Zaudējis spēku - Par 1982.gada 15.jūlija Eiropas satelīttelekomunikāciju organizācijas "EUTELSAT" konvenciju un Darbības līgumu

Zaudējis spēku - Par 1982.gada 15.jūlija Eiropas satelīttelekomunikāciju organizācijas "EUTELSAT" konvenciju un Darbības līgumu Uzmanību! Jūs lietojat neatbilstošu interneta pārlūkprogrammu. Lai varētu lietot visas Likumi.lv piedāvātās iespējas, piedāvājam BEZ MAKSAS ielādēt jaunāku pārlūkprogrammas versiju. Iesakām izmēģināt arī vietnes MOBILO VERSIJU - m.likumi.lv (piemērota arī mazāk jaudīgiem datoriem). nerādīt turpmāk šo paziņojumu Apstiprināt Paldies par viedokli!   Rādīt vēlāk LATVIJAS REPUBLIKAS TIESĪBU AKTI veidi tēmas visvairāk skatītie jaunākie LV  EN uz sākumu meklēt Izvērstā meklēšana Noklusējuma vērtības Izvērstā meklēšana Kā meklēt? Meklēt nosaukumā meklēt locījumos meklēt frāzi Meklēt tekstā meklēt locījumos meklēt frāzi Izdevējs Veids nemeklēt grozījumos Pieņemts Stājas spēkā Dokumenta Nr. līdz līdz Publicēts LV Zaudējis spēku Redakcija uz līdz līdz Statuss: spēkā esošs vēl nav spēkā zaudējis spēku meklēt notīrīt Tiesību akts ir zaudējis spēku. Saeima ir pieņēmusi un Valsts prezidents izsludina šādu likumu: Par 1982.gada 15.jūlija Eiropas satelīttelekomunikāciju organizācijas "EUTELSAT" konvenciju un Darbības līgumu 1.pants. 1982.gada 15.jūlijā Parīzē parakstītā Eiropas satelīttelekomunikāciju organizācijas "EUTELSAT" konvencija (turpmāk - Konvencija) un Darbības līgums, kā arī 1995.gadā Hāgā Pušu Asamblejas 18.sēdē pieņemtais Konvencijas XIX panta "c" punkta grozījums, 1996.gadā Parīzē Pušu Asamblejas 19.sēdē pieņemtie Konvencijas II, X, XI, XVI un XVIII panta grozījumi (turpmāk - Konvencijas grozījumi), 1995.gadā Budapeštā Parakstītāju valdes 58.sēdē pieņemtais Darbības līguma 22.panta "e" punkta grozījums un 1996.gadā Parīzē Parakstītāju valdes 62.sēdē pieņemtais 15.panta grozījums (turpmāk - Darbības līguma grozījumi) ar šo likumu tiek pieņemti un apstiprināti. 2.pants. Likums stājas spēkā tā izsludināšanas dienā. Līdz ar šo likumu izsludināma Konvencija, Darbības līgums, Konvencijas grozījumi un Darbības līguma grozījumi angļu valodā un to tulkojums latviešu valodā. 3.pants. Konvencija un Darbības līgums stājas spēkā Konvencijas XXII panta "c" punktā un Darbības līguma 23.pantā noteiktajā laikā un kārtībā, un Ārlietu ministrija par to paziņo laikrakstā "Latvijas Vēstnesis". 4.pants. Konvencijas grozījumi un Darbības līguma grozījumi stājas spēkā Konvencijas XIX pantā un Darbības līguma 22.pantā noteiktajā laikā un kārtībā, un Ārlietu ministrija par to paziņo laikrakstā "Latvijas Vēstnesis". Likums Saeimā pieņemts 1999.gada 28.oktobrī. Valsts prezidente V.Vīķe-Freiberga Rīgā 1999.gada 16.novembrī Convention Establishing The European Telecommunications Satellite Organization "EUTELSAT" PREAMBLE The States Parties to this Convention, Underlining the importance of telecommunications by satellite for the development of relations between their peoples and their economies, and their desire to strengthen their co-operation in this field, Noting that the Provisional European Telecommunications Satellite Organization "INTERIM EUTELSAT" was established for the purpose of operating space segments of European telecommunications satellite systems, Considering the relevant provisions of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, done at London, Moscow and Washington on 27 January 1967, Wishing to continue the establishment of these telecommunications satellite systems as part of an improved European telecommunications network for providing expanded telecommunications services to all participating States and this without prejudice to any rights and obligations of the States which are parties to the Agreement relating to the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization "INTELSAT", done at Washington on 20 August 1971, or to the Convention on the International Maritime Telecommunications Satellite Organization "INMARSAT", done at London on 3 September 1976, Determined, to this end, to provide, through the most appropriate space telecommunications technology available, the most efficient and economic facilities possible consistent with the most efficient and equitable use of the radio-frequency spectrum and of orbital space, Agree as follows: Article I Definitions For the purposes of this Convention: a) "Convention" means the Convention establishing the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization "EUTELSAT", including its Preamble and its Annexes, opened for signature by Governments at Paris on 15 July 1982; b) "Operating Agreement" means the Operating Agreement relating to the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization "EUTELSAT", including its Preamble and its Annexes, opened for signature at Paris on 15 July 1982; c) "Provisional Agreement" means the Agreement on the Constitution of a Provisional European Telecommunications Satellite Organization "INTERIM EUTELSAT", done at Paris on 13 May 1977 between Administrations or Recognized Private Operating Agencies and deposited with the French Administration; d) "ECS Agreement" means the Supplementary Agreement to the Provisional Agreement relating to the space segment of the Satellite Telecommunications System for the Fixed Service (ECS), done at Paris or 10 March 1978; e) "Party" means a State for which the Convention has entered into force or has been provisionally applied; f) "Signatory" means the telecommunications entity or the Party which has signed the Operating Agreement and for which it has entered into force or has been provisionally applied; g) "Space segment" means a set of telecommunications satellites, and the tracking, telemetering, command, control, monitoring and related facilities and equipment for the operational support of those satellites; h) "EUTELSAT Space Segment" means the space segment owned or leased by EUTELSAT for the purpose of the objectives listed under paragraphs a), b), c) and e) of Article III of the Convention; i) "Satellite telecommunications system" means the unit formed by a space segment and the earth stations having access to that space segment; j) "Telecommunications" means any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature, by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems; k) "Public telecommunications services" means fixed or mobile telecommunications services which can be provided by satellite and which are available to the public, such as telephony, telegraphy, telex, facsimile, data transmission, videotex, transmission of radio and television programmes between approved earth stations having access to the EUTELSAT Space Segment for further transmission to the public; multiservices transmissions, and leased circuits to be used in any of these services; l) "Specialized telecommunications services" means telecommunications services which can be provided by satellite, other than those defined in paragraph k) of this Article, including, but not limited to, radio-navigation services, broadcasting satellite services, space research services, meteorological services, and remote sensing of earth resources. Article II Establishment of EUTELSAT a) The Parties hereby establish the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization "EUTELSAT", hereinafter referred to as "EUTELSAT". b) Each Party shall designate to