LISBON CONVENTION
Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning
Higher Education in the European Region
Lisbon
April 11,1997
Preamble
The Parties to this Convention,
Conscious of the fact that the right to education is a
human ri ght,andthat higher education,which is instrumental in the pursuit and
advancement of knowledge,constitutes an exceptionally rich cultural and
scientific asset for both individuals and society;
Considering that higher
education should play a vital role in promoting peace, mutual understanding and
tolerance, and in creating mutual confidence among peoples and nations;
Considering that the great diversity of education systems
in the European region reflects its
cultural,social,political,philosophical,religious and economic diversity, an
exceptional asset which should be fully respected;
Desiring to enable all people of the region to benefit
fully from this rich asset of diversity by facilitating access by the
inhabitants of each State and by the students of each Party's educational
institutions to the educational resources of the other Parties,more
specifically by facilitating their efforts to continue their education or to
complete a period of studies in higher education institutions in those other
Parties;
Considering that the recognition of
studies,certificates,diplomas and degrees obtained in another country of the
European region represents an important measure for promoting academic mobility
between the Parties;
Attaching great importance to the principle of
institutional autonomy,and conscious of the need to uphold and protect this
principle;
Convinced that a fair recognition of qualifications is a
key el ement of the right to education and a responsibility of society;
Having regard to the Council of Europe and Unesco
Conventions covering academic recognition in Europe:
-European Convention on the Equivalence of Diplomas leading
to Admission to
Universities (1953,ETS No.15),and its Protocol (1964,ETS
No.49);
-European Convention on the Equivalence of Periods of
University Study (1956,ETS No.21);
-European Convention on the Academic Recognition of
University Qualifications (1959,ETS No.32);
-Convention on the Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and
Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe
Region (1979);
-European Convention on the General Equivalence of Periods of
University Study (1990,ETS No.138);
Having regard also to the International Convention on the
Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab and
European States bordering on the Mediterranean (1976),adopted within the
framework of Unesco and partially covering academic recognition in Europe;
Mindful that this Convention should also be considered in
the context of the Unesco conventions and the international recommendation
covering other Regions of the world,and of the need for an improved exchange of
information between these Regions;
Conscious of the wide ranging changes in higher education
in the European region since these conventions were adopted,resulting in
considerably increased diversification within and between national higher
education systems,and of the need to adapt the legal instruments and practice
to reflect these developments;Conscious of the need to find common solutions to
practical recognition problems in the European region;
Conscious of the need to improve current recognition practice and to make it
more transparent and better adapted to the current situation of higher
education in the European region;
Confident of the positive significance of a convention
elaborated and adopted under the joint auspices of the Council of Europe and
Unesco providing a framework for the further development of recognition
practices in the European region;Conscious of the importance of providing
permanent implementation mechanisms in order to put the principles and
provisions of the current Convention into practi ce,
Have agreed as follows:
Section I Definitions
Article I
For the purposes of this Convention,the following terms shall
have the following meaning:
Access (to higher education)
The right of qualified candidates to apply and to be
considered for admission to higher education.
Admission (to higher education institutions and programmes)
The act of,or system for,allowing qualified applicants to
pursue studies in higher education at a given institution and/or a given
programme.
Assessment (of institutions or programmes)
The process for establishing the educational quality of a
higher education institution or programme.
Assessment (of individual qualifications)
The written appraisal or evaluation of an individual's
foreign qualifications by a competent body.
Competent recognition authority
A body officially charged with making binding decisions on
the recognition of foreign qualifications.
Higher education
All types of courses of study,or sets of courses of
study,training or training for research at the post secondary level which are
recognised by the relevant authorities of a Party as belonging to its higher
education system.
Higher education institution
An establishment providing higher education and recognised by
the competent authority of a Party as belonging to its system of hi gher
education.
Higher education programme
A course of study recognised by the competent authority of a
Party as belonging to its system of higher education,and the completion of
which provides the student with a higher education qualification.
Period of study
Any component of a higher education programme which has been
evaluated and documented and,while not a complete programme of study in itself,
represents a significant acquisition of knowledge or skill.
Qualification
A.Higher education qualification
Any
degree,diploma or other certificate issued by a competent authority attesting
the successful completion of a higher education programme.
B.Qualification giving access to higher education
Any diploma or other certificate issued by a competent
authority attesting the successful completion of an education programme and
giving the holder of the qualification the right to be considered for admission
to higher education (cf.the definition of access).
