Verdrag betreffende de Internationale Hydrografische Organisatie

The Organisation is a consultative agency. It has no authority over the hydrographic offices of the Governments Parties to the Convention.

The activities of the Organisation are of a scientific or technical nature and shall not include matters involving questions of international policy.

The International Hydrographic Conference shall meet in ordinary session every five years at the seat of the Organisation at a date fixed at the close of the previous session.

The International Hydrographic Conference shall be prepared and organised by the Bureau.

Each Member Government may be represented at the Conference by one or more delegates, one of whom should preferably be the head of the national hydrographic office. Travelling and hotel expenses of delegates shall be defrayed by their respective Governments.

The Directing Committee shall be authorized to invite observers from:
(a) Governments that are not Parties to the Convention: one or two observers each, if proposed by a Member Government or the Directing Committee and subject to approval by two thirds of the Member Governments.
(b) International organisations whose activities are connected with those of the Bureau: one or exceptionally two observers each. A list of such organisations shall be notified by the Directing Committee to Member Governments in advance, so that they may have opportunity to raise objections or suggest additions.
(c) National organisations of Member Governments which have had or are likely to have occasion to collaborate with the Bureau, under the conditions prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

The working languages of the Conference shall be English, French and Spanish.

(a). The Conference shall examine the reports of the Bureau on its work since the previous Conference. These reports shall be submitted to Member Governments by the Bureau at least two months before the Conference.
(b). Committees shall be designated to study the reports. The committees' conclusions shall be submitted to the appropriate plenary session of the Conference.

(a). Twelve months before the opening of the Conference, the Bureau shall invite representatives of Member Governments to submit the proposals that they wish to discuss at the Conference. At least eight months before the Conference these proposals, as well as those submitted by the Bureau, shall be circulated to all Member Governments.
(b). Proposals submitted after that date shall be accepted only if they are signed by representatives of at least three Member Governments.
(c). Proposals may also be submitted during the Conference. They must be signed by three delegations and submitted to the President of the Conference; they may not be discussed less than twenty-four hours after being officially announced.

(a). Unless the ordinary International Hydrographic Conference has specifically decided otherwise, the foregoing rules of procedure shall apply to extraordinary sessions.
(b). Government delegates to extraordinary sessions shall be chosen as far as possible in the light of the questions submitted for consideration.

(a). Between conferences, the Finance Committee may meet in extraordinary session on the request of three Governments or of the Directing Committee. The Directing Committee may also consult the Finance Committee by correspondence.
(b). Dates of meetings of the Finance Committee shall be fixed by its Chairman in arrangement with the Directing Committee.
(c). The Chairman of the Finance Committee shall be elected for five years by the Conference.

During its ordinary session, the Committee shall:
examine and approve the administrative accounts for the preceding financial period,
examine the budget for the coming financial period and submit it to the Conference.

The Committee shall take decisions by a majority of two thirds of the Members present. Each delegate shall have one vote.

The accounts shall be audited annually by an external auditor designated by the Committee.

In accordance with the provisions of article VIII of the Convention, the Bureau shall undertake the scientific and technical activities necessary for the attainment of the objectives of the Organisation.

For its relations with the Bureau, each Member Government shall designate an official representative, preferably the head of its hydrographic office.

The Bureau shall keep in close communication with the hydrographic offices of Member Governments. It may also correspond with related scientific organisations of Member Governments, provided that it informs the official representative of the Government concerned (article 16 above). Furthermore it may correspond with similar bodies of other Governments and with international organisations.

The Bureau shall bring to the notice of the hydrographic or other competent offices of the Member Governments any hydrographic work of an international character and problems of general interest that it might be useful to study or to undertake. It shall strive for the solution of such problems or the undertaking of such work by seeking the necessary collaboration between Member Governments.

To enable the Bureau to achieve its purpose, the hydrographic offices of Member Governments shall forward copies of their new publications and new editions of their charts, as well as works or documents published by them or by other offices in their countries which may be of interest.

The Bureau shall satisfy as far as possible all requests from representatives of Member Governments for information or advice related to its work. Matters which can be dealt with directly between two national hydrographic offices should not normally be referred to the Bureau.

The Bureau shall issue and distribute the publications referred to in articles 32 to 35 and any other documents requested by the Conference.

In their communications with the Bureau, representatives of Member Governments may use languages other than the official languages of the Organisation, but the Bureau shall not be held responsible for any delay or misinterpretation which may ensue.

