Bill S-33
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SCHEDULE
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SCHEDULE VI
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CONVENTION FOR THE UNIFICATION OF CERTAIN RULES FOR INTERNATIONAL CARRIAGE BY AIR |
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THE STATES PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION |
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RECOGNIZING the significant contribution of the
Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to
International Carriage by Air signed in Warsaw on 12 October
1929, hereinafter referred to as the ``Warsaw Convention'', and
other related instruments to the harmonization of private
international air law;
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RECOGNIZING the need to modernize and consolidate the
Warsaw Convention and related instruments;
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RECOGNIZING the importance of ensuring protection of the
interests of consumers in international carriage by air and the
need for equitable compensation based on the principle of
restitution;
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REAFFIRMING the desirability of an orderly development
of international air transport operations and the smooth flow of
passengers, baggage and cargo in accordance with the principles
and objectives of the Convention on International Civil Aviation,
done at Chicago on 7 December 1944;
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CONVINCED that collective State action for further
harmonization and codification of certain rules governing
international carriage by air through a new Convention is the
most adequate means of achieving an equitable balance of
interests;
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HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
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Chapter I |
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General Provisions |
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Article 1 - Scope of Application |
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1. This Convention applies to all international carriage of
persons, baggage or cargo performed by aircraft for reward. It
applies equally to gratuitous carriage by aircraft performed by an
air transport undertaking.
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2. For the purposes of this Convention, the expression
international carriage means any carriage in which, according to
the agreement between the parties, the place of departure and the
place of destination, whether or not there be a break in the
carriage or a transhipment, are situated either within the
territories of two States Parties, or within the territory of a single
State Party if there is an agreed stopping place within the territory
of another State, even if that State is not a State Party. Carriage
between two points within the territory of a single State Party
without an agreed stopping place within the territory of another
State is not international carriage for the purposes of this
Convention.
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3. Carriage to be performed by several successive carriers is
deemed, for the purposes of this Convention, to be one undivided
carriage if it has been regarded by the parties as a single operation,
whether it had been agreed upon under the form of a single
contract or of a series of contracts, and it does not lose its
international character merely because one contract or a series of
contracts is to be performed entirely within the territory of the
same State.
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4. This Convention applies also to carriage as set out in
Chapter V, subject to the terms contained therein.
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Article 2 - Carriage Performed by State and Carriage of Postal Items |
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1. This Convention applies to carriage performed by the State
or by legally constituted public bodies provided it falls within the
conditions laid down in Article 1.
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2. In the carriage of postal items, the carrier shall be liable only
to the relevant postal administration in accordance with the rules
applicable to the relationship between the carriers and the postal
administrations.
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3. Except as provided in paragraph 2 of this Article, the
provisions of this Convention shall not apply to the carriage of
postal items.
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Chapter II |
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Documentation and Duties of the Parties Relating to the Carriage of Passengers, Baggage and Cargo |
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Article 3 - Passengers and Baggage |
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1. In respect of carriage of passengers, an individual or
collective document of carriage shall be delivered containing:
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2. Any other means which preserves the information indicated
in paragraph 1 may be substituted for the delivery of the
document referred to in that paragraph. If any such other means
is used, the carrier shall offer to deliver to the passenger a written
statement of the information so preserved.
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3. The carrier shall deliver to the passenger a baggage
identification tag for each piece of checked baggage.
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4. The passenger shall be given written notice to the effect that
where this Convention is applicable it governs and may limit the
liability of carriers in respect of death or injury and for
destruction or loss of, or damage to, baggage, and for delay.
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5. Non-compliance with the provisions of the foregoing
paragraphs shall not affect the existence or the validity of the
contract of carriage, which shall, nonetheless, be subject to the
rules of this Convention including those relating to limitation of
liability.
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Article 4 - Cargo |
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1. In respect of the carriage of cargo, an air waybill shall be
delivered.
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2. Any other means which preserves a record of the carriage
to be performed may be substituted for the delivery of an air
waybill. If such other means are used, the carrier shall, if so
requested by the consignor, deliver to the consignor a cargo
receipt permitting identification of the consignment and access
to the information contained in the record preserved by such
other means.
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Article 5 - Contents of Air Waybill or Cargo Receipt |
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The air waybill or the cargo receipt shall include:
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Article 6 - Document Relating to the Nature of the Cargo |
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The consignor may be required, if necessary to meet the
formalities of customs, police and similar public authorities, to
deliver a document indicating the nature of the cargo. This
provision creates for the carrier no duty, obligation or liability
resulting therefrom.
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Article 7 - Description of Air Waybill |
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1. The air waybill shall be made out by the consignor in three
original parts.
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2. The first part shall be marked ``for the carrier''; it shall be
signed by the consignor. The second part shall be marked ``for the
consignee''; it shall be signed by the consignor and by the carrier.
The third part shall be signed by the carrier who shall hand it to
the consignor after the cargo has been accepted.
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3. The signature of the carrier and that of the consignor may
be printed or stamped.
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4. If, at the request of the consignor, the carrier makes out the
air waybill, the carrier shall be deemed, subject to proof to the
contrary, to have done so on behalf of the consignor.
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Article 8 - Documentation for Multiple Packages |
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When there is more than one package:
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Article 9 - Non-compliance with Documentary Requirements |
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Non-compliance with the provisions of Articles 4 to 8 shall
not affect the existence or the validity of the contract of carriage,
which shall, nonetheless, be subject to the rules of this
Convention including those relating to limitation of liability.
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Article 10 - Responsibility for Particulars of Documentation |
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1. The consignor is responsible for the correctness of the
particulars and statements relating to the cargo inserted by it or
on its behalf in the air waybill or furnished by it or on its behalf
to the carrier for insertion in the cargo receipt or for insertion in
the record preserved by the other means referred to in paragraph
2 of Article 4. The foregoing shall also apply where the person
acting on behalf of the consignor is also the agent of the carrier.
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2. The consignor shall indemnify the carrier against all
damage suffered by it, or by any other person to whom the carrier
is liable, by reason of the irregularity, incorrectness or
incompleteness of the particulars and statements furnished by the
consignor or on its behalf.
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3. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this
Article, the carrier shall indemnify the consignor against all
damage suffered by it, or by any other person to whom the
consignor is liable, by reason of the irregularity, incorrectness or
incompleteness of the particulars and statements inserted by the
carrier or on its behalf in the cargo receipt or in the record
preserved by the other means referred to in paragraph 2 of Article
4.
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Article 11 - Evidentiary Value of Documentation |
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1. The air waybill or the cargo receipt is prima facie evidence
of the conclusion of the contract, of the acceptance of the cargo
and of the conditions of carriage mentioned therein.
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2. Any statements in the air waybill or the cargo receipt
relating to the weight, dimensions and packing of the cargo, as
well as those relating to the number of packages, are prima facie
evidence of the facts stated; those relating to the quantity, volume
and condition of the cargo do not constitute evidence against the
carrier except so far as they both have been, and are stated in the
air waybill or the cargo receipt to have been, checked by it in the
presence of the consignor, or relate to the apparent condition of
the cargo.
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Article 12 - Right of Disposition of Cargo |
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1. Subject to its liability to carry out all its obligations under
the contract of carriage, the consignor has the right to dispose of
the cargo by withdrawing it at the airport of departure or
destination, or by stopping it in the course of the journey on any
landing, or by calling for it to be delivered at the place of
destination or in the course of the journey to a person other than
the consignee originally designated, or by requiring it to be
returned to the airport of departure. The consignor must not
exercise this right of disposition in such a way as to prejudice the
carrier or other consignors and must reimburse any expenses
occasioned by the exercise of this right.
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2. If it is impossible to carry out the instructions of the
consignor, the carrier must so inform the consignor forthwith.
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3. If the carrier carries out the instructions of the consignor for
the disposition of the cargo without requiring the production of
the part of the air waybill or the cargo receipt delivered to the
latter, the carrier will be liable, without prejudice to its right of
recovery from the consignor, for any damage which may be
caused thereby to any person who is lawfully in possession of
that part of the air waybill or the cargo receipt.
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4. The right conferred on the consignor ceases at the moment
when that of the consignee begins in accordance with Article 13.
Nevertheless, if the consignee declines to accept the cargo, or
cannot be communicated with, the consignor resumes its right of
disposition.
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Article 13 - Delivery of the Cargo |
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1. Except when the consignor has exercised its right under
Article 12, the consignee is entitled, on arrival of the cargo at the
place of destination, to require the carrier to deliver the cargo to
it, on payment of the charges due and on complying with the
conditions of carriage.
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2. Unless it is otherwise agreed, it is the duty of the carrier to
give notice to the consignee as soon as the cargo arrives.
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3. If the carrier admits the loss of the cargo, or if the cargo has
not arrived at the expiration of seven days after the date on which
it ought to have arrived, the consignee is entitled to enforce
against the carrier the rights which flow from the contract of
carriage.
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Article 14 - Enforcement of the Rights of Consignor and Consignee |
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The consignor and the consignee can respectively enforce all
the rights given to them by Articles 12 and 13, each in its own
name, whether it is acting in its own interest or in the interest of
another, provided that it carries out the obligations imposed by
the contract of carriage.