sign the Operating Agreement one or more entities subject to its jurisdiction, unless such Party itself signs the Operating Agreement. Each Party shall ensure that any entity designated by it is licensed to operate telecommunications services and has declared its intention to utilize the EUTELSAT Space Segment and to support the activities of EUTELSAT. c) Telecommunications Administrations and entities may, subject to applicable domestic law, negotiate and enter directly into traffic agreements for their use of telecommunications facilities provided under the Convention and the Operating Agreement, as well as for services to the public, installations, division of revenues and related business arrangements. d) The relevant provisions of Annex A to the Convention shall apply for the purpose of ensuring continuity between the activities of INTERIM EUTELSAT and those of EUTELSAT. Article III Scope of EUTELSAT activities a) The main purpose of EUTELSAT shall be the design, development construction, establishment, operation and maintenance of the space segment of the European telecommunications satellite system or systems In this context, EUTELSAT shall have as its prime objective the provision of the space segment required for international public telecommunications services in Europe. b) The EUTELSAT Space Segment shall also be made available on the same basis as international public telecommunications services for domestic public telecommunications services in Europe, either between areas separated by areas separated by areas which do not fall under the jurisdiction of the same Party or between areas falling under the jurisdiction of the same Party but separated by the high seas. c) As long as the ability of EUTELSAT to achieve its prime objective is not impaired, the EUTELSAT Space Segment may also be made available for other domestic or international public telecommunications services. d) In the implementation of its activities EUTELSAT shall apply the principle of non-discrimination as between Signatories. e) On request and under appropriate terms and conditions, the EUTELSAT Space Segment, existing or being implemented at the time of such a request, may also be utilized in Europe for specialized telecommunications services either international or domestic as defined in paragraph 1) of Article I of the Convention, but not for military purposes, provided that: i) the provision of public telecommunications services is not unfavourably affected, and ii) the arrangements are otherwise acceptable from a technical and economic point of view. f) EUTELSAT may, on request and under appropriate terms and conditions, provide satellites and associated equipment separate from those for the EUTELSAT Space Segment for: i) domestic public telecommunications services; ii) international public telecommunications services; iii) specialized telecommunications services, other than for military purposes ; provided that the efficient and economic operation of the EUTELSAT Space Segment is not unfavourably affected in any way. g) EUTELSAT may undertake any research and experimentation in fields directly connected with its purposes. Article IV Legal Personality a) EUTELSAT shall have legal personality. b) EUTELSAT shall enjoy the full capacity necessary for the exercise of its functions and the achievement of its purposes, and may in particular: i) enter into contracts; ii) acquire, lease, hold and dispose of movable and immovable property; iii) be a party to legal proceedings; iv) conclude agreements with States or international organizations. Article V Financial Principles a) EUTELSAT shall own or lease the EUTELSAT Space Segment and shall own all other property acquired by EUTELSAT. The Signatories shall be responsible for financing EUTELSAT. b) EUTELSAT shall operate on a sound economic and financial basis having regard to accepted commercial principles. c) Each Signatory shall have a financial interest in EUTELSAT in proportion to its investment share and this shall correspond to its percentage of all utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment by all Signatories as determined under the Operating Agreement. However, no Signatory, even if its utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment is nil, shall have an investment share less than the minimum investment share specified in the Operating Agreement. d) Each Signatory shall contribute to the capital requirements of EUTELSAT and shall receive capital repayment and compensation for use of capital in accordance with the Operating Agreement. e) All users of the EUTELSAT Space Segment shall pay utilization charges determined in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and the Operating Agreement. i) The rates of utilization charge for each type of utilization shall be the same for all public or private telecommunications entities in territories under the jurisdiction of Parties, which apply for space segment capacity for that type of utilization. ii) For public or private telecommunications entities authorized to utilize the EUTELSAT Space Segment under Article 16 of the Operating Agreement for territories which are not under the jurisdiction of a Party, the Board of Signatories may determine rates of utilization charge different from those referred to in subparagraph i) above, but the same rate shall be applied to these entities for the same type of utilization. f) The satellites and separate associated equipment referred to in paragraph f) of Article Ill of the Convention may, by the unanimous decision of the Board of Signatories, be financed by EUTELSAT. Otherwise they shall be financed by those requesting them on terms and conditions set by the Board of Signatories with a view to covering at least all relevant costs borne by EUTELSAT, which costs shall not be considered as part of the capital requirements of EUTELSAT as defined in paragraph b) of Article 4 of the Operating Agreement. Such satellites and associated equipment do not form part of the EUTELSAT Space Segment within the meaning of paragraph h) of Article I of the Convention. Article VI Structure of EUTELSAT a) EUTELSAT shall have the following organs: i) the Assembly of Parties; ii) the Board of Signatories ; iii) an executive organ, headed by a Director General. b) Each organ shall act within the limits of the powers that are conferred upon it by the Convention or by the Operating Agreement. No organ shall act such a way as to harm the exercise by another organ of the powers vested it by the Convention or by the Operating Agreement. Article VII Assembly of Parties - Composition and Meetings a) The Assembly of Parties shall be composed of all the Parties. b) A Party may be represented by another Party in a meeting of the Assembly of Parties, but no Party may represent more than two other Parties. c) The first ordinary meeting of the Assembly of Parties shall be convened by the Director General within one year after the date on which the Convention enters into force. Ordinary meetings shall thereafter be held every two years unless the Assembly of Parties decides at an ordinary meeting that the following meeting shall be held at a different interval. d) The Assembly of Parties may also hold extraordinary meetings at the request of one or more Parties supported by at least one-third of