Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 4

Written Answers. - International Agreements.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

82 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the international agreements under the auspices of her Department which, as of 1 June 1998, have not been signed by the State and which it is proposed that the State should sign or become a party to; the international organisation, if any, responsible for the agreement in each case; the date and place each agreement was adopted or opened for signature; and when it is proposed to sign each agreement or become a party to it. [13960/98]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Miss Harney)

Agreement	Organisation responsible	Date and Place adopted or open for signature	When it is proposed to sign
WIPO Copyright Treaty	World Intellectual Property Organisation	20 December 1996 Geneva	Signed by Ireland on 23 December 1997. Ratification will take place following the enactment of a new Copyright and Related Rights Bill. The Department is currently finalising draft heads of this substantial Bill of over 400 heads in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General. It is hoped to publish the draft text of this Bill by end July 1998.
WIPO Performance and Phonograms Treaty	World Intellectual Property Organisation	20 December 1996 Geneva	Signed by Ireland on 23 December 1997. Ratification will take place following the enactment of a new Copyright and Related Rights Bill. (see above)
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works - Paris Act	World Intellectual Property Organisation	24 July 1971 amended on 2 October 1979 Geneva	It is the Government's intention to sign up to this Convention as soon as possible. Ratification will take place following the enactment of a new Copyright and Related Rights Bill. (see above)
Protocol relating to the Madrid Agreement concerning International Registration of Marks	World Intellectual Property Organisation	29 June 1989 Madrid	Signed but not yet ratified.
The Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the purposes of patent Procedure	WIPO	Adopted at Budapest, 28 April 1977	A memorandum is currently being prepared for the Government seeking approval for Ireland becoming a party.
Fifth Protocol on Financial Services to the GATS	World Trade Organisation	12 December 1997 Geneva	The Protocol must be ratified at both EU and national level. The ratification procedure in Ireland will start when the EU procedures have concluded, probably in the autumn. It is intended that an instrument of acceptance of the Protocol will be logdged on behalf of Ireland with the WTO in Geneva in advance of the 29 January 1999 deadline.
Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts.	United Nations/Economic Commission for Europe	20 March 1958 (amended Agreement entered into force on 16 October 1995)	Accession by Ireland is currently being considered in the context of accession by the EU.

International Labour Organisation:

Of the 181 Conventions of the International Labour Organisation dating from 1919, 52 have been ratified by Ireland of which 50 are currently in force in this country. The remaining two Conventions were ratified by Ireland on 9 June last and come into force 12 months after the date that their ratification was registered with the ILO i.e. on 9 June 1999. It is unlikely that the majority of the remainder will be ratified by us because they are outdated or have been superseded by more modern conventions. We are actively considering the ratification of a number of recent ILO Conventions. It should be noted that signature, as such, does not arise in the case of ILO Conventions. It is policy to ratify only those conventions which are completely in accordance with our existing legislation.

Ireland signed and ratified the European Social Charter which was opened for signature on 18 October 1961 in Turin. On 14 May 1997, Ireland signed, without reservation as to ratification, the Protocol amending the European Social Charter, which was opened for signature by the member states of the Council of Europe signatories to the Charter, in Turin, on 21 October 1991. Ireland has not signed or ratified the 1988 Additional Protocol, the 1995 Additional Protocol to the Charter providing for a System of Collective Complaints or the revised European Social Charter (1996). Because we adhere strictly to the principle that we should only sign and ratify those international instruments which are completely in accordance with our existing legislation. This has led us to adopt a very cautious approach to the question of signing and ratifying the above protocols and revised charter. This matter is undergoing detailed examination at present.