International Sea-Bed Authority (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1996
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | SI 1996/270 |
1996 No. 270
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNITIES AND PRIVILEGES
The International Sea-Bed Authority (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1996
Made 14th February 1996
Coming into force in accordance with Article 1
At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 14th day of February 1996
Present,
The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council
Whereas a draft of this Order has been laid before Parliament in accordance with section 10 of the International Organisations Act 19681(“the Act”) and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament:
Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue and in exercise of the powers conferred on Her by section 1 of the Act2or otherwise in Her Majesty vested, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:—
PART I
GENERAL
Citation and Entry into Force
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the International Sea-Bed Authority (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1996.
(2) It shall, with the exception of Article 13, come into force on the date, to be notified in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes, on which the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10th December 19823(“the Convention”) enters into force in respect of the United Kingdom.
(3) Article 13 shall come into force on the date, to be notified in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes, on which the Enterprise operates independently of the Secretariat of the Authority.
Interpretation
2. In this Order:
(a) “the 1961 Convention Articles” means the Articles (being certain Articles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations signed in 1961) which are set out in Schedule 1 to the Diplomatic Privileges Act 19644;
(b) “Authority” means the International Sea-Bed Authority established by the Convention;
(c) “Enterprise” means the organ of the Authority referred to in Article 158(2) and Article 170 of the Convention;
(d) “representative” means a representative of a member of the Authority attending meetings of the Assembly, the Council or organs of the Assembly or Council.
PART II
THE AUTHORITY
3. The Authority is an organisation of which the United Kingdom and other sovereign Powers are members.
4. The Authority (including the Enterprise) shall have the legal capacities of a body corporate.
5. The Authority, its property and assets shall enjoy immunity from suit and legal process, except to the extent that the Authority expressly waives this immunity in a particular case.
6. The Authority shall have the like inviolability in respect of its premises and archives as, in accordance with the 1961 Convention Articles, is accorded in respect of the official premises and archives of a diplomatic mission.
7. Within the scope of its official activities, the Authority, its assets and property, its income, and its operations and transactions, authorised by the Convention, shall have exemption from income tax, capital gains tax and corporation tax.
8. The Authority shall have the like relief from rates as in accordance with Article 23 of the 1961 Convention Articles is accorded in respect of the premises of a diplomatic mission.
9. The Authority shall have exemption from customs duties and taxes on the importation of goods for its official use in the United Kingdom.
10. The Authority shall have relief, under arrangements made by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, by way of refund of customs duty paid on imported hydrocarbon oil (within the meaning of the Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act 19795) or value added tax paid on the importation of such oil which is bought in the United Kingdom and used for the official purposes of the Authority, such relief to be subject to the compliance with the conditions as may be imposed in accordance with the arrangements.
11. The Authority shall have relief, under arrangements made by the Secretary of State, by way of refund...
To continue reading
Request your trial