Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations

Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations
General Convention
Signed	13 February 1946
Location	New York City,United States
Effective	17 September 1946
Condition	1 ratification
Ratifiers	162
Depositary	Secretary-General of the United Nations
Languages	FrenchandEnglish

TheConvention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nationsis a Convention passed by theUnited Nations General Assemblyon 13 February 1946 in New York.^[1]It is sometimes referred to as theNew York Convention.It defines numerous issues relating to the status of theUnited Nations,its assets, and officials, in terms of the privileges and immunities that must be granted to them by itsmember states.As of February 2016^[update],it has been ratified by 162 of the 193 UN member states.^[2]

On 21 November 1947, theConvention on Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencieswas adopted by GA resolution 179(II) to extend similar privileges to thespecialized agenciesof the UN. This convention has been ratified by 127 states.^{[citation needed]}

Key provisions[edit]

Establishesjuridical personalityof the UN (Art. I)
UN premises shall be inviolable, and UN property shall be immune from search, requisition, confiscation etc. (Art. II)
UN shall be exempt from taxes and customs duties as well as prohibitions and restrictions on imports and exports (Art. II)
Diplomatic immunityof communications and mail (pouch) (Art. III)
Functional immunityof delegates (Art. IV), officials (Art. V) and experts (Art. VI)
Recognition ofUnited Nations Laissez-Passer(Art. VII)

The conventions are in force"with regard to each State which has deposited an instrument of accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations as from the date of its deposit",i.e. not merely by a state's membership in the UN. Twenty-three states have accepted the conventions only with some reservations.

References[edit]

Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations

Original texton theUnited Nationswebsite
Dates of accession, Declarations and Reservations

Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Introductory note by August Reinisch and procedural history noteon theConvention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nationsand theConvention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agenciesin theHistoric Archives of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
Status Page of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations in the UN website

[1] "United Nations Treaty Collection".

[2] "Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations".

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