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Original text
The High Contracting Parties,
Desiring to increase the safety of traffic by road and to facilitate international road traffic through a uniform system of road signs,
Have nominated for their plenipotentiaries:
(Following are the names of plenipotentiaries)
Which, after having produced their full powers recognised in good and due form, have adopted the following provisions:
The High Contracting Parties shall adopt the international road-signalling system described in the Annex to this Convention and undertake to introduce or have it introduced as soon as possible into those of their territories to which Applies to this Convention. 1 To this end, they shall carry out the implementation of the signals provided for in the aforementioned Annex as new signals or the renewal of existing ones are put in place. The complete replacement of the non-conforming signals to the international system shall be carried out no later than five years from the entry into force of this Convention for each of the High Contracting Parties.
The High Contracting Parties undertake to proceed or to have, from the entry into force of this Convention, the replacement of signals which, while presenting the characteristics of a signal of the international system, would serve to Provide a different indication. 1
The signals described and included in the Annex shall be, as far as possible, the only signs on the roads for traffic police.
In cases where it is necessary to introduce some other signal, the latter should, by its general characteristics of form and colour, fit into the system of categories set out in the Annex.
The High Contracting Parties shall prohibit the placing on the public highway of any signs or inscriptions which may be confusing with the regulatory signals or make their reading more difficult. 1 They shall oppose, as far as it is in their power, that such signs or inscriptions are placed in the vicinity of the public road.
The High Contracting Parties, with a view to ensuring all its effectiveness, shall endeavour to limit the number of prescribed signals to the minimum necessary.
The High Contracting Parties shall oppose the affixation of a regulatory signal from any foreign entry to the object of the latter and that they would consider such a signal to diminish its visibility or alter its character. 2
If a dispute arises between two or more High Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Convention and the dispute cannot be settled directly between the Parties, the dispute may Be submitted for advisory opinion to the Advisory and Technical Commission on Communications and Transit of the League of Nations 1 .
1 After the dissolution of the League of Nations, the General Secretariat of the United Nations has been entrusted with the functions mentioned here (FF 1946 II 1181 1187 and s.).
Each of the High Contracting Parties may declare, at the time of signature, ratification or accession that, by its acceptance of this Convention, it shall not assume any obligation in respect of all or any part of its Colonies, protectorates and overseas territories or territories under its suzerainty or under warrant; in this case, this Convention shall not be applicable to the territories mentioned in that declaration.
Each High Contracting Party may subsequently notify the Secretary-General of the League of Nations 1 , that it intends to make this Convention applicable to all or any part of the territories which have been the subject of the declaration provided for in the preceding paragraph. In such a case, the Convention shall apply to all territories referred to in the notification, six months after receipt of such notification by the Secretary-General.
Similarly, each of the High Contracting Parties may, at any time, after the expiry of the eight-year period referred to in Art. 15, declare that it intends to cease the application of this Convention to all or any part of its colonies, protectorates and overseas territories or territories under its suzerainty or under warrant; in this case, the The Convention shall cease to be applicable to the Territories subject to such a declaration, one year after the receipt of that declaration by the Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General shall communicate to all Members of the League of Nations and to non-member States referred to in art. 7, the declarations and notifications received under this Article.
1 See note to art. 5.
This Convention, of which the French and English texts are equally authentic, shall bear the date of that day.
It may, until 30 September 1931, be signed on behalf of any Member of the League of Nations and any non-member State represented at the Conference which established this Convention or to whom the Council of the League of Nations shall have, for that purpose, A copy of this Convention.
This Convention shall be ratified.
The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, who shall notify all Members of the League of Nations, as well as the non-member States referred to in Art. 7.
From 1 October 1931, it may be a party to this Convention on behalf of any Member of the League of Nations or any non-member State referred to in Art. 7.
Instruments of accession shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations 1 Shall notify it to all Members of the Society and to the non-member States referred to in that Article.
1 See note to art. 5.
Each High Contracting Party may make the effect of its ratifications or accessions subject to the ratifications or accessions of one or more Members of the League of Nations or non-member States designated by it in the instrument of Ratification or accession.
This Convention shall enter into force six months after the receipt by the Secretary-General of the League of Nations of ratification or accession given on behalf of five Members of the League of Nations or non-member States. Ratifications or accessions whose effect is subject to the condition laid down in the preceding Article shall not be counted in that number until this condition is fulfilled.
