Algeria
Bulgaria16
Cuba
Denmark
Egypt
Finland
Ghana
Guatemala
Haiti
Hungary
Poland17,18
Romania19
Russian Federation20
Senegal
Singapore1
Sweden
Syrian Arab Republic
Tunisia
Uganda
United Republic of Tanzania21
On 3 November 1999, the Government of Singapore informed the Secretary-General that it had decided to denounce the Convention [with effect from 3 February 2001 in accordance with its article 17 (2)]. It will be recalled that the Government of Singapore had, on 12 July 1999, communicated to the Secretary-General, the following reservation:
“... the Government of the Republic of Singapore wishes to make a reservation to article 3 of the [Convention]."
Subsequently, the Secretary-General received objections to the reservation from the following Governments on the dates indicated hereinafter:
Finland (22 October 1999)
[The Government of Finland] notes that, according to the well-established rule under the international law of treaties, codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, reservations to treaties are only allowed when signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to a treaty. Under international law, after a State has bound itself by a treaty it can no longer submit reservations.
The Government of Finland therefore objects to the aforesaid reservation made by the Government of Singapore to the Convention concerning Customs Facilities for Touring.”
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (22 October 1999):
“As it is well established in international law that, in the absence of express provision in the treaty itself, a party may not formulate a reservation to a treaty by which it is already bound, the United Kingdom is unable to agree that the reservation referred to above be accepted for deposit.”
Consequently, the reservation in question is not accepted, the Governments of Finland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland having objected thereto.
On 16 June 1975, the Government of Switzerland declared that the provisions of the Convention apply to the Principality of Liechtenstein so long as it is linked to Switzerland by a customs union treaty.
In a communication received by the Secretary-General on 9 August 1966, the Government of the Netherlands proposed an amendment to article 2, paragraph 3 of the Convention to the effect that the words "one portable television set" be inserted after the words "one portable wireless receiving set". The text of the proposed amendment was circulated by the Secretary-General to all contracting States on 6 September 1966. No objection having been expressed to the proposed amendment within the period of six months from the date of the circulation of its text by any of the contracting States, the amendment is deemed to have been accepted, in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 23 of the Convention. Pursuant to paragraph 3 of the same article, the amendment entered into force for all contracting States three months after the expiration of the said period of six months, that is to say, on 6 June 1967.
Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, Fifteenth Session, Supplement No. 1 (E/2419), p. 9.
On 29 September and on 19 October 1999, the Secretary-General received communications regarding the status of Macao from China and Portugal (see also note 3 under “China” and note 1 under “Portgual” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume). Upon resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Macao, China notified the Secretary-General that the Convention will continue to apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region
The Secretary-General, received on 6 and 10 June 1997 communications regarding the status of Hong Kong from China and the United Kingdom of Great Brtiain and Northern Ireland (see also note 2 under “China” and note 2 under “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume). Upon resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, China notified the Secretary-General that the Convention will continue to apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Republic of Viet-Nam had acceded to the Convention on 31 January 1956. See also note 1under “Viet Nam” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
The former Yugoslavia had acceeded to the Convention on 10 July 1958. See also note 1 under “Bosnia and Herzegovina”, “Croatia”, “former Yugoslavia”, “Slovenia”, “The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and “Yugoslavia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
See note 1 under “Germany” regarding Berlin (West) in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
See note 2 under “Germany” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
In a notification received on 4 April 1974, the Government of Greece stated that it accepted the decisions, recommendations and dec- larations contained in the Final Act of the Conference.
See note 1 under "Montenegro" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.
See note 1 under “Netherlands” regarding Aruba/Netherlands Antilles in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
See note 1 under “New Zealand” regarding Tokelau in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
Notification by the United Arab Republic. See also note 1 under “United Arab Republic” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
The Governments of Italy and Switzerland have notified the Secretary-General that they object to this reservation. The Government of the United States of America has notified the Secretary-General that it has no objection to this reservation, but "considers that it may, and hereby states that it will, apply the aforesaid reservation reciprocally with respect to Bulgaria".
Subsequently, in a notification received on 6 May 1994, the Government of Bulgaria notified the Secretary-General that it had decided to withdraw the reservation made upon accession with regard to article 21 (2) and (3). For the text of the reservation, see United Nations, Treaty Series , vol. 348, p. 358.
On 16 October 1997, the Government of Poland notified the Secretary-General that it had decided to withdraw its reservation with regard to article 21 of the Convention made upon accession. For the text of the reservation see United Nations, Treaty Series , vol. 367, p. 334. (See also note 13.)
The Governments of Italy and Switzerland have notified the Secretary-General that they object to these reservations.
The Governments of Switzerland and the Republic of Viet-Nam informed the Secretary-General that they object to this reservation. The Government of the United States of America informed the Secretary-General that it has no objection to this reservation but "considers that it may and hereby states that it will apply this reservation reciprocally with respect to Romania".
The Governments of Italy and Switzerland have notified the Secretary-General that they object to this reservation. The Government of the United States of America has notified the Secretary-General that it has no objection to this reservation, but "considers that it may and hereby states that it will apply this reservation reciprocally with respect to the Soviet Union". The Government of Yugoslavia has informed the Secretary-General that it does not object to this reservation subject to the provisions of paragraph 7 of article 20 of the Convention.
In a communication received on 2 August 1965, the Government of Portugal notified the Secretary-General that, in accordance with paragraph 7 of article 20 and paragraph 7 of article 14, respectively, of the Convention and Additional Protocol, Portugal reserves the right of not extending to the United Republic of Tanzania the benefit of those provisions of the Convention and the Additional Protocol to which apply the reservations made upon accession by the United Republic of Tanzania.
This Convention is applicable to the Territory of the Belgian Congo and to the Trust Territory of Ruanda-Urundi, subject to the following reservations:
(1) The temporary importation of firearms and their ammunition cannot be considered without a temporary importation document (article 2 of the Convention);
(2) The exemption in the case of wine, spirits, toilet water and perfume must continue to be limited to opened containers and subject, in the case of alcoholic beverages in particular, to the observance of the legal provisions in force (article 3 of the Convention);
(3) Worked ivory and objects of indigenous art must be excluded from the operation of the Convention (article 4).
The Government of Rwanda notified the Secretary-General of its succession to the Convention on 1 December 1964. Subsequently, in a communication received on 10 February 1965, the Government of Rwanda informed the Secretary-General that it did not intend to maintain any of the above-mentioned reservations.
[As concerns Malta] "The definition of `Personal effects' contained in paragraph 3 of article 2 of the Convention shall not include `one portable wireless set'."
On 3 January 1966, the Government of Malta notified the Secretary-General of its succession to the Convention. In a communication received on 28 February 1966, the Government of Malta notified the Secretary-General that it did not intend to maintain the said reservation, which had been made on its behalf by the Government of the United Kingdom at the time of the notification of the extension of the Convention to Malta.
"(i) The Governments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika shall not be bound by article 2 of the Convention in so far as it refers to portable musical instruments, portable gramophones with records, portable sound-recording apparatus, non-powered bicycles and sporting firearms with cartridges, but undertake to allow the temporary importation of these articles in accordance with the temporary importation permit procedure.
"(ii) The Governments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika shall not be bound by article 3 of the Convention but undertake to grant reasonable concessions in respect of the items referred to therein.
"(iii) The Governments of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika shall not be bound by article 4 of the Convention and reserve the right to require a temporary importation permit in respect of the articles referred to therein."
For the reservations made on accession by the Governments of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, see under "Declarations and Reservations".