(a). The Directing Committee shall administer the Bureau in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and the Regulations and with directives given by the Conference.
(b). It shall be responsible for the carrying out by the Bureau of the scientific and technical assignments entrusted to it.

In the period between two Conferences, should no appropriate provision be made in the Convention or the Regulations, the Committee shall make any administrative or technical decisions which may be necessary, with the reservation that they be referred to the next Conference.

(a). If the Committee considers that any question should be referred to the Member Governments for solution, it shall send a circular letter to their representatives, in accordance with article VI (6) of the Convention, requesting them to notify the Bureau of the opinion of their respective Governments.
(b). When voting for or against is evenly divided, the question shall be deferred to the next Conference.

If circumstances preclude observation of the procedure prescribed in the Regulations, the Committee shall make the necessary decisions and give Member Governments an immediate account of the fact.

(a). The directors shall be elected for a period of five years, in accordance with articles 36 to 47.
(b). The directors shall be eligible for re-election for a second five-year period.
(c). A candidate must be less than sixty-six years old in the year of his election or re-election.
(d). When a director is elected to fill a vacancy occuring between Conferences, his term of office shall end at the same time as his predecessor's would have done had he retained the post.

The duties of the Directing Committee shall terminate on the last day of the third month following that in which the new Directing Committee has been elected.

A director who has been incapacitated for duty for six consecutive months, or otherwise for an aggregate of twelve months, during his term of office shall automatically cease to be a director.

Each director shall have particular responsibility for one or more branches of the work of the Bureau, but the Committee shall deliberate on all important questions. If only two directors attend a meeting of the Committee and a decision cannot be postponed until a full meeting, the view of the President or the acting President shall prevail.

The staff of the Bureau shall be under the control of the Directing Committee. It shall consist of technical and administrative assistants and employees. The staff shall be appointed by the Committee as necessary.

At the beginning of each year the Bureau shall publish a report on its activities.

(a). The Bureau shall issue a Yearbook giving all necessary information on the hydrographic offices of the Member Governments and, insofar as such information can be obtained, on those of other Governments.
(b). The Yearbook shall include the addresses of the official representatives designated in accordance with Article 16, and the following information:
(i) A list of Governments which have participated in the work of the Bureau between the date of its creation and the date of entry into force of the Convention.
(ii) A list of Member Governments.
(iii) A list of Governments which have denounced the Convention pursuant to Article XXII.
(iv) A table of tonnages of Member Governments' fleets.
(v) A table showing the shares, contributions and number of votes of the Member Governments.

(a). The Bureau shall issue two periodical publications: the International Hydrographic Review and the International Hydrographic Bulletin.
(b). The International Hydrographic Review shall contain articles on hydrography and allied sciences and techniques, and on any other subjects of general interest to the Organisation and to the various hydrographic offices.
(c). The International Hydrographic Bulletin shall appear more frequently than the Review, and shall contain matters of the moment and information of a temporary or urgent nature. This publication shall also contain information on work carried out and projected by Members.

The Bureau shall issue special publications on technical subjects of interest to hydrographic offices.

The directors shall be elected by the Conference in accordance with the provisions of Articles V (b), VI (4) and X (2) of the Convention. The election shall be held by secret ballot at the end of the Conference.

(a). For the election of the directors, each Member Government shall have two votes; those Governments which have 100 000 tons of shipping or more shall have supplementary votes in accordance with the following scale:
[tabel]
(b). The estimates of tonnage shall be made in accordance with article 5 of the Financial Regulations.

Each Member Government may nominate one or more candidates who may be of the nationality of any Contracting Party. If possible, nominations should reach the Bureau at least three months before the Conference. The list of candidates shall be closed ten days prior to the opening of the Conference.

Every candidate should have had considerable sea experience and have extensive knowledge of practical hydrography and navigation. In the elections, the technical and administrative ability only of the candidates should be taken into consideration. No particular rank or other standing is required of them.

Every nomination shall be accompanied by a note giving the candidate's qualifications for the position. To facilitate comparison of the candidates' qualifications the statements of service shall be compiled in a uniform manner as follows:
1. Name.
2. Nationality.
3. Date of birth.
4. Titles and decorations.
5. Education (periods, including specialised or special qualifications).
6. Languages (speaking and reading knowledge).
7. Promotions.
8. Hydrographic service. (a) Sea service (periods and posts).
(b) Shore service (periods and posts).
(a) Sea service (periods and posts).
(b) Shore service (periods and posts).
9. Non-hydrographic service. (a) Sea service (periods and posts).
(b) Shore service (periods and posts).
(a) Sea service (periods and posts).
(b) Shore service (periods and posts).
10. Publications.
11. Research work and awards.
12. Scientific societies (member of, past and present).
(Signature of candidate and of forwarding authority).

