |
28 July |
1992 |
Pakistan |
16 November |
1955 A |
16 November |
1955 |
Palestine |
24 March |
2015 A |
24 March |
2015 |
Panama |
8 March |
1996 A |
8 March |
1996 |
Papua New Guinea |
18 March |
2002 A |
18 March |
2002 |
Paraguay |
3 October |
1969 A |
3 October |
1969 |
Netherlands |
23 January |
1953 |
23 January |
1953 |
Curaçao |
1 Er July |
2001 |
1 Er July |
2001 |
Caribbean (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) |
1 Er July |
2001 |
1 Er July |
2001 |
Sint Maarten |
1 Er July |
2001 |
1 Er July |
2001 |
Peru |
27 January |
1970 A |
27 January |
1970 |
Philippines |
1 Er October |
1980 A |
1 Er October |
1980 |
Poland |
17 July |
1974 A |
17 July |
1974 |
Portugal |
26 January |
1953 |
26 January |
1953 |
Qatar |
4 May |
1992 A |
4 May |
1992 |
Central African Republic |
28 July |
1986 A |
28 July |
1986 |
Dominican Republic |
28 July |
2004 A |
28 July |
2004 |
Czech Republic |
1 Er January |
1993 A |
1 Er January |
1993 |
Romania |
15 January |
1969 A |
15 January |
1969 |
United Kingdom |
12 September |
1952 |
4 November |
1952 |
Russia |
July 8 |
1991 A |
July 8 |
1991 |
Rwanda |
3 March |
1964 A |
3 March |
1964 |
Saint Lucia |
12 May |
2005 A |
12 May |
2005 |
Samoa |
1 Er October |
2001 A |
1 Er October |
2001 |
Sao Tome and Principe |
23 September |
2009 A |
23 September |
2009 |
Senegal |
10 March |
1976 A |
10 March |
1976 |
Serbia |
March 27 |
2001 A |
March 27 |
2001 |
Seychelles |
July 25 |
2000 A |
July 25 |
2000 |
Sierra Leone |
6 November |
1975 A |
6 November |
1975 |
Singapore |
July 9 |
1975 A |
July 9 |
1975 |
Slovakia |
1 Er January |
1993 A |
1 Er January |
1993 |
Slovenia |
7 September |
1992 A |
7 September |
1992 |
Somalia |
4 October |
2012 A |
4 October |
2012 |
Sudan |
8 June |
1960 A |
8 June |
1960 |
South Sudan |
18 July |
2012 A |
18 July |
2012 |
Sri Lanka |
29 May |
1967 A |
29 May |
1967 |
Sweden |
17 October |
1952 |
4 November |
1952 |
Switzerland |
19 December |
1952 A |
19 December |
1952 |
Swaziland |
15 May |
1981 A |
15 May |
1981 |
Syria |
3 November |
1959 A |
3 November |
1959 |
Tajikistan |
1 Er July |
1997 A |
1 Er July |
1997 |
Tanzania |
17 November |
1964 A |
17 November |
1964 |
Chad |
February 16 |
2005 A |
February 16 |
2005 |
Thailand |
4 February |
1972 A |
4 February |
1972 |
Timor-Leste |
19 September |
2003 A |
19 September |
2003 |
Togo |
12 February |
1990 A |
12 February |
1990 |
Tonga |
1 Er July |
2005 A |
1 Er July |
2005 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
15 October |
1973 A |
15 October |
1973 |
Tunisia |
July 20 |
1966 A |
July 20 |
1966 |
Turkmenistan |
17 May |
1993 A |
17 May |
1993 |
Turkey |
6 June |
1951 A |
4 November |
1952 |
Ukraine |
26 June |
1992 A |
26 June |
1992 |
Uruguay |
16 September |
1977 A |
16 September |
1977 |
Vanuatu |
17 November |
2009 A |
17 November |
2009 |
Venezuela |
1 Er July |
1996 A |
1 Er July |
1996 |
Vietnam |
1 Er July |
1993 A |
1 Er July |
1993 |
Yemen |
1 Er July |
1993 A |
1 Er July |
1993 |
Zambia |
27 September |
1978 A |
27 September |
1978 |
Zimbabwe |
19 March |
1981 A |
19 March |
1981 |
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Australia stated that:
The United States of America does not accept the obligations contained in s. XIII of this Convention and of the Annex to it, insofar as the United States of America generally grants privileges and immunities to international public organizations designated under its legislation.
1 RO 1953 41
2 RO 1974 1455, 1981 542, 1983 1319, 1986 718, 1987 1015, 1989 313, 1990 1492, 1991 2335, 2004 767, 2005 3895, 2007 1403, 2010 31, 2012 1657, 2015 1839. A version of the updated scope of application is published on the DFAE website (www.dfae.admin.ch/traites).