Recognition
A formal acknowledgement by a competent authority of the
value of a foreign educational qualification with a view to access to
educational and/or employment activities.
Requirement
A.General requirements
Conditions that must in all cases be fulfilled for access to
hi gher education,or to a given level thereof,or for the award of a higher
education qualification at a given level.
B.Specific requirements
Conditions that must be fulfilled,in addition to the general
requirements,in order to gain admission to a particular higher education
programme,or for the award of a specific higher education qualification in a
particular field of study.
Section II The competence of authorities
Article II.1
Where central authorities of a Party are competent to make decisions in recognition cases,that Party shall be immediately bound by the provisions of this Convention and shall take the necessary measures to ensure the implementation of its provisions on its territory.Where the competence to make decisions in recognition matters lies with components of the Party,the Party shall furnish one of the depositories with a brief statement of its constitutional situation or structure at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession,or any time thereafter.In such cases,the competent authorities of the components of the Parties so designated shall take the necessary measures to ensure implementation of the provisions of this Convention on their territory.
Where the competence to make decisions in recognition matters
lies with individual higher education institutions or other entities,each Party
according to its constitutional situation or structure shall transmit the text
of this Convention to these institutions or entities and shall take all
possible steps to encourage the favourable consideration and application of its
provisions. The provisions of paragraphs
1 and 2 of this article shall apply,mutatis mutandis,to the obligations
of the Parties under subsequent articles of this Convention.
Article II.2
At the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of
ratification, acceptance,approval or
accession,or at any time thereafter,each State, the Holy See or the European
Community shall inform either depository of the present Convention of the
authorities which are competent to make different categories of decisions in
recognition cases.
Article II.3
Nothing in this Convention shall be deemed to derogate from
any more favourable provisions concerning the recognition of qualifications
issued in one of the Parties contained in or stemming from an existing or a
future treaty to which a Party to this Convention may be or may become a party.
Section
III
Basic
principles related to the assessment of qualifications
Article
III.1
Holders of qualifications issued in one of the Parties shall
have adequate access,upon request to the appropriate body,to an assessment of these
qualifications.No discrimination shall be made in this respect on any ground
such as the applicant's gender, race, colour, disability, language,
religion, political or other
opinion,national,ethnic or social origin,association with a national minority,property,birth
or other status,or on the grounds of any other circumstance not related to the
merits of the qualification for which recognition is sought.In order to assure
this right,each Party undertakes to make appropriate arrangements for the assessment
of an application for recognition of qualifications solely on the basis of the
knowledge and skills achieved.
Each
Party shall ensure that the procedures and criteria used in the assessment and
recognition of qualifications are transparent,coherent and reliable.
Article III.3
Decisions on recognition shall be made on the basis of
appropriate information on the qualifications for which recognition is sought.
In the first instance,the
responsibility for providing adequate information rests with the applicant,who
shall provide such information in good faith. Notwithstanding the
responsibility of the applicant,the institutions having issued the
qualifications in question shall have a duty to provide,upon request of the
applicant and within reasonable limits,relevant information to the holder of
the qualification,to the institution,or to the competent authorities of the
country in which recognition is sought.
The Parties shall instruct
or encourage,as appropriate,all education institutions belonging to their
education systems to comply with any reasonable request for information for the
purpose of assessing qualifications earned at the said institutions. The
responsibility to demonstrate that an application does not fulfil the relevant
requirements lies with the body undertaking the assessment.
Article
III.4
Each
Party shall ensure,in order to facilitate the recognition of qualifications,
that adequate and clear information on its education system is provided.
Article
III.5
Decisions on recognition shall be made within a reasonable
time limit specified beforehand by the competent recognition authority and
calculated from the time all necessary information in the case has been
provided.If recognition is withheld,the reasons for the refusal to grant
recognition shall be stated,and information shall be given concerning possible
measures the applicant may take in order to obtain recognition at a later
stage.If recognition is withheld,or if no decision is taken,the applicant shall
be able to make an appeal within a reasonable time limit.
Section IV Recognition of qualifications giving access to
higher education
Each Party shall recognise the qualifications issued by other
Parties meeting the general requirements for access to higher education in
those Parties for the purpose of access to programmes belonging to its higher
education system,unless a substantial difference can be shown between the
general requirements for access in the Party in which the qualification was
obtained and in the Party in which recognition of the qualification is sought.
Article IV.2
Alternatively,it shall be sufficient for a Party
to enable the holder of a qualification issued in one of the other Parties to
obtain an assessment of that qualification,upon request by the holder,and the
provisions of Article IV.1 shall apply mutatis mutandis to such a case.