the Parties or at the request of the Board of Signatories. Such a request shall state the purpose of the meeting. e) Each Party shall meet its own costs of representation at meetings of the Assembly of Parties. Expenses of meetings of the Assembly of Parties shall be regarded as an administrative cost of EUTELSAT for the purpose of Article 9 of the Operating Agreement. Article VIII Assembly of Parties - Procedure a) Each Party shall have one vote in the Assembly of Parties. Parties abstaining from voting shall be considered as not voting. b) Decisions on matters of substance shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by at least two-thirds of the Parties present or represented and voting. A Party which represents one or two other Parties under paragraph b) of Article VII of the Convention may vote separately for each Party it represents. c) Decisions on procedural matters shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by a simple majority of the Parties present and voting, each having one vote. d) A quorum for any meeting of the Assembly of Parties shall consist of representatives of a simple majority of all the Parties, provided that not less than one-third of all the Parties are present. e) The Assembly of Parties shall adopt its rules of procedure, which shall be consistent with the provisions of the Convention and which, in particular shall include provisions for: i) election of its Chairman and other officers; ii) convening of meetings; iii) representation and accreditation; iv) voting procedures. Article IX Assembly of Parties - Functions a) The Assembly of Parties, which may concern itself with any aspect of EUTELSAT which affects the interests of the Parties, shall have the following functions: i) to give consideration to the general policy and long-term objectives of EUTELSAT consistent with the principles, objectives and scope of activities of EUTELSAT, as provided for in the Convention, and to express views or make recommendations, thereon to the Board of Signatories; ii) to recommend to the Board of Signatories appropriate measures to prevent the activities of EUTELSAT from conflicting with any general multilateral convention which is consistent with the Convention and which is acceded to by at least a simple majority of the Parties; iii) to authorize, through general rules or by specific decisions on the recommendation of the Board of Signatories: A) the utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment for specialized telecommunications services in accordance with paragraph e) of Article III of the Convention; B) the provision of satellites and associated equipment separate from the EUTELSAT Space Segment for specialized telecommunications services in accordance with subparagraph iii) of paragraph f) of Article III of the Convention; C) the provision of satellites and associated equipment separate from the EUTELSAT Space Segment for public telecommunications services in accordance with subparagraphs i) and ii) of paragraph f) of Article III of the Convention to States which are not Parties and to any entity under the jurisdiction of such States. iv) to decide on other recommendations of the Board of Signatories and express views on reports submitted to it by the Board of Signatories; v) to express, under paragraph a) of Article XVI of the Convention, its views on the intended establishment, acquisition or utilization of space segment equipment separate from that of the EUTELSAT Space Segment; vi) to take decisions on formal relations between EUTELSAT and States whether Parties or not, or international organizations, and in particular to approve the Headquarters Agreement mentioned in paragraph c) of Article XVII of the Convention; vii) to consider complaints submitted to it by Parties; viii) to take decisions, under paragraph b) of Article XVIII of the Convention, about the withdrawal of a Party from EUTELSAT; ix) to decide upon any proposal for amendment to the Convention under Article XIX of the Convention, taking into account any views or recommendations received from the Board of Signatories and in accordance with Article 22 of the Operating Agreement to propose amendments to the Operating Agreement and express its views and make recommendations on amendments to the Operating Agreement proposed otherwise; x) to decide upon any request for accession made in accordance with paragraph e) of Article XXIII of the Convention. b) The Assembly of Parties shall exercise any function necessary for the performance of EUTELSAT's purpose that is not expressly attributed to another organ under the Convention. c) In performing its functions the Assembly of Parties shall take into account any relevant recommendations of the Board of Signatories. Article X Board of Signatories - Composition a) The Board of Signatories shall be composed of Board Members, each Board Member representing at least one Signatory whose investment share is not less than 0.1 percent of the total investment shares. b) A Signatory, whether or not a Board Member, may be represented by another Signatory being a Board Member, but no Board Member may represent more than four other Signatories. Article XI Board of Signatories - Procedure a) Each Signatory shall have a voting participation equal to its investment share subject to the application of paragraphs b), c) and d) of this Article. Signatories abstaining from voting shall be considered as not voting. b) Until the first determination of investment shares based on utilization under paragraph d) of Article 6 of the Operating Agreement, the investment share on which a Signatory's voting participation is based shall be determined in accordance with Annex B to the Operating Agreement. After the first determination of investment shares based on utilization, the investment share on which a Signatory's voting participation is based shall be derived from the utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment by that Signatory for international and domestic public telecommunications services, subject to the exceptions stated in paragraphs c) and d) of this Article. c) No Signatory shall have more than 20 per cent of the total voting participation in EUTELSAT. However, the increase of investment shares voluntarily acquired by a Signatory until the operational use of the extension under paragraph d) of Article 4 of the Operating Agreement shall, for this period, augment the voting participation of that Signatory by a maximum of 5 per cent, regardless of the 20 per cent limit mentioned in this paragraph. To the extent that the voting participation of any Signatory would otherwise have exceeded the permissible voting participation, the excess shall be distributed equally among other Signatories. d) For the purpose of paragraph b) of this Article, whenever a Signatory is granted a smaller or greater investment share under paragraph h) of Article 6 of the Operating Agreement, the reduction or increase shall be applied proportionately to all types of utilization. e) The voting participation of each Signatory, defined in paragraph a) of this Article, shall be calculated in accordance with the determination of its investment share under Article 6 of the Operating Agreement. Any recalculation of its voting participation shall take effect from the effective date of redetermination