Recommendations of the Cagliari Conference

Recommendation 1.7 on a Protocol on amendment procedures

The 1st Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties
Cagliari, Italy
24-29 November 1980

Recommendation 1.7: [A protocol on amendment procedures]

The Conference

CONSIDERING that it is indispensable for the effectiveness of the Ramsar Convention to increase the number of Contracting Parties;

AWARE that the addition of authentic or official language versions would facilitate the adherence of certain states to the Convention;

CONSIDERING furthermore that the text of the Convention does not provide for an amendment procedure, which makes it difficult to amend the text as may be considered necessary;

RECOMMENDS that priority be given to the elaboration of a protocol with the following elements:

1. The addition of authentic or official language versions of the Convention based upon the United Nations practice (and without prejudice to the provisions relating to the working languages to be adopted by the Conference of the Parties);

2. An amendment procedure based upon that under Article X of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species;

3. A procedure for the entry into force of the protocol between the Contracting Parties to the Convention; and a procedure relating to the effects of this protocol towards new Parties;

WELCOMES the offer of the United Kingdom Government to

• prepare a draft protocol to that effect;
• send it to the Contracting Parties for comments;
• undertake any necessary adjustments to the draft in the light of comments; and
• explore in consultation with the Contracting Parties and the Depositary the most expedient procedures for adopting the protocol;

REQUESTS IUCN in the performance of its continuing bureau function to assist as far as possible the Government of the United Kingdom in this task and in the consultations to be undertaken;

CONSIDERS moreover that the protocol, whatever the method of adoption, should be adopted unanimously or by consensus of the Contracting Parties taking part in that adoption; and

RECOMMENDS that the protocol should enter into force when a relatively large number of States (two thirds of the Contracting Parties) have adopted it according to their internal legal procedures.

For more information about the Recommendations of the Cagliari COP or the Ramsar Convention itself, please contact: the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 5 March 1997, updated 30 March 2000, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.