Where a qualification gives access only to specific types of
institutions or programmes of higher education in the Party in which the
qualification was obtained,each other Party shall grant holders of such
qualifications access to similar specific programmes in institutions belonging
to its higher education system,unless a substantial difference can be
demonstrated between the requirements for access in the Party in which the
qualification was obtained and the Party in which recognition of the
qualification is sought.
Article IV.4
Where admission to particular higher education programmes is
dependent on the fulfilment of specific requirements in addition to the general
requirements for access,the competent authorities of the Party concerned may
impose the additional requirements equally on holders of qualifications
obtained in the other Parties or assess whether applicants with qualifications obtained
in other Parties fulfil equivalent requirements.
Article
IV.5
Where,in the Party in which
they have been obtained,school leaving certificates give access to higher
education only in combination with additional qualifying examinations as a
prerequisite for access,the other Parties may make access conditional on these
requirements or of fer an alternative for satisfying such additional
requirements within their own educational systems.Any State,the Holy See or the
European Community may,at the time of signature or when depositing its
instrument of ratification,acceptance,approval or accession,or at any time
thereafter, notify one of the depositories that it avails itself of the
provisions of this Article,specifying the Parties in regard to which it intends
to apply this Article as well as the reasons therefor.
Article
IV.6
Without prejudice to the
provisions of Articles IV.1,IV.2,IV.3,IV.4 and IV.5, admission to a given
higher education institution,or to a given programme within such an
institution,may be restricted or selective.In cases in which admission to a
higher education institution and/or programme is selective, admission
procedures should be designed with a view to ensuring that the assessment of
foreign qualifications is carried out according to the principles of fairness
and non-discrimination described in Section III.
Article IV.7
Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles
IV.1,IV.2,IV.3,IV.4 and IV.5, admission to a given higher education institution
may be made conditional on demonstration by the applicant of sufficient
competence in the language or languages of instruction of the institution
concerned,or in other specified languages.
Article IV.8
In the Parties in which access to higher education may be
obtained on the basis of nontraditional qualifications,similar qualifications
obtained in other Parties shall be assessed in a similar manner as
non-traditional qualifications earned in the Party in which recognition is
sought.
Article IV.9
For the purpose of admission to programmes of higher
education,each Party may make the recognition of qualifications issued by
foreign educational institutions operating in its territory contingent upon
specific requirements of national legislation or specific agreements concluded
with the Party of origin of such institutions.
Section
V Recognition of periods of study
Article
V.1
Each Party shall recognise
periods of study completed within the framework of a higher education programme
in another Party.This recognition shall comprise such periods of study towards
the completion of a higher education programme in the Party in which
recognition is sought,unless substantial differences can be shown between the
periods of study completed in another Party and the part of the higher
education programme which they would replace in the Party in which recognition
is sought.
Article V.2 Alternatively,it shall be
sufficient for a Party to enable a person who has completed a period of study
within the framework of a higher education programme in another Party to obtain
an assessment of that peri od of study, upon request by the person
concerned,and the provisions of Article V.1 shall apply mutatis mutandis to
such a case.
In particular,each Party
shall facilitate recognition of periods of study when: -there has been a
previous agreement between,on the one hand,the higher education institution or
the competent authority responsible for the relevant period of study and,on the
other hand,the higher education institution or the competent recognition authority
responsible for the recognition that is sought;and -the higher education
institution in which the period of study has been completed has issued a
certificate or transcript of academic records attesting that the student has
successfully completed the stipulated requirements for the said period of
study.
Section VI Recognition of higher education qualifications
Article VI.1
To the extent that a recognition decision is based on the
knowl edge and skills certified by the higher education qualification,each
Party shall recognise the higher education qualifications conferred in another
Party,unless a substantial difference can be shown between the qualification
for which recognition is sought and the corresponding qualification in the
Party in which recognition is sought.
Article VI.2
Alternatively,it shall be sufficient for a Party to enable
the holder of a higher education qualification issued in one of the other
Parties to obtain an assessment of that qualification,upon request by the
holder,and the provisions of Article VI.1 shall apply mutatis mutandis to
such a case.
Recognition
in a Party of a higher education qualification issued in another Party shall
have one or both of the following consequences:
-access to further higher education studies,including
relevant examinations,and/or to preparations for the doctorate,on the same
conditions as those applicable to holders of qualifications of the Party in
which recognition is sought;
-the use of an academic title,subject to the laws and regulations
of the Party or a jurisdiction thereof,in which recognition is sought.
