Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Adopted on 23 May 1997

• Year: 1997

Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

Adopted on 23 May 1997

The States Parties to the present Agreement,

Considering that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea establishes the

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea,

Recognizing that the Tribunal should enjoy such legal capacity, privileges and immunities as

are necessary for the exercise of its functions,

Recalling that the Statute of the Tribunal provides, in article 10, that the Members of the

Tribunal, when engaged on the business of the Tribunal, shall enjoy diplomatic privileges and

immunities,

Recognizing that persons participating in proceedings and officials of the Tribunal should

enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions

in connection with the Tribunal,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

Use of terms

For the purposes of this Agreement:

(a) "Convention" means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of

10 December 1982;

(b) "Statute" means the Statute of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in

Annex VI to the Convention;

(c) "States Parties" means States Parties to this Agreement;

(d) "Tribunal" means the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea;

(e) "Member of the Tribunal" means an elected member of the Tribunal or a person chosen

under article 17 of the Statute for the purpose of a particular case;

(f) "Registrar" means the Registrar of the Tribunal and includes any official of the Tribunal

acting as Registrar;

(g) "officials of the Tribunal" means the Registrar and other members of the staff of the

Registry;

(h) "Vienna Convention" means the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18

April 1961.

Article 2

Juridical personality of the Tribunal

The Tribunal shall possess juridical personality. It shall have the capacity: