echrprot12

Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Rome,4.XI.2000

The member States of the Council of Europe signatory hereto,

Having regard to the fundamental principle according to which all persons are equal before the law and are entitled to the equal
protection of the law;

    Being resolved to take further steps to promote the equality of all persons through the collective enforcement of a general
    prohibition of discrimination by means of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed
    at Rome on 4 November 1950 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention");

Reaffirming that the principle of non-discrimination does not prevent States Parties from taking measures in order to promote
full and effective equality, provided that there is an objective and reasonable justification for those measures,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1  General prohibition of discrimination

    1 The enjoyment of any right set forth by law shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour,
    language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or
    other status.

2 No one shall be discriminated against by any public authority on any ground such as those mentioned in paragraph 1.

Article 2  Territorial application

1 Any State may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval, specify the
territory or territories to which this Protocol shall apply.

    2 Any State may at any later date, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, extend the
    application of this Protocol to any other territory specified in the declaration. In respect of such territory the Protocol shall enter
    into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the date of receipt by the
    Secretary General of such declaration.

    3 Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs may, in respect of any territory specified in such declaration, be
    withdrawn or modified by a notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The withdrawal or
    modification shall become effective on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the
    date of receipt of such notification by the Secretary General.

4 A declaration made in accordance with this article shall be deemed to have been made in accordance with paragraph 1 of
Article 56 of the Convention.

    5 Any State which has made a declaration in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2 of this article may at any time thereafter declare
    on behalf of one or more of the territories to which the declaration relates that it accepts the competence of the Court to receive
    applications from individuals, non-governmental organisations or groups of individuals as provided by Article 34 of the
    Convention in respect of Article 1 of this Protocol.

Article 3  Relationship to the Convention

As between the States Parties, the provisions of Articles 1 and 2 of this Protocol shall be regarded as additional articles to the
Convention, and all the provisions of the Convention shall apply accordingly.

Article 4  Signature and ratification

    This Protocol shall be open for signature by member States of the Council of Europe which have signed the Convention. It is
    subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. A member State of the Council of Europe may not ratify, accept or approve this
    Protocol without previously or simultaneously ratifying the Convention. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall
    be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Article 5  Entry into force

    1 This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the
    date on which ten member States of the Council of Europe have expressed their consent to be bound by the Protocol in
    accordance with the provisions of Article 4.

    2 In respect of any member State which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it, the Protocol shall enter into force
    on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the date of the deposit of the instrument
    of ratification, acceptance or approval.

Article 6  Depositary functions

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify all the member States of the Council of Europe of:

a any signature;

b the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval;

c any date of entry into force of this Protocol in accordance with Articles 2 and 5;

d any other act, notification or communication relating to this Protocol.

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

    Done at Rome, this 4th day of November 2000, in English and in French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy
    which shall be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit
    certified copies to each member State of the Council of Europe.