(a). The names of the candidates, with the statements of service, shall be published by the Directing Committee as soon as they are received.
(b). The Bureau shall collate the lists of names submitted and present them, together with the statements of service, to each delegation at the opening of the Conference.

(a). To register their votes for electing the members of the Directing Committee, the delegations shall inscribe on a number of voting papers equal to the number of votes to which each is entitled the names of only those three candidates whom they wish to elect.
(b). The three candidates inscribed on each of the voting papers must be of different nationality.
(c). Any voting paper not completed in strict accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be nullified.

(a). The three candidates of different nationality receiving the largest number of votes shall be considered elected.
(b). In the event of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes making it impossible to fill the three posts under the conditions prescribed in the preceding paragraph, a new ballot shall be held to determine the relative positions only of those candidates who obtained the same number of votes.

(a). When the three directors have been elected, a separate ballot shall be held to elect one of them as President of the Directing Committee. For this purpose, delegations shall inscribe on their allotted number of voting papers the name of the director they wish to make President.
(b). The number of votes actually received by each director shall determine the order in which they may be called upon to replace the President elected.
(c). In the case of a tie, a second ballot be held to determine the relative positions of the directors who obtained the same number of votes.

When voting has been completed, the President of the Conference shall invite the newly-elected directors to take up their duties on the first day of the fourth month following the month of their election.

(a). If a post of director falls vacant during the period between two Conferences and more than two years before the next Conference is due to meet, the Directing Committee shall conduct a bye-election by correspondence to fill the vacancy.
(b). In such a case, the Bureau shall invite Member Governments to send lists of candidates in accordance with articles 38 to 40. In receipt of these lists the election shall be held observing a procedure closely modelled on that described in articles 41 to 43.
(c). On completion of the above-mentioned procedure, the Committee shall immediately notify Member Governments of the result of the ballot and invite the director elected to take up his duties.

A director elected to fill a vacancy shall take third place among the directors.

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:
(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;
(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;
(c) To improve global hydrographic capability, capacity, training, science and techniques;
(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;
(e) To give authoritative and timely guidance on all hydrographic matters to States and international organizations;
(f) To facilitate coordination of hydrographic activities among the Member States; and
(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:
(a) The Assembly;
(b) The Council;
(c) The Finance Committee;
(d) The Secretariat; and
(e) Any subsidiary organs.

Where decisions cannot be reached by consensus, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Convention, each Member State shall have one vote.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.

(a). The Assembly is the principal organ and shall have all the powers of the Organization unless otherwise regulated by the Convention or delegated by the Assembly to other organs.
(b). The Assembly shall be composed of all Member States.
(c). The Assembly shall meet in ordinary session every three years. Extraordinary sessions of the Assembly may be held at the request of a Member State or of the Council or of the Secretary-General, subject to the approval of the majority of the Member States.
(d). majority of the Member States shall constitute a quorum for the meetings of the Assembly.
(e). The functions of the Assembly shall be to:
(i) Elect its Chair and Vice-Chair;
(ii) Determine its own rules of procedure and those of the Council, the Finance Committee and any subsidiary organ of the Organization;
(iii) In accordance with the General Regulations, elect the Secretary-General and the Directors and determine the terms and conditions of their service;
(iv) Establish subsidiary organs;
(v) Decide the overall policy, strategy and work programme of the Organization;
(vi) Consider reports put to it by the Council;
(vii) Consider the observations and recommendations put to it by any Member State, the Council or the Secretary-General;
(viii) Decide on any proposals put to it by any Member State, the Council or the Secretary-General;
(ix) Review the expenditures, approve the accounts and determine the financial arrangements of the Organization;
(x) Approve the three-year budget of the Organization;
(xi) Decide on operational services;
(xii) Decide on any other matters within the scope of the Organization; and
(xiii) Delegate, where appropriate and necessary, responsibilities to the Council.

