Key Benefits:
Original text
(State on 22 January 2016)
The member states of the Council of Europe and the other States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, signatories to this Convention (revised);
Whereas the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a closer union among its members, in particular in order to safeguard and promote the ideals and principles which are their common heritage;
Having regard to the European Cultural Convention, signed in Paris on 19 December 1954 1 , and in particular his art. 1 and 5;
Having regard to the Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe, signed in Granada on 3 October 1985 2 ;
Having regard to the European Convention on Crimes against Cultural Property, signed at Delphi on 23 June 1985;
Having regard to the Parliamentary Assembly's recommendations on archaeology, including Recommendations 848 (1978), 921 (1981) and 1072 (1988);
Given the Recommendations n O R (89) 5 on the protection and presentation of the archaeological heritage in the context of urban and rural planning operations;
Recalling that the archaeological heritage is an essential element for the knowledge of the past of civilizations;
Recognising that the European archaeological heritage, witness to ancient history, is seriously threatened with degradation by both the multiplication of major development work and by natural hazards, clandestine excavations or Lack of scientific character, or insufficient information from the public;
Affirming the importance of establishing, where they do not yet exist, the necessary administrative and scientific control procedures, and the need to integrate archaeological safeguard concerns into development policies Urban and rural, and cultural development;
Stressing that the responsibility for the protection of the archaeological heritage lies not only with the State directly concerned, but also with all European countries, in order to reduce the risk of degradation and to promote conservation, by Promoting exchanges of experts and experience;
The need to supplement the principles laid down by the European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage, signed in London on 6 May 1969 3 , following the development of development policies in European countries,
Agreed to the following:
1 The purpose of this Convention (revised) is to protect the archaeological heritage as a source of European collective memory and as an instrument of historical and scientific study.
2 To this end, are considered to be elements of the archaeological heritage all vestiges, goods and other traces of the existence of humanity in the past, including at the same time:
3 The archaeological heritage includes structures, buildings, architectural ensembles, managed sites, movable witnesses, monuments of other nature, as well as their context, whether they are located in the soil or under water.
Each Party undertakes to implement, in the manner specific to each State, a legal regime for the protection of the archaeological heritage providing:
In order to preserve the archaeological heritage and to ensure the scientific significance of archaeological research operations, each Party undertakes:
Each Party undertakes to implement measures for the physical protection of the archaeological heritage under the following circumstances:
Each Party undertakes:
Each Party undertakes:
In order to facilitate the study and dissemination of knowledge of archaeological discoveries, each Party undertakes:
Each Party undertakes:
Each Party undertakes:
Each Party undertakes:
Nothing in this Convention (revised) shall affect any bilateral or multilateral treaties that exist or may exist between Parties for the illegal movement of elements of the archaeological heritage or their Restitution to the rightful owner.
The Parties undertake:
For the purposes of this Convention (revised), an expert committee set up by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe under Art. 17 of the Statute of the Council of Europe 1 , is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention (revised) and in particular:
1 This Convention (revised) is open for signature by the member states of the Council of Europe and the other States Parties to the European Cultural Convention.
It will be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2 A State Party to the European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage, signed at London on 6 May 1969 1 , may not deposit its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval if it has not already denounced the said Convention or does not denounce it simultaneously.
3 This Convention (revised) shall enter into force six months after the date on which four States, including at least three member States of the Council of Europe, have expressed their consent to be bound by the Convention (revised) in accordance with the Provisions of the preceding paragraphs.
4 Where, in accordance with the two preceding paragraphs, the taking of the denunciation of the Convention of 6 May 1969 and the entry into force of this Convention (revised) would not be simultaneous, a Contracting State may declare, Upon the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval, that it will continue to apply the Convention of 6 May 1969 until the entry into force of this Convention (revised).
5 This Convention (revised) shall enter into force in respect of any signatory State which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it six months after the date of the deposit of the instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.
1 [RO 1970 1223. RO 1996 2785]
1 After the entry into force of this Convention (revised), the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any other non-member State of the Council and the European Economic Community to accede to this Convention (revised), By a decision taken by a majority under s. 20. D Of the Statute of the Council of Europe 1 And unanimously by the representatives of the Contracting States having the right to sit on the Committee.
2 For any acceding State or for the European Economic Community, in the event of accession, the Convention (revised) shall enter into force six months after the date of deposit of the instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
1 Any State may, at the time of signature or at the time of deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, designate the territory or territories to which this Convention (revised) will apply.
