The States Parties to this Convention
Considering that the International Hydrographic Bureau was established in June 1921
to contribute to making navigation easier and safer throughout the world by improving
nautical charts and documents;
Considering that the International Hydrographic Organization is a competent international
organization, as referred to in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,
which coordinates on a worldwide basis the setting of standards for the production
of hydrographic data and the provision of hydrographic services and which facilitates
capacity building of national hydrographic services;
Considering that the vision of the International Hydrographic Organization is to
be the authoritative worldwide hydrographic body which actively engages all coastal
and interested States to advance maritime safety and efficiency and which supports
the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment;
Considering that the mission of the International Hydrographic Organization is to
create a global environment in which States provide adequate and timely hydrographic
data, products and services and ensure their widest possible use; and
Desiring to pursue on an intergovernmental basis their co-operation in hydrography;
There is hereby established an International Hydrographic Organisation, hereinafter
referred to as the Organisation, the seat of which shall be in Monaco.
The Organization shall have a consultative and technical nature. It shall be the object
of the Organization:
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(a) To promote the use of hydrography for the safety of navigation and all other
marine purposes and to raise global awareness of the importance of hydrography;
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(b) To improve global coverage, availability and quality of hydrographic data, information,
products and services and to facilitate access to such data, information, products
and services;
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(c) To improve global hydrographic capability, capacity, training, science and techniques;
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(d) To establish and enhance the development of international standards for hydrographic
data, information, products, services and techniques and to achieve the greatest possible
uniformity in the use of these standards;
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(e) To give authoritative and timely guidance on all hydrographic matters to States
and international organizations;
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(f) To facilitate coordination of hydrographic activities among the Member States;
and
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(g) To enhance cooperation on hydrographic activities among States on a regional
basis.
The Member States of the Organization are the States Parties to this Convention.
The Organization shall comprise:
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(a) One-fourth of, but not less than thirty, Member States shall take seats in the Council,
the first two-thirds of whom shall take their seats on a regional basis and the remaining
one-third on the basis of hydrographic interests, which shall be defined in the General
Regulations.
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(b) The Secretary-General shall maintain all such records as may be necessary for the
efficient discharge of the work of the Organization and shall prepare, collect, and
circulate any documentation that may be required.
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(f) In the performance of their duties, the Secretary-General, the Directors and the personnel
shall not seek or receive instructions from any Member State or from any authority
external to the Organization. They shall refrain from any action that may be incompatible
with their positions as international officials. Each Member State on its part undertakes
to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the
Secretary-General, the Directors and the personnel and not seek to influence them
in the discharge of their responsibilities
Where decisions cannot be reached by consensus, the following provisions shall apply:
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(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Convention, each Member State shall have
one vote.
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(b) For the election of the Secretary-General and the Directors, each Member State
shall have a number of votes determined by a scale established in relation to the
tonnage of their fleets.
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(c) Except as otherwise provided in this Convention, decisions shall be taken by
a simple majority of Member States present and voting, and if the votes are tied the
Chair shall decide.
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(d) Decisions taken on matters related to the policy or finances of the Organization,
including amendments to the General and Financial Regulations, shall be taken by a
two-thirds majority of Member States present and voting.
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(e) With respect to subparagraphs (c) and (d) of this Article and subparagraph (b)
of Article XXI below, the phrase “Member States present and voting” means Member States
present and casting an affirmative or negative vote. Member States that abstain from
voting shall be considered as not voting.
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(f) In the case of a submission to Member States in accordance with Article VI (g)
(vii), the decision shall be taken by a majority of the Member States who cast a vote,
with the minimum number of affirmative votes being at least one-third of all Member
States.
Article X
[Wijziging(en) op nader te bepalen datum(s); laatste bekendgemaakt in 1997. Zie het
overzicht van wijzigingen]
In relation to matters within its scope, the Organization may cooperate with international
organizations whose interests and activities are related to the purpose of the Organization.
The functioning of the Organization shall be set forth in detail in the General and
Financial Regulations, which are annexed to this Convention but do not form an integral
part thereof. In the event of any inconsistency between this Convention and the General
or Financial Regulations, this Convention shall prevail.
The official languages of the Organisation shall be English and French.
The Organization shall have legal personality. In the territory of each of its Member
States it shall enjoy, subject to agreement with the Member State concerned, such
privileges and immunities as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and
the fulfilment of its object.
The expenses necessary for the functioning of the Organisation shall be met:
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(a) From the ordinary annual contributions of Member States in accordance with a scale
based on the tonnage of their fleets;
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(b) From donations, bequests, subventions and other sources, with the approval of the
Assembly.
Any Member State which is two years in arrears in its contributions shall be denied
all voting rights and benefits conferred on Member States by the Convention and the
Regulations until such time as the outstanding contributions have been paid.
Any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention which
is not settled by negotiation or by the good offices of the Secretary-General of the
Organization shall, at the request of one of the parties to the dispute, be referred
to an arbitrator designated by the President of the International Court of Justice.
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1 This Convention shall be open in Monaco on 3 May 1967, and subsequently at the Legation
of the Principality of Monaco in Paris from 1 June until 31 December 1967, for signature
by any Government which participates in the work of the Bureau on 3 May 1967.
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4 The Government of the Principality of Monaco shall inform the Governments referred
to in paragraph 1 above, and the President of the Directing Committee, of each signature
and of each deposit of an instrument of ratification or approval.
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(a) This Convention shall be open for accession by any State that is a member of the United
Nations. The Convention shall enter into force for such a State on the date on which
it has deposited its instrument of accession with the Depositary, which shall inform
the Secretary-General and all Member States.
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(b) A State that is not a member of the United Nations may only accede to this Convention
by applying to the Depositary, and by having its application approved by two-thirds
of the Member States. The Convention shall enter into force for such a State on the
date on which it has deposited its instrument of accession with the Depositary, which
shall inform the Secretary-General and all Member States.
Article XXI
[Wijziging(en) op nader te bepalen datum(s); laatste bekendgemaakt in 1998. Zie het
overzicht van wijzigingen]
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(b) Proposals of amendments shall be considered by the Assembly and decided upon by a
majority of two-thirds of the Member States present and voting. When a proposed amendment
has been approved by the Assembly, the Secretary-General of the Organization shall
request the Depositary to submit it to all Member States.
Upon expiration of a period of five years after its entry into force, this Convention
may be denounced by any Contracting Party by giving at least one year’s notice, in
a notification addressed to the Depositary. The denunciation shall take effect upon
1 January next following the expiration of the notice and shall involve the abandonment
by the State concerned of all rights and benefits of membership in the Organization.
After the present Convention enters into force it shall be registered by the Government
of the Principality of Monaco with the Secretariat of the United Nations in accordance
with Article 102 of its Charter.