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Article 15 - Relations of Consignor and Consignee or Mutual Relations of Third Parties |
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1. Articles 12, 13 and 14 do not affect either the relations of the
consignor and the consignee with each other or the mutual
relations of third parties whose rights are derived either from the
consignor or from the consignee.
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2. The provisions of Articles 12, 13 and 14 can only be varied
by express provision in the air waybill or the cargo receipt.
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Article 16 - Formalities of Customs, Police or Other Public Authorities |
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1. The consignor must furnish such information and such
documents as are necessary to meet the formalities of customs,
police and any other public authorities before the cargo can be
delivered to the consignee. The consignor is liable to the carrier
for any damage occasioned by the absence, insufficiency or
irregularity of any such information or documents, unless the
damage is due to the fault of the carrier, its servants or agents.
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2. The carrier is under no obligation to enquire into the
correctness or sufficiency of such information or documents.
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Chapter III |
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Liability of the Carrier and Extent of Compensation for Damage |
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Article 17 - Death and Injury of Passengers - Damage to Baggage |
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1. The carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of death or
bodily injury of a passenger upon condition only that the
accident which caused the death or injury took place on board the
aircraft or in the course of any of the operations of embarking or
disembarking.
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2. The carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of
destruction or loss of, or of damage to, checked baggage upon
condition only that the event which caused the destruction, loss
or damage took place on board the aircraft or during any period
within which the checked baggage was in the charge of the
carrier. However, the carrier is not liable if and to the extent that
the damage resulted from the inherent defect, quality or vice of
the baggage. In the case of unchecked baggage, including
personal items, the carrier is liable if the damage resulted from its
fault or that of its servants or agents.
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3. If the carrier admits the loss of the checked baggage, or if the
checked baggage has not arrived at the expiration of twenty-one
days after the date on which it ought to have arrived, the
passenger is entitled to enforce against the carrier the rights which
flow from the contract of carriage.
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4. Unless otherwise specified, in this Convention the term
``baggage'' means both checked baggage and unchecked
baggage.
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Article 18 - Damage to Cargo |
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1. The carrier is liable for damage sustained in the event of the
destruction or loss of, or damage to, cargo upon condition only
that the event which caused the damage so sustained took place
during the carriage by air.
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2. However, the carrier is not liable if and to the extent it proves
that the destruction, or loss of, or damage to, the cargo resulted
from one or more of the following:
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3. The carriage by air within the meaning of paragraph 1 of this
Article comprises the period during which the cargo is in the
charge of the carrier.
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4. The period of the carriage by air does not extend to any
carriage by land, by sea or by inland waterway performed outside
an airport. If, however, such carriage takes place in the
performance of a contract for carriage by air, for the purpose of
loading, delivery or transhipment, any damage is presumed,
subject to proof to the contrary, to have been the result of an event
which took place during the carriage by air. If a carrier, without
the consent of the consignor, substitutes carriage by another
mode of transport for the whole or part of a carriage intended by
the agreement between the parties to be carriage by air, such
carriage by another mode of transport is deemed to be within the
period of carriage by air.
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Article 19 - Delay |
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The carrier is liable for damage occasioned by delay in the
carriage by air of passengers, baggage or cargo. Nevertheless, the
carrier shall not be liable for damage occasioned by delay if it
proves that it and its servants and agents took all measures that
could reasonably be required to avoid the damage or that it was
impossible for it or them to take such measures.
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Article 20 - Exoneration |
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If the carrier proves that the damage was caused or contributed
to by the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the
person claiming compensation, or the person from whom he or
she derives his or her rights, the carrier shall be wholly or partly
exonerated from its liability to the claimant to the extent that such
negligence or wrongful act or omission caused or contributed to
the damage. When by reason of death or injury of a passenger
compensation is claimed by a person other than the passenger,
the carrier shall likewise be wholly or partly exonerated from its
liability to the extent that it proves that the damage was caused or
contributed to by the negligence or other wrongful act or
omission of that passenger. This Article applies to all the liability
provisions in this Convention, including paragraph 1 of Article
21.
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Article 21 - Compensation in Case of Death or Injury of Passengers |
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1. For damages arising under paragraph 1 of Article 17 not
exceeding 100 000 Special Drawing Rights for each passenger,
the carrier shall not be able to exclude or limit its liability.
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2. The carrier shall not be liable for damages arising under
paragraph 1 of Article 17 to the extent that they exceed for each
passenger 100 000 Special Drawing Rights if the carrier proves
that:
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Article 22 - Limits of Liability in Relation to Delay, Baggage and Cargo |
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1. In the case of damage caused by delay as specified in Article
19 in the carriage of persons, the liability of the carrier for each
passenger is limited to 4 150 Special Drawing Rights.