of its investment share under paragraph e) of Article 6 of the Operating Agreement. f) A quorum for any meeting of the Board of Signatories shall consist either of a simple majority of all Board Members (as defined in paragraph a) of Article X) having the right to vote, provided that that majority have at least two-thirds of the total voting participation of all the Board Members having the right to vote, or of Board Members representing the total number of Board Members having the right to vote minus three, regardless of the voting participation the latter represent. g) The Board of Signatories shall try to take decisions unanimously. Otherwise decisions shall be taken as follows: i) subject to the special provisions in subparagraphs ii) and iii) of this paragraph, decisions on matters of substance shall be taken: • either by an affirmative vote of Board Members representing at least four Signatories having at least two-thirds of the total voting participation of all the Signatories who have the right to have their voting participation taken into account, • or by an affirmative vote cast by at least the total number of Signatories present or represented minus three, regardless of the voting participation the latter represent; ii) decisions on any adjustment of the capital ceiling which might be required to meet the objectives specified in paragraphs a) and b) of Article III of the Convention shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by at least a simple majority of the Signatories present or represented and having at least two-thirds of the total voting participation; iii) decisions on any adjustment of the capital ceiling which might be required to undertake new program's involving capital investments which are required to meet objectives other than those specified in paragraphs a) and b) of Article III of the Convention shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by at least two-thirds of the Signatories present or represented and having at least two-thirds of the total voting participation; iv) decisions on procedural matters shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by a simple majority of the Board Members present and voting, each having one vote; v) except in the case of decisions to be taken under subparagraph iv) of this paragraph, a Board Member to whom representation has been delegated under paragraph b) of Article X of the Convention may vote separately for each Signatory he represents. h) The Board of Signatories shall adopt its rules of procedure, which shall be consistent with the provisions of the Convention and which, in particular, shall include provisions for: i) election of its Chairman and other officers; ii) convening of meetings; iii) representation and accreditation; iv) voting procedures. i) The Board of Signatories may create Advisory Committees to assist it in performing its functions. j) The first meeting of the Board of Signatories shall be convened in accordance with paragraph I of Annex A to the Operating Agreement. The Board of Signatories shall thereafter meet as necessary but at least three times a year. Article XII Board of Signatories - Functions a) The Board of Signatories shall have the responsibility for the design, development, construction, establishment, acquisition by purchase or lease, operation and maintenance of the EUTELSAT Space Segment and for any other activities which EUTELSAT is authorized to undertake. b) The Board of Signatories shall carry out those functions necessary to discharge its responsibilities under paragraph a) of this Article, including but not limited to: i) adoption of policies, plans, programmes and procedures for the design, development, construction, establishment, acquisition, operation and maintenance of the EUTELSAT Space Segment and any other activities which EUTELSAT is authorized to undertake; ii) adoption of procurement procedures, regulations and contract terms and conditions, as well as approval of procurement contracts; iii) adoption and implementation of management arrangements requiring the Director General to contract for technical and operational or other functions whenever this is advantageous to EUTELSAT; iv) adoption of policies and procedures for the acquisition, protection and licensing of intellectual property rights, consistent with Article 18 of the Operating Agreement; v) adoption of financial policies and regulations, approval of budgets and annual financial statements, as well as general rules and adoption of specific decisions on the periodic determination of charges for utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment in accordance with Article V of the Convention and Article 8 of the Operating Agreement and decisions with respect to all other financial matters, consistent with the Convention and the Operating Agreement; vi) adoption of criteria arid procedures for approval of standard earth stations for access to the EUTELSAT Space Segment, for verification and monitoring of performance characteristics of these earth stations and for co-ordination of earth station access to and utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment; vii) approval of non-standard earth stations for access to the EUTELSAT Space Segment; viii) adoption of terms and conditions governing the allotment of EUTELSAT Space Segment capacity; ix) establishment of terms and conditions for access to the EUTELSAT Space Segment by telecommunications entities which are not under the jurisdiction of a Party, consistent with Article Ill of the Convention; x) decisions on arrangements for overdrafts and loans under Article 11 of the Operating Agreement; xi) establishment of general internal rules and adoption of decisions which, in accordance with the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union concerning radio-frequency spectrum management and orbital space efficiency and economy, may be appropriate in order to ensure that the operation of the EUTELSAT Space Segment or of other satellite and associated equipment provided by EUTELSAT under paragraph f) of Article III of the Convention, is in compliance with those Radio Regulations; xii) submission of recommendations to the Assembly of Parties concerning authorizations in accordance with subparagraph iii) of paragraph a) of Article IX of the Convention; xiii) tendering of advice to the Assembly of Parties under paragraph a) of Article XVI of the Convention, about the intended establishment, acquisition or utilization of space segment equipment separate from the EUTELSAT Space Segment; xiv) establishment of general internal rules and adoption of decisions about co-ordination of the EUTELSAT Space Segment with the space segments of INTELSAT and INMARSAT, in accordance with the provisions in the respective agreements of those organizations; xv) action required on withdrawals and suspensions under Article XVIII of the Convention and Article 21 of the Operating Agreement; xvi) appointment and removal from office of the Director General, and, upon the recommendation of the Director General, determination of the number, status, and terms and conditions of employment of all staff of the executive organ under paragraph e) of Article XIII of the Convention, and approval of the appointment by the Director General of senior officers reporting directly to him; xvii) designation of a senior officer of the executive organ to serve as Acting Director General whenever the Director General is absent or is unable to discharge his duties, or if the office of Director General becomes vacant; xviii) direction of the negotiations with the Party in whose territory the Headquarters of EUTELSAT is situated, of the Headquarters Agreement on privileges, exemptions and immunities mentioned in paragraph c) of Article XVII of the Convention, and its submission to the Assembly of Parties for approval; xix) submission of periodic reports on the activities of EUTELSAT to the Assembly of Parties; xx) provision of such information as may be required by any Party or Signatory to enable it to discharge its obligations under the Convention or the Operating Agreement; xxi) designation of an arbitrator where EUTELSAT is party to an arbitration; xxii) expression of its views and recommendations to the Assembly of Parties on proposed amendments to the Convention under paragraph a) of Article XIX of the Convention; xxiii) decisions under Article 22 of the Operating Agreement on amendments to the Operating Agreement which are consistent with the Convention; xxiv) examination of applications for accession and recommendations thereon to the Assembly of Parties under paragraph d) of Article XXIII of the Convention. c) In performing its functions the Board of Signatories shall take due account of recommendations and views addressed to it by the Assembly of Parties under Article IX of the Convention. Article XIII Executive Organ a) The executive organ shall be headed by a Director General appointed by the Board of Signatories, subject to confirmation by the Parties. The Depository shall immediately notify the Parties of the appointment. The appointment is confirmed unless within sixty days of the notification more than one-third of the Parties have informed the Depository in writing of their objection. The Director General may assume his functions after appointment on a date determined by the Board of Signatories and pending confirmation of his appointment. b) The term of office of the Director General shall be six years, unless otherwise decided by the Board of Signatories. c) The Board of Signatories may remove the Director General for cause before the end of his term of office, and shall report to the Assembly of Parties the reasons for removal. d) The Director General shall be the chief executive and legal representative of EUTELSAT. He shall act under the direction of the Board of Signatories and shall be directly responsible to it for the performance of all functions of the executive organ. e) The structure and staff levels of the executive organ, the terms and conditions of employment of all staff, and the conditions of employment of any consultants or other advisers engaged by the Director General shall be submitted to the Board of Signatories for approval. f) The Director General shall have the power to appoint all staff of the executive organ. The appointment of senior officers reporting directly to the Director General shall, however, be approved by the Board of Signatories as provided in subparagraph xvi) of paragraph b) of Article XII of the Convention. g) During any vacancy in the office of the Director General or when he is absent or unable to discharge his duties, the Acting Director General, duly designated under subparagraph xvii) of paragraph b) of Article XII of the Convention, shall have the capacity to exercise the powers of the Director General under the Convention and the Operating Agreement. h) The paramount consideration in the appointment of the Director General and other staff of the executive organ shall be the need to ensure the highest standards of integrity, competence and efficiency. i) The Director General and the staff of the executive organ shall refrain from any action incompatible with their responsibilities to EUTELSAT. Article XIV Procurement a) The procurement policy of EUTELSAT shall be such as to encourage, in its interests and those of the Parties and Signatories, the widest possible competition in the supply of goods and services, and shall be applied taking into account the provisions of Articles 17 and 18 of the Operating Agreement. b) Except as provided in Article 17 of the Operating Agreement, procurement of goods and services for EUTELSAT shall be effected by the award of contracts, based on responses to open international invitations to tender. c) Contracts shall be awarded in the best interest of EUTELSAT, to bidders offering the best combination of quality, price, delivery time and other important criteria of relevance to EUTELSAT, it being understood that there are bids offering a comparable combination of the above-mentioned criteria, contracts shall be awarded with due consideration to the general and industrial interests of the Parties. Article XV Rights and Obligations a) The Parties and Signatories shall exercise their rights and meet their obligations under the Convention in a manner fully consistent with and in furtherance of the principles and the provisions of the Convention. b) All Parties and all Signatories may attend and participate in all conferences and meetings in which they are entitled to be represented under any of the provisions of the Convention or the Operating Agreement, and in any other meetings called by or held under the auspices of EUTELSAT in accordance with the arrangements made by it for such meetings, regardless of where they may take place. c) Before any such conference or meeting is held outside the country in which the Headquarters of EUTELSAT is established, the executive organ shall ensure that arrangements with the host Party or Signatory for each such conference or meeting include a provision for the admission to and residence in the host country during such conference or meeting of representatives of all Parties and Signatories entitled to attend. d) All Parties shall, if necessary, take all measures within their jurisdiction to prevent the use of earth stations in connection with the EUTELSAT Space Segment which do not comply with Article 15 of the Operating Agreement. Article XVI Other Space Segments [deleted] Article XVII EUTELSAT Headquarters, Privileges, Exemptions, Immunities a) The Headquarters of EUTELSAT shall be in Paris. b) Within the scope of activities authorized by the Convention, EUTELSAT and its property shall be exempt in the territory of all Parties from income and direct property taxation and from customs duties on communications satellites and their component parts and on all equipment for use in the EUTELSAT Space Segment. c) Each Party shall grant in accordance with the Protocol referred to in this paragraph the appropriate privileges, exemptions and immunities to EUTELSAT, to its officers, and to those categories of its employees specified in such Protocol, to Parties and representatives of Parties, to Signatories and representatives of Signatories, and to persons participating in arbitration proceedings. In particular, each Party shall grant to these individuals immunity from legal process in respect of acts done or words written or spoken in the exercise of their functions and within the limits of their duties to the extent and in the cases to be provided for in the Protocol