-
In addition,recognition may facilitate access to the labour
market subject to laws and regulations of the Party,or a jurisdiction
thereof,in which recognition is sought.
An assessment in a Party of a higher education qualification
issued in another Party may take the form of:
-advice for general employment purposes;
-advice to an educational institution for the purpose of
admission into its programmes;
-advice to any other competent recognition authority.
Article VI.5
Each Party may make the recognition of higher education
qualifi cations issued by foreign educational institutions operating in its
territory contingent upon specific requirements of national legislation or
specific agreements concluded with the Party of origin of such institutions.
Recognition of qualifications held by refugees,displaced
persons and persons in a refugee-like situation
Article VII
Each Party shall take all feasible and reasonable steps
within the framework of its education system and in conformity with its
constitutional,legal,and regulatory provisions to develop procedures designed
to assess fairly and expeditiously whether refugees,displaced persons and
persons in a refugee-like situation fulfil the relevant requirements for access
to higher education, to further higher education programmes or to employment
activities,even in cases in which the qualifications obtained in one of the
Parties cannot be proven through documentary evidence.
Section
VIII Information on the assessment of higher education
institutions
and programmes
Article
VIII.1
Each Party shall provide
adequate information on any institution belonging to its higher education
system,and on any programme operated by these institutions,with a view to
enabling the competent authorities of other Parties to ascertain whether the
quality of the qualifications issued by these institutions justifies
recognition in the Party in which recognition is sought.
Such information shall take the following form:
-in the case of Parties having established a system of formal
assessment of higher education institutions and programmes:information on the
methods and results of this assessment,and of the standards of quality specific
to each type of higher education institution granting,and to programmes leading
to,higher education qualifications;
-in the case of Parties which have not established a system
of formal assessment of higher education institutions and programmes:information
on the recognition of the various qualifications obtained at any higher
education institution,or within any higher education programme, belonging to
their higher education systems.
Each Party shall make adequate provisions for the development,
maintenance and provision of:
-an overview of the
different types of higher education institutions belonging to its higher
education system,with the typical characteristics of each type of institution;
-a list of recognised institutions (public and
private)belonging to its higher education system,indicating their powers to
award different types of qualifications and the requirements for gaining access
to each type of institution and programme;
-a description of higher education programmes;
-a list of educational
institutions located outside its territory which the Party considers as
belonging to its education system.
Section
IX Information on recognition matters
Article
IX.1
In order to facilitate the
recognition of qualifications concerning higher education,the Parties undertake
to establish transparent systems for the complete description of the
qualifications obtained.
Article IX.2
Acknowledging the need for
relevant,accurate and up-to-date information, each Party shall establish or
maintain a national information centre and shall notify one of the depositories
of its establishment,or of any changes affecting it.
In each Party,the national information centre shall:
-facilitate access to authoritative and accurate information
on the higher education system and qualifications of the country in which it is
located;
-facilitate access to information on the higher education
systems and qualifications of the other Parties;
-give advice or information on recognition matters and
assessment of qualifications,in accordance with national laws and regulations.
3 Every national information centre shall have at its
disposal the necessary means to enable it to fulfil its functions.
Article IX.3
The Parties shall promote,through the national information
centres or otherwise,the use of the Unesco/Council of Europe Diploma Supplement
or any other comparable document by the higher education institutions of the
Parties.
Section X Implementation mechanisms
Article X.1
The following bodies shall oversee,promote and facilitate the
implementation of the Convention:
-the Committee of the Convention on the Recognition of
Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region;
-the European Network of National Information Centres on
academic mobility and recognition (the ENIC Network),established by decision of
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 9 June 1994 and the
Unesco Regional Committee for Europe on 18 June 1994.
Article X.2
The Committee of the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications
concerning Higher Education in the European Region (hereafter referred to
as"the Committee")is hereby established.It shall be composed of one
representative of each Party.
For the purposes of Article X.2,the term
"Party"shall not apply to the European Community.
The States mentioned in Article XI.1.1 and the Holy See,if
they are not Parties to this Convention,the European Community and the
President of the ENIC Network may participate in the meetings of the Committee
as observers.Representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations
active in the field of recognition in the Region may also be
invited to attend meetings of the Committee as observers.
The President of the Unesco Regional Committee for the
Application of the Convention on the Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and
Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe
Region shall also be invited to participate in the meetings of the Committee as
an observer.
