1. Agreement on Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS)
Purpose: The conservation of small cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas.
Action: The Insular Authorities have expressed their interest in having the Agreement extended to Jersey. The Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law, recently adopted by the States, when in force, will enable the extension of the Agreement.
2. Geneva Conventions (Amendment) Act 1995
Purpose: An Act which amends the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 to enable effect to be given to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 done at Geneva on June 10th, 1977; and for connected purposes.
Action: The Home Office Legal Advisers’ Branch in consultation with the Attorney General have prepared a draft Geneva Conventions Act (Jersey) Order 1999, to extend certain provisions of the Geneva Conventions (Amendment) Act 1995 to the Island which will enable ratification of the 1977 Protocols on behalf of the Island.
3. OECD Convention on the Combating of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions
Purpose: To prevent bribery of foreign public officials.
Action: The Insular Authorities have asked that the United Kingdom’s ratification of the Convention be extended to the Island. To implement the Convention, however, it will be necessary for legislation to be enacted. This is being included in the legislation programme.
5. European Community Regulation No 1901/98 Concerning a Ban on Flights of Yugoslav Carriers
Purpose: To ban flights of Yugoslav carriers between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the European Community.
Action: The Community Provisions (Prohibition on flights of Yugoslav carriers) (Jersey) Regulations 1999, R & O 9397, were promulgated on May 26th to give effect to the European Community Regulation.
6. European Community Regulation No 900/99 concerning prohibiting the sale and supply of petroleum etc to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Purpose: To prohibit the sale and supply of petroleum etc to Yugoslavia.
Action: The Community Provisions (Prohibiting the sale and supply of petroleum and certain petroleum products to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (Jersey) Regulations 1999 (R & O 9396) were promulgated on May 26th. The Regulations give effect to the EC Regulation and penalize contraventions of it.
7. Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPAs)
Purpose: To create favourable conditions for greater investment of one contracting party in the area of the other.
Action: The Insular Authorities have reiterated their wish to have such agreements extended to the Island.
8. Protocols to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution: (i) Heavy Metals, and (ii) Persistent Organic Pollutants
Purpose: (i) To control emissions of heavy metals caused by anthropogenic activities that are subject to long range transboundary atmospheric transport and are likely to have significant adverse effects on human health or the environment.
Purpose: (ii) To control, reduce or eliminate discharges, emissions and losses of persistent organic pollutants.
Action: The Insular Authorities are committed to meeting international standard in those areas that come within the scope of the 1979 Convention. However, the Protocols on heavy metals and the persistent organic pollutants will have a significant impact on environmental management within the Island. Consequently, consideration of the resource implications will be required before the Insular Authorities will be in a position to decide whether to request the extension of the United Kingdom ratification of the two Protocols.
9. RAMSAR – Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
Purpose: The conservation and wise use of wetlands to achieve sustainable development throughout the world.
Action: The Insular Authorities have compiled information in the format required by the United Kingdom Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions/Ramsar Bureau which was presented to a meeting of a Ramsar Steering Group in April, in order to review the scientific evidence available against the established Ramsar criteria. The Planning and Environment Committee is to ask the States to confirm the designation of the marine area to the South and East of the Island as a Ramsar site.
1. United Nations Convention on Independent Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit (UNCITRAL)
Purpose: To establish uniform rules on guarantees and to examine the desirability and feasibility of any future work towards a uniform law.
2. Amendments to Energy Charter Treaty
Purpose: To liberalise energy markets across Europe and the former Soviet Union and to promote investment in the energy sectors of the new democracies in Eastern Europe and the Republics of the former Soviet Union.
3. The Plant Protection Products Regulations 1995, The Plant Protection Products (Amendment) Regulations 1996. European Union Directive 91/414/EEC
Purpose: To provide the market with plant protection products.
4. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Juvenile Employment
Purpose: To promote human rights by extending special safeguards on care and protection of children.
5. Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights – TRIPS Legislation
Purpose: To provide a modern system for the protection of international property rights at least matching the internationally accepted minimum levels laid down by the Agreement.
6. International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC)
Purpose: To respond to and to co-operate in oil pollution incidents.
7. Sea Carriers’ Liability for Claims arising from the Carriage by Sea of Passengers and their Luggage
Purpose: To ensure that adequate compensation is available to meet claims arising from the carriage by sea of passengers and their luggage.