preferred to in this paragraph. The Party in whose territory the Headquarters of EUTELSAT is located shall, as soon as possible, conclude with EUTELSAT a Headquarters Agreement covering privileges, exemptions and immunities. The Headquarters Agreement shall include a provision that all Signatories acting in their capacity as such, except the Signatory, designated by the Party in whose territory the Headquarters of EUTELSAT is located, shall be exempt from taxation on income earned from EUTELSAT in the territory of such Party. The other Parties shall also, as soon as possible, conclude a Protocol covering privileges, exemptions and immunities. The Headquarters Agreement and the Protocol shall each prescribe of the conditions of its termination and shall be independent of the Convention. Article XVIII Withdrawal and Suspension a) i) Any Party or Signatory may withdraw voluntarily from EUTELSAT at any time. ii) A Party shall give written notice to the Depository of its decision to withdraw. When a Party withdraws from EUTELSAT, any Signatory which was designated by it under paragraph b) of Article II of the Convention shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Operating Agreement with effect from the date on which the withdrawal of the Party takes effect. iii) The decision of a Signatory to withdraw shall be notified in writing to the Director General by the Party which has designated that Signatory and the notification shall signify the acceptance by the Party of the decision of the Signatory to withdraw. When a Signatory withdraws from EUTELSAT, the Party which designated that Signatory shall, at the date of withdrawal, if there is no remaining Signatory designated by it, either withdraw from EUTELSAT, or itself assume the capacity of a Signatory unless and until it designates a new Signatory. iv) A voluntary withdrawal from EUTELSAT under subparagraphs i), ii) and iii) of this paragraph shall take effect three months after the date of receipt of the notification by the Depository or the Director General, as the case may be. b) i) If a Party appears to have failed to comply with any obligation under the Convention, the Assembly of Parties, having received notice to that effect or acting on its own initiative, and having considered any representations made by the Party, may decide, if it finds that the failure to comply has occurred, that the Party be deemed to have withdrawn from EIJTELSAT and, from the date of the decision, the Convention shall cease to be in force for that Party. An extraordinary meeting of the Assembly of Parties may be convened for this purpose. When a Party is deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT under this subparagraph, any Signatory which was designated by it under paragraph b) of Article II of the Convention shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Operating Agreement with effect from the date on which the withdrawal of the Party takes effect. ii) A) If a Signatory, in its capacity as such, appears to have failed to comply with any obligation under the Convention or the Operating Agreement, other than an obligation under paragraph a) of Article 4 of the Operating Agreement, and the failure to comply is not remedied within three months after the Signatory has been notified in writing by the executive organ of a resolution of the Board of Signatories taking note of the failure to comply, the rights of the Signatory under the Convention and the Operating Agreement shall be automatically suspended at the end of such period of three months. During the period of suspension of the rights of a Signatory under this paragraph, the Signatory shall continue to have all the obligations and liabilities of a Signatory under the Convention and the Operating Agreement. B) The Board of Signatories may decide, after considering any representations made by the Signatory or by the Party which designated it, that the Signatory be deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT and that, from the date of the decision, the Operating Agreement shall cease to be in force for that Signatory. When a Signatory is deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT, the Party which designated that Signatory shall, at the date of withdrawal, if there is no remaining Signatory designated by it, either withdraw from EUTELSAT, or itself assume the capacity of a Signatory unless and until it designates a new Signatory. iii) A) If a Signatory fails to pay any sum for which it is liable in accordance with paragraph a) of Article 4 of the Operating Agreement within three months after the payment has become due, the rights of the Signatory under the Convention and the Operating Agreement shall be automatically suspended. During the period of suspension of the rights of a Signatory under this paragraph, the Signatory shall continue to have all the obligations and liabilities of a Signatory under the Convention and the Operating Agreement. B) If within three months after the suspension any sums due remain unpaid, the Board of Signatories, after considering any representations made by the Signatory or the Party which has designated it, may decide that that Signatory be deemed to have withdrawn from EUTEI-SAT and that, from the date of the decision, the Operating Agreement shall cease to be in force for that Signatory. When a Signatory is deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT, the Party which designated that Signatory shall, at the date of withdrawal, if there is no remaining Signatory designated by it, either withdraw from EUTELSAT, or itself assume the capacity of a Signatory unless and until it designates a new Signatory. c) If for any reason a Party wishes to substitute itself for a designated Signatory, or to designate replacement for that Signatory by a new Signatory, it shall give written notice to the Depositary. The Convention and the Operating Agreement shall enter into force for the new Signatory and cease to be in force for the former Signatory from the time that the new Signatory assumes all outstanding obligations of the former Signatory and signs the Operating Agreement. d) A Party which has withdrawn or is deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT shall cease to have any right of representation in the Assembly of Parties and shall incur no obligation or responsibility after the effective date of withdrawal, except for liabilities arising from acts or omissions before that date. e) i) A Signatory which has withdrawn or is deemed to have withdrawn from the Operating Agreement shall cease, as from the effective date of withdrawal, to have any right of representation in the Board of Signatories and shall incur no obligation or responsibility from that date, except its obligation, unless the Board of Signatories decides otherwise, to discharge its due proportion of the capital contributions needed to meet contractual commitments expressly authorized before that date and any liabilities arising from acts or omissions before that date. ii) The financial settlement on the withdrawal of a Signatory from EUTELSAT shall be in accordance with Article 21 of the Operating Agreement. f) Every notification of a withdrawal and every decision effecting a deemed withdrawal shall be communicated at once to all Parties and Signatories by the Depositary or the Director General, as the case may be. g) Nothing in this Article shall deprive a Party or Signatory of any right acquired by it in its capacity as such, which is preserved after the effective date of withdrawal and for which compensation has not been received under this Article. Article XIX Amendments a) Amendments to the Convention may be proposed by any Party and shall be communicated to the Director General, who shall promptly circulate the proposals to all the Parties and Signatories. Three months notice is required before consideration of a proposed amendment by the Board of Signatories, which shall submit its views and recommendations to the Assembly of Parties within a period of six months from the date of circulation of the proposed amendment. The Assembly of Parties shall consider the proposed amendment not earlier than six months from receipt by it, taking into account any views and recommendations expressed by the Board of Signatories. This period may, in any particular case, be reduced by the Assembly of Parties by a decision taken in accordance with the procedure for a matter of substance. b) If adopted by the Assembly of Parties, the amendment shall enter into force one hundred and twenty days after the Depositary has received notices of acceptance from two-thirds of those States which, at the time of adoption by the Assembly of Parties, were Parties and whose Signatories then held at least two-thirds of the total investment shares. Upon its entry into force, the amendment shall become binding upon all Parties and all Signatories. Article XX Settlement of disputes a) All disputes arising between Parties or between EUTELSAT and a Party or Parties in connection with the interpretation or application of the Convention or of paragraph c) of Article 15 or of paragraph c) of Article 16 of the Operating Agreement shall be submitted to arbitration in accordance with Annex B to the Convention, if not otherwise settled within one year of the time a party to the dispute has notified the other party of its intention to settle such a dispute amicably. Any similar dispute relating to the interpretation or application of the Convention or the Operating Agreement between one or more Parties on the one hand and one or more Signatories on the other hand may be submitted to arbitration under Annex B to the Convention, provided that the Party or Parties and the Signatory or Signatories in dispute agree. b) All disputes arising in connection with the interpretation and application of the Convention or of paragraph c) of Article 15 or of paragraph c) of Article 16 of the Operating Agreement, between a Party and a State which has ceased to be a Party, or between EUTELSAT and a State which has ceased to be a Party, and which arise after the State has ceased to be a Party, shall be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the provisions of Annex B to the Convention, if not otherwise settled within one year of the time a party to the dispute has notified the other party of its intention to settle such a dispute amicably, provided that the State which has ceased to be a Party so agrees. If a State ceases to be a Party or if a State or a telecommunications entity ceases to be a Signatory after a dispute to which it is a disputant has been submitted to arbitration under paragraph a) of this Article, the arbitration shall be continued and concluded. c) The settlement of all disputes arising in connection with the interpretation or application of agreements between EUTELSAT and any Party, other than the Convention or the Operating Agreement, shall be as provided for in the relevant agreement. In the absence of any provisions, such disputes, if not otherwise settled, may be submitted to arbitration under Annex B to the Convention, if the disputants agree. Article XXI Signature - Reservations a) Any State whose telecommunications Administration or Recognized Private Operating Agency is, or has the right to become, a Signatory Party to the Provisional Agreement may become a Party to the Convention by: i) signature not subject to ratification, acceptance or approval, or ii) signature subject to ratification, acceptance or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval, or iii) accession. ) The Convention shall be open for signature at Paris from 15 July 1982 until it enters into force and shall thereafter remain open for accession. ) No State shall become a Party to the Convention until the Operating Agreement has been signed by the telecommunications entity which it has designated or until it has itself signed the Operating Agreement. d) No reservation may be made to the Convention or the Operating Agreement. Article XXII Entry into Force a) The Convention shall enter into force sixty days after the date on which it has been signed, in accordance with subparagraph i) of paragraph a) of Article XXI of the Convention, or has been ratified, accepted or approved, by two-thirds of the States which, at the date on which it is opened for signature, have jurisdiction over Signatory Parties to the Provisional Agreement provided that: i) those Signatory Parties, or their designated Signatories to the ECS Agreement, hold at least two-thirds of the financial shares under the ECS Agreement, and ii) the Operating Agreement has been signed in accordance with paragraph b) of Article II of the Convention. b) The Convention shall not enter into force less than eight months after the date on which it is opened for signature. The Convention shall not enter into force if it has not been signed, ratified, accepted or approved under paragraph a) of this Article, within thirty-six months of the date on which it is opened for signature. c) For a State whose instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession is deposited after the date on which the Convention enters into force, the Convention shall enter into force on the date of such deposit. d) Upon entry into force, the Convention will be applied provisionally for any State which has signed it subject to ratification, acceptance or approval and has so requested at the time of signature or at any later time before entry into force. Provisional application shall end: i) upon deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval by that State, or ii) at the end of two years from the date on which the Convention enters into force without having been ratified, accepted or approved by that State, or iii) upon notification by that State, before the end of the period mentioned in subparagraph ii) of this paragraph, of its decision not to ratify, accept or approve the Convention. When provisional application ends under subparagraph ii) or iii) of this paragraph, paragraphs d), e) and g) of Article XVIII of the Convention shall govern the rights and obligations of the Party and of its designated Signatory. e) Despite the provisions of this Article, the Convention shall neither enter into force, nor be applied provisionally for any State, unless the conditions in paragraph c) of Article XXI of the Convention have been satisfied. f) Upon entry into force, the Convention shall replace and terminate the Provisional Agreement. However, nothing in the Convention or the Operating Agreement shall affect any right or obligation of a Party or a Signatory acquired in its