Council of Europe Treaty Series

The governments signatory hereto, being members of the Council of Europe;

Having regard to the provisions of the European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors, signed at Paris, on the 11th day of December 1953 (hereinafter referred to as "the principal Agreement");

Having regard to the provisions of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees signed at Geneva on 28th July 1951 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention");

Being desirous of extending the provisions of the principal Agreement so as to apply to refugees as defined in the Convention;

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

For the purposes of this Protocol the term "refugee" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Article 1 of the Convention, provided that each Contracting Party shall make a declaration at the time of signature or ratification hereof or accession hereto, specifying which of the meanings set out in paragraph B of Article 1 of the Convention it applies for the purpose of its obligations under this Protocol, unless such Party has already made such a declaration at the time of its signature or ratification of the Convention.

Article 2

The provisions of the principal Agreement shall apply to refugees under the same conditions as they apply to the nationals of the Contracting Parties thereto, provided that Article 3 of that Agreement shall apply to refugees only in cases where the Contracting Parties to the agreements to which that article refers have ratified this Protocol or acceded thereto.

Article 3

1. This Protocol shall be open to the signature of the members of the Council of Europe who have signed the principal Agreement. It shall be ratified.
2. Any State which has acceded to the principal Agreement may accede to this Protocol.
3. This Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of deposit of the second instrument of ratification.
4. As regards any signatory ratifying subsequently, or any acceding State, the Protocol shall come into force on the first day of the month following the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession.
5. Instruments of ratification and accession shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who shall notify the members of the Council, acceding States and the Director General of the International Labour Office of the names of those who have ratified or acceded.

In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.

Done at Paris, this 11th day of December 1953, in the English and French languages, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain in the archives of the Council of Europe and of which the Secretary General shall send certified copies to each of the signatories and to the Director General of the International Labour Office.