Each Contracting Party undertakes to ensure the conformity of its legislation with the provisions of this Convention and to notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of the measures taken to that end.

Maternal filiation of any child born out of wedlock shall be determined solely on the basis of the birth of the child.

The paternal filiation of any child born out of wedlock may be ascertained or established by voluntary recognition or by judicial decision.

Voluntary recognition of paternity may not be subject to opposition or challenge, where such procedures are provided for by domestic legislation, unless the person who wishes to acknowledge or has recognized the child is Not biologically the father.

In actions relating to paternal filiation, scientific evidence capable of establishing or disregarding paternity must be accepted.

1. The father and mother of a child born out of wedlock have the same maintenance obligation in respect of that child as that of the child born in the marriage.

(2) Where the maintenance obligation of a child born in marriage is the responsibility of certain members of the father's or mother's family, the child born out of wedlock shall also benefit from that obligation.

(1) Where the filiation of a child born out of wedlock is established in respect of both parents, the parental authority shall not be entitled to full entitlement to the father alone.

2. Parental authority must be transferable; transfer cases are subject to internal legislation.

Where the father or mother of a child born out of wedlock does not have parental authority over that child or custody of the child, the parent may obtain a right of access in appropriate cases.

The rights of the child born out of wedlock in the succession of his father and mother and members of their families are the same as if he were born in the marriage.

Marriage between the father and the mother of a child born out of wedlock gives that child the legal status of a child born in the marriage.

This Convention shall be open for signature by the member States of the Council of Europe. It will be ratified, accepted or approved. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

2. The Convention shall enter into force three months after the date of the deposit of the third instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.

3. It shall enter into force in respect of any signatory State ratifying, accepting or approving it at a later date, three months after the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.

After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any non-member State of the Council to accede to this Convention.

2. Accession shall be effected by the deposit, by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, of an instrument of accession which shall take effect three months after the date of its deposit.

(1) Any State may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, designate the territory or territories to which this Convention shall apply.

(2) Any State may, at the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession or at any other time thereafter, extend the application of this Convention by declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, in any other territory designated in the declaration for which it is responsible for international relations or for which it is entitled to stipulate.

(3) Any declaration made under the preceding paragraph may be withdrawn, in respect of any territory designated in that declaration, under the conditions laid down in Article 15 of this Convention.

(1) Any State may, at the time of signature or at the time of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, or when making a declaration in accordance with par. 2 of the art. 13 of this Convention, make a maximum of three reservations concerning the provisions of Art. 2 to 10 of this one.

Reservations of a general nature are not permitted; each reservation may relate only to one provision.

(2) Each reservation shall have effect for five years from the entry into force of this Convention in respect of the Party concerned. It may be renewed for successive periods of five years, by means of a declaration addressed before the expiry of each period to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

3. Any Contracting Party may withdraw, in whole or in part, a reservation made by it under the preceding paragraphs by means of a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and which will take effect on the date of its Receipt.

1. Any Contracting Party may, as far as it is concerned, denounce this Convention by sending a notification to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

The denunciation shall take effect six months after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary General.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the member States of the Council and any State which has acceded to this Convention:

(a)

Any signature;

(b)

The deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession;

(c)

Any date of entry into force of this Convention in accordance with its art. 11;

(d)

Any notification received pursuant to the provisions of Art. 1;

(e)

Any statement received pursuant to s. 2 and 3 of Art. 13;

(f)

Any reservation made pursuant to the provisions of s. 1 of the art. 14;

(g)

The renewal of any reservation made pursuant to s. 2 of the art. 14;

(h)

The withdrawal of any reservation made pursuant to the provisions of s. 3 of Art. 14;

(i)

Any notification received pursuant to the provisions of Art. 15 and the date on which the denunciation takes effect.

In witness whereof , the undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have signed this Convention.

Done at Strasbourg, on 15 October 1975, in English and French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding States.

(Suivent signatures)