Council of Europe Treaty Series

The signatory governments of the member States of the Council of Europe,

Desirous of increasing facilities for travel by young persons between their countries,

Have agreed upon the following articles:

Article 1

Each Contracting Party agrees to admit upon its territory parties of young persons from the territory of any other Contracting Party, on a collective travel document satisfying the conditions specified in this Agreement.

Article 2

Every person included in a collective passport for young persons shall be a national of the country which issued such travel document.

Article 3

Young persons up to their 21st birthday shall be eligible for inclusion in a collective document issued under the present Agreement.

Article 4

A leader, at least 21 years of age, travelling on a valid individual passport and appointed in accordance with such regulations as may be in force in the territory of the Contracting Party which issued the collective travel document, shall:

Article 5

The number of persons who may be included in a collective travel document for young persons shall be not less than five, and not more than fifty, excluding the leader.

Article 6

All the persons included in a collective document shall remain together.

Article 7

If, contrary to the provisions of Article 6, a member of the party travelling on a collective travel document for young persons becomes separated from the party or does not, for any reason, return with the rest of the party to the country which issued the document, the leader of the party shall immediately inform the local authorities and, if possible, the diplomatic or consular representative of the said country.

He shall, in any case, report the fact to the frontier authorities at the place of departure from the country.

The member not leaving the country with his party shall, if required, obtain an individual travel document from the representative of his own country.

Article 8

The period of stay for parties travelling on a collective travel document for young persons shall not exceed three months.

Article 9

The collective travel document for young persons shall be in the form appended hereto and shall include in every case the following particulars:

1. date, place and authority who issued the document;
2. description of the party;
3. country (or countries) of destination;
4. period of validity;
5. surname, first names and passport number of the leader;
6. surname (in alphabetical order), first names, date and place of birth and place of residence of each member of the party.

Article 10

The normal passport-issuing authorities shall issue the collective travel document in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 9 and shall certify that all the persons included in it are nationals of the country which issued the document, as provided in Article 2.

Any amendments or additions to a collective travel document shall be made by the authority which issued it.

Article 11

Every collective travel document shall in principle be issued in original only.

Each Contracting Party may, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, when signing this Agreement or depositing its instrument of ratification or approval or accession, state how many additional copies it may require.

Article 12

Members of a party travelling on a collective passport shall be exempt from presenting a national identity card.

They must, however, be able to prove their identity in some way, if required to do so.

Each Contracting Party may, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, when signing this Agreement or depositing its instrument of ratification or approval or accession, specify the way in which members of a party must prove their identity.

Article 13

Each Contracting Party may, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, when signing this Agreement or depositing its instrument of ratification or approval or accession, extend, for the purpose of admission to and stay in its territory and subject to reciprocity, the provisions of this Agreement to young refugees and young stateless persons lawfully resident in the territory of another Contracting Party and whose return thereto is guaranteed. This declaration may be withdrawn at any time by notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Article 14

The present Agreement shall be open to the signature of members of the Council of Europe, who may become Parties to it either by:

1. signature without reservation in respect of ratification or approval, or
2. signature with reservation in respect of ratification or approval followed by ratification or approval.

Instruments of ratification or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Article 15

The present Agreement shall enter into force one month after the date on which three members of the Council shall, in accordance with Article 14, have signed the Agreement without reservation in respect of ratification or approval or shall have ratified or approved it.

In the case of any member of the Council who shall subsequently sign the Agreement without reservation in respect of ratification or approval, or who shall ratify or approve it, the Agreement shall enter into force one month after the date of such signature or the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification or approval.

Article 16

After the entry into force of this Agreement, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any non-member State to accede to the present Agreement. Such accession shall take effect one month after the date of deposit of the instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Article 17

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify members of the Council and acceding States:

1. of the date of entry into force of this Agreement and of the names of any members who have signed without reservation in respect of ratification or approval or who have ratified or approved it;
2. of the deposit of any instrument of accession in accordance with Article 16;
3. of any declaration or notification received in accordance with the provisions of Articles 11, 12 and 13;
4. of any notification received in accordance with Article 18 and its effective date.

Article 18

The present Agreement shall remain in force indefinitely.

Any Contracting Party may terminate its own application of the Agreement by giving six months' notice to that effect to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorised thereto by their respective governments, have signed the present Agreement.

Done at Paris, this 16th day of December 1961, in English and French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding governments.