former capacity as a Signatory Party to the Provisional Agreement or as a Signatory to the ECS Agreement. Article XXIII Accession a) Any State whose telecommunications Administration or Recognized Private Operating Agency was, or had the right to become, a Signatory Party to the Provisional Agreement at the date on which the Convention is opened for signature, may accede to the Convention from the date on which it ceases to be open for signature, until two years after its entry into force. b) The provisions of paragraphs c) to e) of this Article shall apply to requests for accession by the following States: i) a State whose telecommunications Administration or Recognized Private Operating Agency was, or had the right to become, a Signatory Party to the Provisional Agreement at the date on which the Convention was opened for signature, which has not become a Party to the Convention in accordance with subparagraphs i) or ii) of paragraph a) of Article XXI of the Convention, or paragraph a) of this Article ; ii) any other European State which is a member of the International Telecommunication Union wishing to accede to the Convention after its entry into force. c) Any State which wishes to accede to the Convention in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph b) of this Article ("the Applicant State") shall so notify the Director General in writing and shall supply the latter with all information which the Board of Signatories may require, concerning the Applicant State's proposed utilization of the EUTELSAT Space Segment. d) The Board of Signatories shall examine from the technical, operational and financial viewpoints the compatibility of the application of the Applicant State with the interests of EUTELSAT and the Signatories within the scope of activities of EUTELSAT and shall submit a recommendation thereon to the Assembly of Parties. e) Taking into account such recommendation, the Assembly of Parties shall take a decision on the Applicant State's request within six months following the date on which the Board of Signatories decides that it is in possession of all the information required under paragraph c) of this Article. The decision of the Board of Signatories shall be promptly notified to the Assembly of Parties. The decision of the Assembly of Parties shall be taken by secret vote and in accordance with the procedure for decisions on matters of substance. An extraordinary meeting of the Assembly of Parties may be convened for this purpose. f) The Director General shall notify the Applicant State of the conditions for accession established by the Assembly of Parties, which shall be the subject of a protocol annexed to the instrument of accession to be deposited by the said State with the Depositary. Article XXIV Liability No Party shall be individually liable for the acts and obligations of EUTELSAT, except where such liability results from a treaty to which that Party and a State claiming compensation are parties. In that case, EUTELSAT shall indemnify the Party concerned in respect of any such liability, unless the latter has expressly undertaken to assume exclusively such liability. Article XXV Miscellaneous Provisions a) The official and working languages of EUTELSAT shall be English and French. b) EUTELSAT shall, having regard to the general views of the Assembly of Parties, co-operate on matters of common interest with the United Nations and its specialized agencies, in particular the International Telecommunication Union, and other international organizations. c) To comply with Resolution 1721 (XVI) of the General Assembly of the United Nations, EUTELSAT shall send to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and to the specialized agencies concerned, for their information, an annual report on its activities. Article XXVI Depositary a) The Government of the French Republic shall be the Depositary for the Convention, with which shall be deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, requests for provisional application and notifications of ratification, acceptance or approval of amendments, of decisions to withdraw from EUTELSAT or of termination of the provisional application of the Convention. b) The Convention shall be deposited in the archives of the Depositary. The Depositary shall send certified copies of the text of the Convention to all States that have signed it or deposited instruments of accession to it, and to the International Telecommunication Union. c) The Depositary shall promptly inform all States which have signed or acceded to the Convention, all Signatories and, if necessary, the International Telecommunication Union of: i) all signatures of the Convention; ii) the deposit of all instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession; iii) the start of the sixty-day period referred to in paragraph a) of Article XXII of the Convention; iv) the entry into force of the Convention; v) an requests for provisional application under paragraph d) of Article XXII of the Convention; vi) the appointment of the Director General, any objections to and the confirmation of that appointment under paragraph a) of Article XIII of the Convention; vii) the adoption and entry into force of all amendments to the Convention ; viii) all notifications of withdrawal; ix) all decisions by the Assembly of Parties under paragraph b) of Article XVIII of the Convention that a Party is deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT; x) all decisions by the Board of Signatories under paragraph b) of Article XVIII of the Convention that a Signatory is deemed to have withdrawn from EUTELSAT; xi) all substitutions of Signatories made under paragraphs b) and c) of Article XVIII of the Convention; xii) an suspensions and restorations of rights; xiii) all other notifications and communications about the Convention. d) Upon entry into force of the Convention, the Depositary shall send to the Secretariat of the United Nations, for registration and publication in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, confirmed certified copies of the Convention and the Operating Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Convention[*]. Opened for signature at Paris this fifteenth day of July one thousand nine hundred and eighty-two in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authentic, in a single original. [*] Member States of EUTELSAT: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany (Fed. Rep.), Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Vatican City, Yugoslavia. Annex A Transitional Provisions 1 . Continuity of Activities a) Any agreement entered into by INTERIM EUTELSAT under the Provisional Agreement or the ECS Agreement and which is in effect at the time the two mentioned Agreements terminate shall remain in effect, unless and until modified or repealed in accordance with the provisions of that agreement. Any decision taken by INTERIM EUTELSAT under the Provisional Agreement or the ECS Agreement and which is in effect at the time the two last mentioned Agreements terminate shall remain in effect unless and until that decision is modified or repealed by, or in implementation of, the Convention or the Operating Agreement. b) If, at the time the Provisional Agreement and the ECS Agreement terminate, any organ of INTERIM EUTELSAT has emb …