HL Deb 10 March 1975 vol 358 cc127-8WA
Earl COWLEY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which countries have signed the 1973 London Convention on the Prevention of Pollution at Sea, giving any necessary addenda containing the derogations and reservations made by individual signatory States.

1. The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)

The information is as follows:

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS LONDON, 2ND NOVEMBER 1973

Signatory Governments as at 5th March 1975

Australia(1)

Brazil ad referendum of the Brazilian Congress.

Bulgaria subject to approval.

Denmark subject to ratification.

France sous réserve, d'approbation.

German Democratic Republic(2) subject to its ratification.

Germany, Federal Republic of subject to ratification.

Ireland subject to ratification.

Italy subject to ratification.

Netherlands subject to ratification.

Poland subject to ratification.

Spain(1) subject to ratification.

Sweden subject to ratification.

USSR(2) (translation) subject to acceptance by the Government of the USSR.

United Kingdom subject to ratification.

United States subject to ratification.

II. Contracting Government as at 5th March 1975

Australia(1) Date of signature or deposit of instrument, 24th December 1974.

(1) For the text of a declaration, see Section III.

(2) For the text of a statement, see Section III.

III. Declarations, Reservations and Statements.

AUSTRALIA

At the time of signature, the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia made the following declaration (in the English language): In accordance with Article 9(e) of the Convention the term 'jurisdiction' shall be 'construed in the light of international law in force at the time of application or interpretation of the present Convention'. It is the view of the Australian Government that the term 'jurisdiction' is not confined to the territorial sea but that it extends to all areas over which a State exercises juriscontinental shelf.