About Intellectual Property IP Training Respect for IP IP Outreach IP for… IP and... IP in... Patent & Technology Information Trademark Information Industrial Design Information Geographical Indication Information Plant Variety Information (UPOV) IP Laws, Treaties & Judgements IP Resources IP Reports Patent Protection Trademark Protection Industrial Design Protection Geographical Indication Protection Plant Variety Protection (UPOV) IP Dispute Resolution IP Office Business Solutions Paying for IP Services Negotiation & Decision-Making Development Cooperation Innovation Support Public-Private Partnerships AI Tools & Services The Organization Working with WIPO Accountability Patents Trademarks Industrial Designs Geographical Indications Copyright Trade Secrets WIPO Academy Workshops & Seminars IP Enforcement WIPO ALERT Raising Awareness World IP Day WIPO Magazine Case Studies & Success Stories IP News WIPO Awards Business Universities Indigenous Peoples Judiciaries Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions Economics Finance Intangible Assets Gender Equality Global Health Climate Change Competition Policy Sustainable Development Goals Frontier Technologies Mobile Applications Sports Tourism PATENTSCOPE Patent Analytics International Patent Classification ARDI – Research for Innovation ASPI – Specialized Patent Information Global Brand Database Madrid Monitor Article 6ter Express Database Nice Classification Vienna Classification Global Design Database International Designs Bulletin Hague Express Database Locarno Classification Lisbon Express Database Global Brand Database for GIs PLUTO Plant Variety Database GENIE Database WIPO-Administered Treaties WIPO Lex - IP Laws, Treaties & Judgments WIPO Standards IP Statistics WIPO Pearl (Terminology) WIPO Publications Country IP Profiles WIPO Knowledge Center WIPO Technology Trends Global Innovation Index World Intellectual Property Report PCT – The International Patent System ePCT Budapest – The International Microorganism Deposit System Madrid – The International Trademark System eMadrid Article 6ter (armorial bearings, flags, state emblems) Hague – The International Design System eHague Lisbon – The International System of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications eLisbon UPOV PRISMA UPOV e-PVP Administration UPOV e-PVP DUS Exchange Mediation Arbitration Expert Determination Domain Name Disputes Centralized Access to Search and Examination (CASE) Digital Access Service (DAS) WIPO Pay Current Account at WIPO WIPO Assemblies Standing Committees Calendar of Meetings WIPO Webcast WIPO Official Documents Development Agenda Technical Assistance IP Training Institutions COVID-19 Support National IP Strategies Policy & Legislative Advice Cooperation Hub Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC) Technology Transfer Inventor Assistance Program WIPO GREEN WIPO's Pat-INFORMED Accessible Books Consortium WIPO for Creators WIPO Translate Speech-to-Text Classification Assistant Member States Observers Director General Activities by Unit External Offices Job Vacancies Procurement Results & Budget Financial Reporting Oversight
Arabic English Spanish French Russian Chinese
Laws Treaties Judgments Browse By Jurisdiction

European Convention on State Immunity

Austria
Declaration signed by the Federal President on December 17, 1976:
"In compliance with paragraph 4 of Article 21 of the European Convention on State Immunity, the Republic of Austria declares that it designates the Vienna Regional Civil Court (Landesgericht für Villefranche-sur-Saône Wien) as solely competent to determine whether the Republic of Austria shall give effect, in accordance with Article 20 of the above-mentioned Convention, to any judgement given by a court of another Contracting States."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"The Republic of Austria declares according to Article 28, paragraph 2, of the European Convention on State Immunity that its constituent States Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna may invoke the provisions of the European Convention on State Immunity applicable to Contracting States and have the same obligations."
Belgium
Declaration contained in a letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, dated September 4, 2003:
"In accordance with Article 28, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the Kingdom of Belgium declares that the French Community, the Flemish Community and the German-speaking Community as well as the Walloon Region, the Flemish Region and the Brussels-Capital Region may invoke the provisions of the European Convention on State Immunity applicable to Contracting States, and have the same obligations."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"With reference to Article 24, the Belgian Government declares that, in cases not falling within Articles 1 to 13, its courts shall be entitled to entertain proceedings against another Contracting State to the extent that its courts are entitled to entertain proceedings against States not Party to the present Convention. Such a declaration shall be without prejudice to the immunity from jurisdiction which foreign States enjoy in respect of acts performed in the exercise of sovereign authority (acta jure imperii)."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"In accordance with Article 21, the Belgian Government designates the "Tribunal de première instance" for determining the question whether the Belgian State should give effect to a foreign judgment."
