ADOPTED: Done at La Antigua, Guatemala, 18 February 2002

ENTERED INTO FORCE: Not yet in force

DEPOSITARY: Government of the Republic of Guatemala

SECRETARY: UNEP

IMPLEMENTATION

SIGNATURE

Article XXI

This Convention shall be open for signature in the city of Antigua Guatemala on February 18, 2002 and in Guatemala City from February 19, 2002 to February 18, 2003 for States invited to participate in the Conference of Plenipotentiaries for the Adoption of the Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Marine and Coastal Areas of the Northeast Pacific and its respective Action Plan.

RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE AND APPROVAL

Article XXII

1. This Convention shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval by the signatory States. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Depositary.

2. This Convention shall be subject to compliance with the internal procedures of each Contracting Party.

ACCESSION

Article XXIII

1. This Convention shall be open for accession by any State from the date on which the Convention is closed for signature, and once the Convention enters into force, it shall be open for accession by the economic integration organizations that have been invited to form part of this Convention. The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Depositary, who shall inform the Contracting Parties thereof.

2. In their instruments of accession, the organizations referred to in paragraph 1 above shall declare the extent of their competence with respect to the matters governed by the Convention. These organizations shall also inform the Depositary of any substantial modification in the extent of their competence.

RESERVATIONS

Article XXIV

Reservations to this Convention shall only be allowed in respect of matters concerning the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Contracting Parties and interpretative statements to the Convention.

AMENDMENTS

Article XVII

1. Any Contracting Party may propose amendments to this Convention or its protocols. Such amendments shall be adopted at a meeting of the Contracting Parties convened by the Executive Secretariat at the request of a Contracting Party.

2. Amendments to this Convention and its protocols shall be adopted by consensus of the Contracting Parties.

3. Amendments shall be subject to ratification or accession and shall enter into force in the form established for the Convention and its protocols respectively to enter into force.

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

Article XXV

In the event of a dispute between Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention, the Contracting Parties concerned shall seek solution by negotiation or any other mechanism for the peaceful settlement of disputes established by international law.

ENTRY INTO FORCE

Article XXVI

This Convention shall enter into force sixty (60) days after the date of deposit of the fourth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary. Subsequently, this Convention shall enter into force with respect to States or regional integration organizations at the moment when they deposit their respective instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary.

DENUNCIATION

Article XXVII

1. At any time after two years from the date on which this Convention has entered into force for a Contracting Party, that Party may withdraw from the Convention.

2. Such withdrawal shall be made by giving written notification to the Executive Secretariat, which shall immediately inform the Contracting Parties thereof.

3. Any such withdrawal shall take effect six (6) months after the date of notification of the Depositary.

DEPOSITARY

Article XXVIII

1. The Depositary of this Convention and its protocols shall be the Government of the Republic of Guatemala.

2. The Depositary shall inform the signatories and the Contracting Parties, as well as the Secretariat, of the signature of this Convention and its protocols and the deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval and accession; the date on which the Convention or a protocol enters into force for each Contracting Party; notification of any withdrawal and the date on which it becomes effective; amendments to the Convention or any protocol, their acceptance by the Contracting Parties and their date of entry into force; all matters relating to new annexes and changes to any annex; notifications by regional economic organizations of the extent of their competence with respect to matters governed by this Convention and relevant protocols, and any modification thereof.

3. The original of this Convention shall be deposited with the Depositary, who shall send certified copies of it to the signatories and the Secretariat.