8. Draft EC Regulation to set limits for Lead and Cadmium in Foodstuffs
Purpose: To set maximum limits for lead and cadmium in foodstuffs.
9. European Agreement on Reciprocal Arrangements for Orange Badge Holders
Purpose: To standardise disabled parking permits across the European Union.
10. Trade Marks Act, 1994 and Trade Marks Act, 1998 of the United Kingdom
Purpose: (i) The first Act introduced a number of new provisions in particular for international trademarks and for the Community Trade Mark System.
Purpose: (ii) The second Act seeks to accommodate both Community and Madrid Protocol Trade Marks.
1. United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods
Purpose: The Convention, which was adopted by a diplomatic conference in Vienna, April 1980, and came into force in January 1988, provides a uniform law for the international sale of goods. It enables the United Nations to play a more active role in reducing or removing legal obstacles to the flow of international trade.
Action: The Insular Authorities have completed a consultation process to ascertain whether it would be desirable for the Convention to be extended to Jersey. It has been concluded that a sufficient case cannot be made at this time for the extension of the United Kingdom’s ratification of the Convention to be requested.
2. Amendments to the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of the TIR Carnets (the TIR Convention) 1975
Purpose: To standardise the conditions governing the international transport of goods under cover of the TIR convention.
Action: Amendments have been made to the TIR Convention which was extended to Jersey and these came into force on February 17th, 1999.
3. Council of Europe Cultural Convention
Purpose: To achieve a bilateral cultural Convention between members of the Council as well as to pursue a policy of common action designed to safeguard and encourage the development of European culture. It covers the study of languages, history and civilisation which is common to all European states.
Action: The Insular Authorities have asked for extension of the United Kingdom’s ratification. The United Kingdom has lodged a letter under the provisions of Article 10 of the Convention with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, seeking to have the United Kingdom’s ratification of the Convention extended to the Island. The Insular Authorities are awaiting notification of the date upon which the Convention will take effect.
4. Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs
Purpose: The Agreement establishes a classification for industrial design.
Action: The Patent Office has stated that if the Insular Authorities should decide in the future that the Paris Convention should be extended to Jersey, the Locarno Agreement may be extended should the Insular Authorities so desire.
The Insular Authorities have advised that a Locarno Agreement classification is to be added to the Registered Designs (Jersey) Law 1957 when it is reviewed.
5. The Montreal Amendments of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer
Purpose: To extend trade controls to methylbromide prohibiting its trade with non-parties, to require that all parties have licensing system in place for imports/exports of controlled substances, and to require parties in non-compliance to ban exports of used, recycled and reclaimed controlled substances.
Action: The Insular Authorities have asked that the Island be included in the United Kingdom’s ratification of the Montreal Amendments to the Vienna Convention.
6. Council of Europe Convention on Protection of Farm Animals
(E.C. Directive 98/58 concerning the Protection of Animals for farming purposes.)
Purpose: To introduce general rules to protect animals kept for farming purposes.
Action: The Home Office Legal Advisers’ Branch has expressed the view, which the Insular Authorities do not share, that the E.C. Directive 98/58 is applicable to Jersey. Notwithstanding this difference of opinion, the Insular Authorities have confirmed that new Animal Welfare legislation being drafted will enable the Island to comply with the minimum requirements of both the European Convention on Protection of Farm Animals and the E.C. directive.
7. UNESCO Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects
Purpose: To curb illicit trade in cultural property in a way which achieves a proper balance between the interest of the legitimate trade in such property and the victims of illicit activity.
Action: The Insular Authorities have decided that it would be in Jersey’s best interests to be included in the United Kingdom’s ratification of this convention. The method of implementation remains undecided.
8. European Convention for Protection of Animals for Slaughter
Purpose: To introduce general rules governing the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning and slaughter of domestic solipeds, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry with a view to harmonising these practices in Member States of the Council of Europe.
Action: The Insular Authorities have requested that Jersey be included in the United Kingdom’s ratification of this Convention.
9. Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons
Purpose: To achieve effective progress towards general andcomplete disarmament under strict and effective international control, including the prohibition and elimination of all types of weapons of mass destruction.
Action: The Chemical Weapons Act 1996 was extended to Jersey by the Chemical Weapons Act 1996 (Jersey) Order 1998 which will enable the convention to be ratified on the Island’s behalf.