Germany
Declaration contained in a letter from the Permanent Representative, dated June 3, 1992:
"The Federal Republic of Germany hereby amends its declaration relating to Article 28, paragraph 2, of the Convention to the effect that all constituent states (Laender) of the Federal Republic of Germany, namely Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North-Rhine/Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatina, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia shall be able to invoke the provisions of the Convention applying to the Contracting States and shall have the same duties as the latter."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"The Federal Republic of Germany declares in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 24 of the Convention that, in cases not falling within Articles 1 to 13, its courts are entitled to entertain proceedings against another Contracting State to the extent that its courts are entitled to entertain proceedings against States not Party to the Convention. Such a declaration is without prejudice to the immunity from jurisdiction which foreign States enjoy in respect of acts performed in the exercise of sovereign authority (acta jure imperii)."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"Paragraph 4 of Article 21: The question whether effect should be given by the Federal Republic of Germany or a Land to a judgment rendered by a court of another Contracting State in accordance with Article 20 or Article 25 or to a settlement in accordance with Article 22 of the Convention is determined by the competent Regional Court (Landgericht) in whose administrative district the Federal Government has its seat."
Luxembourg
Declaration made upon ratification:
"In accordance with Article 24 of the Convention, the Courts of Luxembourg are entitled, in cases falling outside Articles 1 to 13 of the Convention, to entertain proceedings against another Contracting State to the extent to which its Courts are entitled to entertain such proceedings against States not Party to the Convention."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"The competent Court, under Article 21 of the Convention, to determine the question whether effect should be given to a judgment delivered in pursuance of Article 20, is the Court of Appeal of Luxembourg, judging in accordance with the procedure of civil appeals, as for summary and urgent matters. Its decision is subject to appeal to the Supreme Court in compliance with the ordinary rules in civil matters."
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Declaration made upon ratification:
"I have the honor, with reference to Article 24, first paragraph, of the European Convention on State Immunity, to declare, on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that in cases not falling within Articles 1 to 13, its courts shall be entitled to entertain proceedings against another Contracting State to the extent that its courts are entitled to entertain proceedings against States not Party to the present Convention."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"The district court ("Arrondissementsrechtbank") of The Hague has been designated as the competent court referred to in Article 21, first paragraph, of the Convention."
Switzerland
Declaration made upon ratification:
"I have the honor to declare on behalf of the Swiss Federal Council and in accordance with Article 24 of the Convention, that in cases not falling within Articles 1 to 13, the Swiss courts shall be entitled to entertain proceedings against another Contracting State to the extent that its courts are entitled to entertain proceedings against States not Party to the present Convention."
United Kingdom
Declaration contained in a letter from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, dated November 25, 1987:
"In pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 4 of Article 21 of the said Convention, the United Kingdom designate as competent courts:
In Guernsey: -in the Island of Guernsey: the Royal Court of Guernsey;
-in the Island of Alderney: the Court of Alderney;
-in the Island of Sark: the Court of the Seneschal;
In Jersey: -the Royal Court of Jersey; In the Isle of Man: -the High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man.
The question whether effect is to be given to a judgment in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 21 may however also be justiciable in other civil courts in the exercise of their normal jurisdiction."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"In pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 24 thereof, the United Kingdom hereby declare that, in cases not falling within Article 1 to 13, their courts and the courts of any territory in respect of which they are a Party to the Convention shall be entitled to entertain proceedings against another Contracting State to extent that these courts are entitled to entertain proceedings against States not Party to the present Convention. This declaration is without prejudice to the immunity from jurisdiction which foreign States enjoy in respect of acts performed in the exercise of sovereign authority (acta jure imperii)."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"In pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 4 of Article 21, the United Kingdom hereby designate as competent courts:
in England and Wales - the High Court of Justice;
in Scotland - the Court of Session;
in Northern Ireland - the Supreme Court of Judicature;
and any other territory in respect of which they are a Party to the Convention - the Supreme Court of the territory concerned.
The question whether effect is to be given to a judgment in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 21 may however also be justifiable in other civil courts in the exercise of their normal jurisdiction."
Declaration made upon ratification:
"I have the honor to inform you that simultaneously an instrument of ratification of the International Convention for the Unification of certain Rules concerning the Immunity of State-owned Ships, done at Brussels on 10 April 1926, and of the Protocol supplementary thereto, done at Brussels on 24 May 1934, is being deposited with the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium. This instrument of ratification, signed by Her Majesty The Queen in respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, contains the following reservations:
"We reserve the right to apply Article 1 of the Convention to any claim in respect of a ship which falls within the Admiralty jurisdiction of Our courts, or of Our courts in any territory in respect of which We are party to the Convention.
We reserve the right, with respect to Article 2 of the Convention, to apply in proceedings concerning another High Contracting Party or ship of another High Contracting Party the rules of procedure set out in Chapter II of the European Convention on State Immunity, signed at Basle on the Sixteenth day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Nine hundred and Seventy-two.
In order to give effect to the terms of any international agreement with a non-Contracting State, We reserve the right to make special provision
a. as regards the delay or arrest of a ship or cargo belonging to such a State, and
b. to prohibit seizure of or execution against such a ship or cargo.""
Declaration made upon ratification:
"In pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 19, the United Kingdom hereby declare that their courts, and the courts of any territory in respect of which they are a Party to the Convention, shall not be bound by the provisions of paragraph 1 of that Article."