ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL No. 4 to the revised Convention for Rhine Navigation
Source: http://www.ccr-zkr.org/Files/ProtAdd4_en.pdf, downloaded 20110921
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM,
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,
THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS,
THE SWISS CONFEDERATION,
Whereas,
- the market of Rhine navigation and inland navigation on waterways connected to the Rhine is affected by a serious economic crisis which cannot be remedied without compulsory structural improvement measures,
- it is important for this purpose td undertake internationally coordinated scrapping operations financed by the inland navigation, along with conditions concerning the commissioning of additional hold space,
- the structural improvement measures which are justified by the economic emergency and the serious disruption of the inland navigation market must be regarded as exceptional and temporary,
- in order to be efficient and to avoid disparities in regulations and distortions of competition, such measures must be introduced in a standard form in all the Rhine States and Belgium,
have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE I
1. Rhine navigation may be subject to temporary measures of structural improvement, notwithstanding the general principles contained in the Revised Convention for Rhine Navigation.
2. These measures may include:
(a) Scrapping operations using scrapping funds supplied by mandatory contributions from vessel owners;
(b) The establishment of conditions concerning the commissioning of additional hold space such as obliging owners who do so simultaneously to scrap an equivalent volume of hold space or to pay a special contribution to the scrapping fund.
3. In order to ensure that the measures laid down in the foregoing paragraphs and any subsequent amendments are applied uniformly in all the Rhine States and Belgium, the Central Commission for Navigation of the Rhine shall be empowered to take a resolution conforming to the rules adopted in this regard by the European Economic Community.
The Rhine States and Belgium shall have equal rights and obligations in respect of the implementation of these measures.
ARTICLE II
The present Additional Protocol shall remain in force up to 31 December 1999.
ARTICLE III
The Additional Protocol shall be subject to ratification.
The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretariat of the Central Commission for preservation in its archives.
A record of the deposit of the. instruments of. ratification, shall be made by the Secretary-General who shall transmit to each of the signatory States a certified true copy of the instruments of ratification together with the record of deposit.
ARTICLE 1V
This Additional Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the deposit of the sixth instrument of ratification with the Secretariat of the Central Commission; the Secretary-General shall inform the other signatory states thereof.
ARTICLE V
This Additional Protocol, done in a single copy in German, in French and in Dutch, the French text being authentic in case of divergences, shall be deposited in the archives of the Central Commission.
A copy certified as true by the Secretary-General shall be transmitted to each of the Contracting States.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, having deposited their full powers, have signed this additional Protocol.
Done at Strasbourg, 25 April 1989
For the Federal Republic of Germany: (signed) Wilhelm HÖYNCK
For the Kingdom of Belgium: (signed) C. BAUWENS
For the French Republic: (signed) J.P. PUISSOCHET
For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: (signed) Colin McLEAN
For the Kingdom of the Netherlands: (signed) A. BOS
For the Swiss Confederation: (signed) R. STETTLER