2 Any State may, at any other time thereafter, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, extend the application of this Convention (revised) to any other territory designated in the declaration. The Convention (revised) will enter into force in respect of that territory six months after the date of receipt of the declaration by the Secretary General.
3 Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs may be withdrawn, in respect of any territory designated in that declaration, by notification addressed to the Secretary General. The withdrawal shall take effect six months after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary General.
1 Any Party may, at any time, denounce this Convention (revised) by sending a notification to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2 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 of Europe, the other States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, as well as any State and the European Economic Community having acceded or having been invited To accede to this Convention (revised):
In witness whereof, The undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have signed this Convention (revised).
Done at La Valette, on January 16, 1992, 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 member state of the Council of Europe, to the other States party to the European Cultural Convention, as well as to any non-member State or Community European Economic Community invited to accede to this Convention (revised).
(Suivent signatures)
States Parties |
Ratification Accession (A) |
Entry into force |
||
Albania |
19 February |
2008 |
August 20 |
2008 |
Germany |
22 January |
2003 |
July 23 |
2003 |
Andorra |
26 June |
1998 |
27 December |
1998 |
Armenia |
17 December |
2004 |
18 June |
2005 |
Austria |
23 January |
2015 |
24 July |
2015 |
Azerbaijan |
28 March |
2000 A |
29 September |
2000 |
Belgium |
8 October |
2010 |
April 9 |
2011 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
14 December |
2010 |
15 June |
2011 |
Bulgaria |
2 June |
1993 |
25 May |
1995 |
Cyprus |
April 26 |
2000 |
27 October |
2000 |
Croatia |
August 6 |
2004 |
7 February |
2005 |
Denmark A |
16 November |
2005 |
17 May |
2006 |
Spain |
March 31 |
2011 |
1 Er October |
2011 |
Estonia |
15 November |
1996 |
May 16 |
1997 |
Finland |
September 15 |
1994 |
25 May |
1995 |
France |
10 July |
1995 |
11 January |
1996 |
Georgia |
13 April |
2000 |
14 October |
2000 |
Greece |
10 July |
2006 |
11 January |
2007 |
Hungary |
February 9 |
1993 |
25 May |
1995 |
Ireland |
18 March |
1997 |
19 September |
1997 |
Italy |
30 June |
2015 |
31 December |
2015 |
Latvia |
July 29 |
2003 |
30 January |
2004 |
Liechtenstein |
1 Er July |
1996 |
2 January |
1997 |
Lithuania |
7 December |
1999 |
8 June |
2000 |
Macedonia |
February 6 |
2006 |
7 August |
2006 |
Malta |
24 November |
1994 |
25 May |
1995 |
Moldova |
21 December |
2001 |
22 June |
2002 |
Monaco |
21 October |
1998 |
22 April |
1999 |
Norway |
September 20 |
1995 |
21 March |
1996 |
Netherlands B |
11 June |
2007 |
12 December |
2007 |
|
11 June |
2007 |
12 December |
2007 |
|
11 June |
2007 |
12 December |
2007 |
|
11 June |
2007 |
12 December |
2007 |
Poland |
30 January |
1996 |
July 31 |
1996 |
Portugal |
August 5 |
1998 |
February 6 |
1999 |
Czech Republic |
22 March |
2000 |
23 September |
2000 |
Romania |
20 November |
1997 |
21 May |
1998 |
United Kingdom |
19 September |
2000 |
20 March |
2001 |
|
19 September |
2000 |
20 March |
2001 |
|
19 September |
2000 |
20 March |
2001 |
Russia |
12 October |
2011 |
13 April |
2012 |
San Marino |
12 November |
2015 |
13 May |
2016 |
Holy See |
7 May |
1999 |
8 November |
1999 |
Serbia |
September 14 |
2009 |
15 March |
2010 |
Slovakia |
October 31 |
2000 |
1 Er May |
2001 |
Slovenia |
7 May |
1999 |
8 November |
1999 |
Sweden |
11 October |
1995 |
12 April |
1996 |
Switzerland |
March 27 |
1996 |
28 September |
1996 |
Turkey |
29 November |
1999 |
30 May |
2000 |
Ukraine |
26 February |
2004 |
August 27 |
2004 |
|
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B For the Kingdom in Europe. |
1 RO 1996 2964
2 RO 1996 2965, 2003 2427, 2006 789, 2010 3855, 2013 1589, 2016 417. A version of the updated scope of application is published on the DFAE website (www.dfae.admin.ch/traites).