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UNIDROIT Principles on the Operation of Close-out Netting Provisions adopted by the Governing Council
At its 92nd session (8 - 10 May 2013) the UNIDROIT Governing Council adopted the Principles on the Operation of Close-out Netting Provisions prepared by an UNIDROIT Committee of Governmental Experts and submitted to the Council. >>>> Further information
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Official Commentary on the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and Protocol thereto on Matters specific to Space Assets
The Official Commentary on the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and Protocol thereto on Matters specific to Space Assets, prepared by Professor Sir Roy Goode pursuant to a Resolution by the Berlin Diplomatic Conference which adopted the Space Protocol (2012), has been published. An indispensable guide to the Cape Town Convention and Space Protocol for all those that operate in the Space Industry, the volume can be bought from UNIDROIT. >>>> Further information
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The Secretary-General visits Vietnam
On 18 April 2013, the Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, Mr José Angelo Estrella Faria, visited the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, where he met the Deputy Minister, Mr Hoang The Lien, to discuss Vietnam’s development in the process of international integration and law reform, including on private international law and commercial law matters, the potential interest of various UNIDROIT instruments for Vietnam, and the prospects for deeper cooperation between UNIDROIT and Vietnam. Earlier that day, the Secretary-General had meet officials of the Ministry of Transport to examine questions related to the 2001 Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment (Cape Town Convention) and its Protocol on Matters specific to Aircraft Equipment, as well as officials of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who showed interest for the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects.
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The Secretary-General visits Japan
On 16 April 2013, the Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, Mr José Angelo Estrella Faria, visited the Ministry of Justice of Japan, where he was received by the Assistant Vice-Minister and Deputy Director-General for the Civil Affairs Bureau, Mr Osamu Hagimoto, the Director of the Legislative Divion, Mr Osamu Kaneko, Counsellor Yasuhiko Kbayashi and Attorney Ichiro Kono, with whom he discussed various matters related to the co-operation between Japan, stressing the value of Japan’s contribution and the importance of its participation in the work of UNIDROIT. The Secretary-General then paid a visit to Justice Itsuro Terada at the Japanese Supreme Court, who is also a member of the UNIDROIT Governing Council. Accompanied by Professor Hideki Kanda, from the University of Tokyo, the Secretary-General proceeded to the Bank of Japan, where he presented the work of UNIDROIT in the area of close out netting of financial instruments to a team of officials lead by Mr Masao Okawa, Associate Director-General and Head of Legal Division and Ms Mikari Kashima, Director and Head of the Legal Studies Group at the Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies of the Bank of Japan.
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Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol – Republic of Madagascar - Accession
On 10 April 2013, the Government of the Republic of Madagascar deposited with UNIDROIT its instruments of accession to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and to the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters specific to Aircraft Equipment. On that occasion, the Secretary General of UNIDROIT, Mr José Angelo Estrella Faria, welcomed a delegation from the Republic of Madagascar composed of Mrs Josiane Ratsimbazafy, Chargé d'Affaires a.i of the Embassy of the Republic of Madagascar in Italy and Mr Monja, Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Madagascar in the Rome-based UN agencies. The Republic of Madagascar made declarations under Articles 39(1)(a)-(b), 40, 53 and 54(2) of the Convention and of Article XXX(1), XXX(2) and XXX(3) of the Aircraft Protocol. The Convention and the Aircraft Protocol will enter into force for the Republic of Madagascar on 1st August 2013. Further details about the Convention are available at the Depositary Functions of UNIDROIT page.
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Former Deputy Secretary-General of UNIDROIT awarded an OBE
On 29 December 2012 Mr M.J. Stanford, former Deputy Secretary-General of Unidroit, was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty The Queen, for services to the international unification of law. On 26 March 2013, at Buckingham Palace, Mr Stanford was invested by Her Majesty with the insignia of an OBE. This photograph shows Mr Stanford with the said insignia in the Quadrangle of Buckingham Palace immediately after the investiture.
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Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol – Updated declarations by Canada
On 26 March 2013 Canada has submitted an updated set of declarations under Articles 39(1)(a), 39(1)(b), 39(4), 52, 53, 54(2) and 60 of the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and under Articles XXIX, XXX(1), XXX(2) and XXX(3) of the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters specific to Aircraft Equipment which replaces the previous submission. The Convention and the Aircraft Protocol entered into force for Canada on 1 April 2013, together with the updated declarations. Further details about the Convention and Aircraft Protocol are available at the Depositary Functions of UNIDROIT page.
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UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (Rome, 1995)
A Seminar on “The Globalization of the Protection of the Cultural Heritage. The 1970 Convention - New Challenges” was held in Mexico City from 21 to 23 March 2013 under the patronage of UNESCO. UNIDROIT is one of the sponsoring institutions, together with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Association of Legal Sciences, the Instituto de Investigaciones Juridicas (UNAM) and the Mexican Center of Uniform Law. The 1995 UNIDROIT Convention was presented both in the Seminar and in a Round Table organised by the Colegio Nacional as one of the indispensable legal tools in this field. >>> Further information.
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Mr. Felix Onana Etoundi, Director General of ERSUMA-OHADA visits UNIDROIT
Mr. Felix Onana Etoundi, Director General of the Regional Superior School for the Magistracy (ERSUMA) of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) visited UNIDROIT in Rome and met with the Secretary-General, Mr José Angelo Estrella Faria, on Thursday, 21 March 2013, to discuss the development of the institutional cooperation between ERSUMA and UNIDROIT.
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Cape Town Convention – Republic of Congo – Declarations
Aircraft Protocol – Republic of Congo – Acceptance
On 13 March 2013 the Republic of Congo has deposited with UNIDROIT declarations under Articles 39(1)(a), 39(1)(b), 40, 52, 53 and 54(2) of the Cape Town Convention. The deposit of the mandatory declaration under Article 54(2) of the Convention permits UNIDROIT to formally accept the deposit of the instrument of acceptance of the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters specific to Aircraft Equipment deposited with UNIDROIT in proper form on 25 January 2013. The Republic of Congo made no declarations under the Aircraft Protocol. The Aircraft Protocol will enter into force for the Republic of Congo, together with Convention, on 1 May 2013. Further details about the Convention and Aircraft Protocol are available at the Depositary Functions of UNIDROIT page.
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Cape Town Convention Academic Project
Oxford University and the University of Washington have commenced a joint Cape Town Convention Academic Project, to facilitate the academic study and assessment of the Cape Town Convention with a view towards enhancing the understanding and effective implementation of the treaty and advancing its aims. The Aviation Working Group is the founding sponsor for the project. The activities proposed for the project include electronic access to a digitalised and searchable database of comprehensive documents and materials, a journal, conferences, teaching materials, and law and economic assessment, as they relate to the Cape Town Convention (including all protocols). Two elements (the database, and the journal) are being undertaken under the joint auspices of Unidroit and the Project. >>> further information