Ratifications or accessions which will occur after the entry into force of the Convention shall have effect six months after the date of receipt by the Secretary-General of the League of Nations 1 After the date on which the conditions referred to in s. 10 are completed.
1 See note to art. 5.
Any High Contracting Party may at any time propose to bring to the Annex to this Convention such modifications or additions which will appear to it to be useful. The proposal will be addressed to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations 1 And communicated by it to all other High Contracting Parties and, if accepted by all High Contracting Parties (including those who have deposited ratifications or accessions which have not yet become effective), The Annex to this Convention shall be amended accordingly.
1 See note to art. 5.
After the present Convention has been in force for eight years, revision may be requested at any time by at least three of the High Contracting Parties.
The request referred to in the preceding paragraph would be addressed to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations 1 , which would notify it to the other High Contracting Parties and inform the Council of the League of Nations.
1 See note to art. 5.
After the expiry of a period of eight years from the date of entry into force of this Convention, it may be denounced by any of the High Contracting Parties.
The denunciation shall be made in the form of written notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations 1 , which shall inform all Members of the League of Nations and non-member States referred to in Art. 7.
The denunciation shall be effective one year after the date on which it has been received by the Secretary-General and shall be operative only in the light of the Member of the Company or of the non-member State in whose name it has been carried out.
If, following simultaneous or successive denunciations, the number of Members of the Society and non-member States, bound by the provisions of this Convention, is reduced to fewer than five, the Convention shall cease to be in force.
In witness whereof, The aforementioned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Convention.
Done at Geneva, on March 30, one thousand nine hundred and thirty one, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Secretariat of the League of Nations 2 , and of which certified true copies will be issued to all Members of the Society and to non-member States referred to in Art. 7.
(Suivent signatures)
The international road-signalling system comprises the categories of signals defined below. Where the colours to be used remain optional, it is understood that, in the same country, they must be, except in exceptional circumstances, everywhere the same for the same signal.
The signals in this category must be triangular in shape. Their purpose is to warn the driver of the hazard approach. They include:
It is not included in the preceding provisions the signals placed in the immediate vicinity of the railway grade crossings (Saint-André cross, etc.), which are not covered by the provisions of the Convention.
Signals in this category should be circular in form. They indicate either a ban or an obligation to be enforced, as enacted by the competent authorities.
A. Signals marking a ban| States Parties |
Ratification or Accession |
Entry into force |
||
| Austria |
August 21 |
1936 |
21 February |
1937 |
| Egypt |
10 June |
1940 |
10 December |
1940 |
| Spain |
18 July |
1933 |
July 16 |
1934 |
| France * |
11 October |
1934 |
April 11 |
1935 |
| Algeria |
July 22 |
1935 |
22 January |
1936 |
| Hungary |
8 January |
1937 |
July 8 |
1937 |
| Italy |
September 25 |
1933 |
July 16 |
1934 |
| Luxembourg |
April 9 |
1936 |
9 October |
1936 |
| Monaco |
19 January |
1932 |
July 16 |
1934 |
| Netherlands (with Surinam and Curaçao) |
16 January |
1934 |
July 16 |
134 |
| Dutch Indes * |
29 January |
1940 |
July 29 |
1940 |
| Poland |
5 April |
1934 |
5 October |
1934 |
| Portugal |
18 April |
1932 |
July 16 |
1934 |
| Romania |
19 June |
1935 |
19 December |
1935 |
| Russia |
July 23 |
1935 |
23 January |
1936 |
| Sweden |
25 February |
1938 |
August 25 |
1938 |
| Switzerland |
19 October |
1934 |
19 April |
1935 |
| Turkey |
15 October |
1936 |
15 April |
1937 |
| * Reservations, see below. |
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France
I declare that, by my signature, France assumes no obligation with regard to Algeria, the colonies, protectorates and territories under mandate.
Dutch Indes
In view of the special nature of the roads to the Dutch Indes Indes, the Government of the Netherlands reserves the right to present the hazard symbols referred to in the Annex to this Convention to s. 1 under 2 °, at a distance of the obstacle which is not less than 60 meters without taking special provisions.