(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.
(b). The principles for the composition of the Council shall be laid down in the General Regulations.
(c). Members of the Council shall hold office until the end of the next ordinary session of the Assembly.
(d). Two-thirds of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum.
(e). The Council shall meet at least once a year.
(f). Member States not being members of the Council may participate in Council meetings but shall not be entitled to vote.
(g). The functions of the Council shall be to:
(i) Elect its Chair and Vice-Chair, each of whom shall hold office until the end of the next ordinary session of the Assembly;
(ii) Exercise such responsibilities as may be delegated to it by the Assembly;
(iii) Co-ordinate, during the inter-Assembly period, the activities of the Organization within the framework of the strategy, work programme and financial arrangements, as decided by the Assembly;
(iv) Report to the Assembly at each ordinary session on the work of the Organization;
(v) Prepare, with the support of the Secretary-General, proposals concerning the overall strategy and the work programme to be adopted by the Assembly;
(vi) Consider the financial statements and budget estimates prepared by the Secretary-General and submit them for approval to the Assembly with comments and recommendations regarding programmatic allocations of the budget estimates;
(vii) Review proposals submitted to it by subsidiary organs and refer them: To the Assembly for all matters requiring decisions by the Assembly;
Back to the subsidiary organ if considered necessary; or
To the Member States for adoption, through correspondence;
To the Assembly for all matters requiring decisions by the Assembly;
Back to the subsidiary organ if considered necessary; or
To the Member States for adoption, through correspondence;
(viii) Propose to the Assembly the establishment of subsidiary organs; and
(ix) Review draft agreements between the Organization and other organizations, and submit them to the Assembly for approval.

(a). The Finance Committee shall be open to all Member States. Each Member State shall have one vote.
(b). The Finance Committee shall normally be convened in conjunction with each ordinary session of the Assembly and may convene additional meetings as appropriate.
(c). The functions of the Finance Committee shall be to review the financial statements, budget estimates and reports on administrative matters prepared by the Secretary-General and to present its observations and recommendations thereon to the Assembly.
(d). The Finance Committee shall elect its Chair and Vice-Chair.

(a). The Secretariat shall comprise a Secretary-General, Directors and such other personnel as the Organization may require.
(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.
(c). The Secretary-General shall be the chief administrative officer of the Organization.
(d). The Secretary-General shall:
(i) Prepare and submit to the Finance Committee and the Council the financial statements for each year and budget estimates on a three-year basis, with the estimates for each year shown separately; and
(ii) Keep Member States informed with respect to the activities of the Organization.
(e). The Secretary-General shall perform such other tasks as may be assigned by the Convention, the Assembly or the Council.
(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

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:
(a) From the ordinary annual contributions of Member States in accordance with a scale based on the tonnage of their fleets;
(b) From donations, bequests, subventions and other sources, with the approval of the Assembly.

1. This Convention shall enter into force three months after the date on which twenty-eight Governments have become Parties in accordance with the provisions of Article XVIII, paragraph 2.
2. The Government of the Principality of Monaco shall notify this date to all signatory Governments and the President of the Directing Committee.

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.

(a). The Government of His Serene Highness the Prince of Monaco shall serve as Depositary.
(b). This original of the Convention shall be held by the Depositary, which shall transmit certified copies of this Convention to all States that have signed it or acceded thereto.
(c). The Depositary shall:
(i) Inform the Secretary-General and all Member States of applications for accession received by it from States referred to in Article XX (b); and
(ii) Inform the Secretary-General and all States which have signed this Convention or acceded thereto of: Each new signature or deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, together with the date thereof;
The date of entry into force of this Convention or any amendment thereto; and
The deposit of any instrument of denunciation of the Convention, together with the date on which it was received and the date on which the denunciation takes effect. As soon as any amendment of this Convention enters into force it shall be published by the Depositary and registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations
Each new signature or deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, together with the date thereof;
The date of entry into force of this Convention or any amendment thereto; and
The deposit of any instrument of denunciation of the Convention, together with the date on which it was received and the date on which the denunciation takes effect.

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.

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.
2. The Governments referred to in paragraph 1 above may become Parties to the present Convention:
(a) By signature without reservation as to ratification or approval, or
(b) By signature subject to ratification or approval and the subsequent deposit of an instrument of ratification or approval.
3. Instruments of ratification or approval shall be handed to the Legation of the Principality of Monaco in Paris to be deposited in the Archives of the Government of the Principality of Monaco.
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.

(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.
(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.

(a). Any Member State may propose amendments to this Convention. Proposals of amendments shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General not less than six months prior to the next session of the Assembly.
(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.
(c). The amendment shall enter into force for all Member States three months after notifications of consent to be bound by two-thirds of the Member States have been received by the Depositary.

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.