Depositary Notifications

The Secretary General is the depositary of this Convention. His functions as the depositary are those set forth in Part VII of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 23 May 1969.

The functions of the depositary of a treaty are international in character and the depositary is under an obligation to act impartially in their performance (Article 76 (2) of the Vienna Convention). In accordance with Article 77 (1) of the Vienna Convention, the functions of a depositary comprise, in particular:

• keeping custody of the original text of the treaty and of any full powers delivered to the depositary;
• preparing certified copies of the original text and preparing any further text of the treaty in such additional languages as may be required by the treaty and transmitting them to the parties and to the States entitled to become parties to the treaty;
• receiving any signatures to the treaty and receiving and keeping custody of any instruments, notifications and communications relating to it;
• examining whether the signature or any instrument, notification or communication relating to the treaty is in due and proper form and, if need be, bringing the matter to the attention of the State in question;
• informing the parties and the States entitled to become parties to the treaty of acts, notifications and communications relating to the treaty;
• informing the States entitled to become parties to the treaty when the number of signatures or of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession required for the entry into force of the treaty has been received or deposited;
• registering the treaty with the Secretariat of the United Nations;
• performing the functions specified in other provisions of this Convention.

Depositary notifications are formal communications by means of which the depositary keeps the parties to COTIF informed of the status and acts relating to the Convention.