1. For the purpose of entry into force of the [Convention/Protocol] , any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of that Organization.
2. By decision RC-1/3 of 24 September 2004, adopted at its first meeting, held in Geneva from 20 to 24 September 2004, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in article 8 and paragraph 5 of article 22 of the Convention, the amendments to Annex III.
In accordance with paragraph 5 (c) of article 22 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties, in the same decision, decided that "all the amendments shall enter into force on 1 February 2005, except for the amendments made by subparagraph 1 (a) and (b) of the annex to the ... decision, which shall enter into force on 1 January 2006".
3. By decision RC-1/11 of 24 September 2004, adopted at its first meeting, held in Geneva from 20 to 24 September 2004, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted Annex VI, setting out the arbitration procedure for purposes of paragraph 2 (a) of article 20 of the Convention and the conciliation procedure for purposes of paragraph 6 of article 20 of the Convention.
In accordance with paragraph 3 (b) of article 22 of the Convention, any Party that is unable to accept an additional annex shall so notify the Depositary, in writing, within one year from the date of communication of the adoption of the additional annex by the Depositary. The Depositary shall without delay notify all Parties of any such notification received. A Party may at any time withdraw a previous notification of non-acceptance in respect of an additional annex and the annex shall thereupon enter into force for that Party subject to paragraph 3 (c) of the same article. In accordance with paragraph 3 (c), on the expiry of one year from the date of the communication by the Depositary of its adoption, Annex VI shall enter into force for all Parties that have not submitted a notification in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 (b).
4. By decision RC-4/5 of 31 October 2008, adopted at its fourth meeting, held in Rome, Italy, from 27 to 31 October 2008, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 5 of article 22 of the Convention, an amendments to Annex III.
In accordance with paragraph 5 (c) of article 22 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties, in the same decision, decided that "this amendment shall enter into force for all Parties on 1 February 2009".
5. By decisions RC-5/3, RC-5/4 and RC-5/5, adopted at its fifth meeting, held in Geneva from 20-24 June 2011, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 5 of article 22 of the Convention, amendments to Annex III.
In accordance with paragraph 5 (c) article 22 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties, in the same decision decided that these amendments entered into force for all Parties on 24 October 2011.
6. With the following declaration:
In accordance with the provision of article 138 of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the People’s Republic of China decides that the Convention shall apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China; it shall not apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China until the Government of China notifies otherwise.
7. On 26 August 2008, the Government of the People's Republic of China communicated to the Secretary-General the following declaration:
In accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the People’s Republic of China decides that the Convention shall apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
8. With a territorial exclusion in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
9. For the Kingdom in Europe.
10. With the following territorial exclusion: ".....consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account the commitment of the Government of New Zealand to the development of self-government for Tokelau through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the Depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory."