IP Treaties Collection

Declaration made upon ratification:
"1. The French Republic reiterates the declaration that it made upon the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity concerning article 16 on the transfer of technology, with regard to the implementation of articles l and 23 of the Protocol.
2. The French Republic recalls the terms of decision UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/ XII/12 of 25 June 2014 in connection with the use of the term 'indigenous peoples and local communities' instead of the term 'indigenous and local communities' found in various provisions of the Protocol:
- The use of the term 'indigenous peoples and local communities' in future decisions and all secondary documents under the Protocol shall have no effect on the legal meaning of the articles of the Protocol that use the term 'indigenous and local communities';
- The use of the term 'indigenous peoples and local communities' cannot be interpreted as implying for any Party the amendment of rights or obligations under the Protocol;
- The use of the term 'indigenous peoples and local communities' in future decisions and all secondary documents shall not serve as a context for the interpretation of the Protocol, or a subsequent agreement nor subsequent practice, among the Parties to the Protocol, within the meaning of article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the law of treaties of 23 May 1969, which codifies customary international law in this area.
With reference to the declaration that it made during the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of 13 September 2007, France would recall that, in accordance with the constitutional principles of the indivisibility of the Republic and the unity of the French people, the French people is composed of all French citizens without distinction based on origin, race or religion. Under those principles and the principle of the equality of citizens before the law, only the French people as a whole can be granted rights."