The Committee shall promote the application of this
Convention and shall oversee its implementation.To this end it may adopt,by a
majority of the Parties,recommendations,declarations,protocols and models of
good practice to guide the competent authorities of the Parties in their
implementation of the Convention and in their consideration of applications for
the recognition of higher education qualifications.While they shall not be
bound by such texts,the Parties shall use their best endeavours to apply
them,to bring the texts to the attention of the competent authorities and to
encourage their application.The Committee shall seek the opinion of the ENIC
Network before making its decisions.
The Committee shall report
to the relevant bodies of the Counci l of Europe and Unesco.
The Committee shall
maintain links to the Unesco Regional Committees for the Application of
Conventions on the Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and Degrees in Higher
Education adopted under the auspices of Unesco.
A majority of the Parties shall constitute a quorum.
The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.It shall
meet in ordinary session at least every three years.The Committee shall meet
for the first time within a year of the entry into force of this Convention.
The Secretariat of the Committee shall be entrusted jointly
to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and to the Director-General
of Unesco.
Article X.3
Each Party shall appoint as a member of the European Network
of National Information Centres on academic mobility and recognition (the ENIC
Network)the national information centre established or maintained under Article
IX.2.In cases in which more than one national information centre is established
or maintained in a Party under Article IX.2,all these shall be members of the
Network,but the national information centres concerned shall dispose of only
one vote.
The ENIC Network shall,in its composition restricted to
national information centres of the Parties to this Convention,uphold and
assist the practical implementation of the Convention by the competent national
authorities.The Network shall meet at least once a year in plenary session.It
shall elect its President and Bureau in accordance with its terms of reference.
The Secretariat of the ENIC
Network shall be entrusted jointly to the Secretary General of the Council of
Europe and to the Director-General of Unesco.
The Parties shall co-operate,through the ENIC Network,with
the national information centres of other Parties,especially by enabling them
to collect all information of use to the national information centres in their
activities relating to academic recognition and mobility.
Section XI Final clauses
Article XI.1
This Convention shall be open for signature by:
-the member states of the Council of Europe;
-the member states of the Unesco Europe Region;
-any other signatory,contracting state or party to the
European Cultural
Convention of the Council of Europe and/or to the Unesco
Convention on the Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and Degrees concerning Higher
Education in the States belonging to the Europe Region,which have been invited
to the diplomatic conference entrusted with the adoption of thisConvention.
These states and the Holy See may express their consent to be
bound by:
-signature without reservation as to ratification,acceptance
or approval;or
-signature,subject to ratification,acceptance or approval,fol
lowed by ratification,acceptance or approval;or
-accession.
Signatures shall be made with one of the
depositories.Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession
shall be deposited with one of the depositories.
Article
XI.2
This Convention shall enter
into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of the period
of one month after five states,including at least three member states of the
Council of Europe and/or the Unesco Europe Region,have expressed their consent
to be bound by the Convention.It shall enter into force for each other State on
the first day of the month following the expiration of the period of one month
after the date of expression of its consent to be bound by the Convention.
Article
XI.3
After the entry into force
of this Convention,any state other than those falling into one of the
categories listed under Article XI.1 may request accession to this
Convention.Any request to this effect shall be addressed to one of the
depositories,who shall transmit it to the Parties at least three months before
the meeting of the Committee of the Convention on the Recognition of
Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region.The depository
shall also inform the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the
Executive Board of Unesco. The decision to invite a State which so requests to
accede to this Convention shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the
Parties.
After
the entry into force of this Convention the European Community may accede to it
following a request by its member states,which shall be addressed to one of the
depositories.
In this
case,Article XI.3.2 shall not apply.
In
respect of any acceding states or the European Community,the Convention shall
enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of the
period of one month after the deposit of the instrument of accession with one
of the depositories.
Article
XI.4
Parties to this Convention which are at the same time parties
to one or more of the following conventions:
-European Convention on the
Equivalence of Diplomas leading to Admission to Universities (1953,ETS
No.15),and its Protocol (1964,ETS No.49);
-European Convention on the Equivalence of Periods of
Universi ty Study (1956,ETS No.21);
-European Convention on the Academic Recognition of
University Qualifications (1959, ETS No.32);
-International Convention on the Recognition of
Studies,Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab and European
States bordering on the Mediterranean (1976);
-Convention on the Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and
Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe
Region (1979);
-European Convention on the General Equivalence of Periods of
University Study (1990, ETS No.138),
-shall apply the provisions of the present Convention in
their mutual relations;
-shall continue to apply the above mentioned conventions to
which they are a party in their relations with other States party to those
conventions but not to the present Convention.
The Parties to this Convention undertake to abstain from
becomi ng a party to any of the conventions mentioned in paragraph 1,to which
they are not already a party,with the exception of the International Convention
on the Recognition of Studies,Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the
Arab and European States bordering on the Mediterranean.
Article XI.5
Any State may,at the time of signature or when depositing its
instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession,specify the
territory or territories to which this Convention shall apply.
Any State may,at any later
date,by a declaration addressed to one of the depositories,extend the
application of this Convention to any other territory specified in the
declaration.In respect of such territory the Convention shall enter into force
on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month
after the date of receipt of such declarati on by the depository.
Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs
may,in respect of any territory specified in such declaration,be withdrawn by a
notification addressed to one of the depositories.The withdrawal shall become
effective on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of
one month after the date of receipt of such notification by the depository.
Article XI.6
Any Party may,at any time,denounce this Convention by means
of a notification addressed to one of the depositories.
Such denunciation shall become effective on the first day of
the month following the expiration of a period of twelve months after the date
of receipt of the notification by the depository.However,such denunciation
shall not affect recognition decisions taken previously under the provisions of
this Convention.
Termination or suspension of the operation of this Convention
as a consequence of a violation by a Party of a provision essential to the
accomplishment of the object or purpose of this Convention shall be addressed
in accordance with international law.
Article XI.7
Any State,the Holy See or the European Community may,at the
time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification,acceptance,
approval or accession,declare that it reserves the right not to apply,in whole
or in part,one or more of the following Articles of this Convention:
Article IV.8,
Article V.3,
Article VI.3,
Article VIII.2,
Article IX.3.
No other reservation may be made.
Any Party which has made a reservation under the preceding
paragraph may wholly or partly withdraw it by means of a notification addressed
to one of the depositories.The withdrawal shall take effect on the date of
receipt of such notification by the depository.
A
Party which has made a reservation in respect of a provision of this Convention
may not claim the application of that provision by any other Party;it
may,however,if its reservation is partial or conditional,claim the application
of that provision in so far as it has itself accepted it.
Draft amendments to this Convention may be adopted by the
Commi ttee of the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning
Higher Education in the European Region by a two-thirds majority of the
Parties.
Any draft amendment so adopted shall be incorporated into a
Protocol to this Convention.The Protocol shall specify the modalities for its
entry into force which,in any event,shall require the expression of consent by
the Parties to be bound by it.No amendment may be made to Section III of this
Convention under the procedure of paragraph 1 above.
Any proposal for amendments shall be communicated to one of
the depositaries,who shall transmit it to the Parties at least three months
before the meeting of the Committee.The depository shall also inform the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the Executi ve Board of
Unesco.
Article XI.9
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the
Director-General of the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural
Organisation shall be the depositories of this Convention.
The depository with whom an act,notification or communication
has been deposited shall notify the Parties to this Convention,as well as the
other member States of the Council of Europe and/or of the Unesco Europe Region
of:
-any signature;
-the deposit of any instrument of
ratification,acceptance,approval or accession;
-any date of entry into force of this Convention in
accordance with the provisions of Articles XI.2 and XI.3.4;
-any reservation made in pursuance of the provisions of Article
XI.7 and the withdrawal of any reservations made in pursuance of the provisions
of Article XI.7;
-any denunciation of this Convention in pursuance of Article
XI.6;
-any declarations made in accordance with the provisions of
Article II.1,or of Article II.2;
-any declarations made in accordance with the provisions of
Article IV.5;
-any request for accession made in accordance with the
provisions of Article XI.3;
-any proposal made in accordance with the provisions of
Article XI.8;
-any other act,notification or communication relating to this
Convention.
-
The depository receiving a
communication or making a notification in pursuance of the provisions of this
Convention shall immediately inform the other depository thereof.
In witness thereof the
undersigned representatives,being duly authorised, have signed this Convention.
Done at Lisbon on 11 April
1997,in the English,French,Russian and Spanish languages,the four texts being
equally authoritative,in two copies,one of which shall be deposited in the
archives of the Council of Europe and the other in the archives of the United
Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organisation.A certified copy shall
be sent to all the States referred
to
in Article XI.1,to the Holy See and to the European Community and to the
Secretariat of the United Nations.