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2. In the carriage of baggage, the liability of the carrier in the
case of destruction, loss, damage or delay is limited to 1 000
Special Drawing Rights for each passenger unless the passenger
has made, at the time when the checked baggage was handed over
to the carrier, a special declaration of interest in delivery at
destination and has paid a supplementary sum if the case so
requires. In that case the carrier will be liable to pay a sum not
exceeding the declared sum, unless it proves that the sum is
greater than the passenger's actual interest in delivery at
destination.
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3. In the carriage of cargo, the liability of the carrier in the case
of destruction, loss, damage or delay is limited to a sum of 17
Special Drawing Rights per kilogramme, unless the consignor
has made, at the time when the package was handed over to the
carrier, a special declaration of interest in delivery at destination
and has paid a supplementary sum if the case so requires. In that
case the carrier will be liable to pay a sum not exceeding the
declared sum, unless it proves that the sum is greater than the
consignor's actual interest in delivery at destination.
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4. In the case of destruction, loss, damage or delay of part of
the cargo, or of any object contained therein, the weight to be
taken into consideration in determining the amount to which the
carrier's liability is limited shall be only the total weight of the
package or packages concerned. Nevertheless, when the
destruction, loss, damage or delay of a part of the cargo, or of an
object contained therein, affects the value of other packages
covered by the same air waybill, or the same receipt or, if they
were not issued, by the same record preserved by the other means
referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 4, the total weight of such
package or packages shall also be taken into consideration in
determining the limit of liability.
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5. The foregoing provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this
Article shall not apply if it is proved that the damage resulted
from an act or omission of the carrier, its servants or agents, done
with intent to cause damage or recklessly and with knowledge
that damage would probably result; provided that, in the case of
such act or omission of a servant or agent, it is also proved that
such servant or agent was acting within the scope of its
employment.
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6. The limits prescribed in Article 21 and in this Article shall
not prevent the court from awarding, in accordance with its own
law, in addition, the whole or part of the court costs and of the
other expenses of the litigation incurred by the plaintiff,
including interest. The foregoing provision shall not apply if the
amount of the damages awarded, excluding court costs and other
expenses of the litigation, does not exceed the sum which the
carrier has offered in writing to the plaintiff within a period of six
months from the date of the occurrence causing the damage, or
before the commencement of the action, if that is later.
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Article 23 - Conversion of Monetary Units |
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1. The sums mentioned in terms of Special Drawing Right in
this Convention shall be deemed to refer to the Special Drawing
Right as defined by the International Monetary Fund.
Conversion of the sums into national currencies shall, in case of
judicial proceedings, be made according to the value of such
currencies in terms of the Special Drawing Right at the date of the
judgement. The value of a national currency, in terms of the
Special Drawing Right, of a State Party which is a Member of the
International Monetary Fund, shall be calculated in accordance
with the method of valuation applied by the International
Monetary Fund, in effect at the date of the judgement, for its
operations and transactions. The value of a national currency, in
terms of the Special Drawing Right, of a State Party which is not
a Member of the International Monetary Fund, shall be
calculated in a manner determined by that State.
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2. Nevertheless, those States which are not Members of the
International Monetary Fund and whose law does not permit the
application of the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article may,
at the time of ratification or accession or at any time thereafter,
declare that the limit of liability of the carrier prescribed in Article
21 is fixed at a sum of 1 500 000 monetary units per passenger
in judicial proceedings in their territories; 62 500 monetary units
per passenger with respect to paragraph 1 of Article 22; 15 000
monetary units per passenger with respect to paragraph 2 of
Article 22; and 250 monetary units per kilogramme with respect
to paragraph 3 of Article 22. This monetary unit corresponds to
sixty-five and a half milligrammes of gold of millesimal fineness
nine hundred. These sums may be converted into the national
currency concerned in round figures. The conversion of these
sums into national currency shall be made according to the law
of the State concerned.
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3. The calculation mentioned in the last sentence of paragraph
1 of this Article and the conversion method mentioned in
paragraph 2 of this Article shall be made in such manner as to
express in the national currency of the State Party as far as
possible the same real value for the amounts in Articles 21 and
22 as would result from the application of the first three sentences
of paragraph 1 of this Article. States Parties shall communicate
to the depositary the manner of calculation pursuant to paragraph
1 of this Article, or the result of the conversion in paragraph 2 of
this Article as the case may be, when depositing an instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval of or accession to this
Convention and whenever there is a change in either.
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Article 24 - Review of Limits |
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1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 25 of this
Convention and subject to paragraph 2 below, the limits of
liability prescribed in Articles 21, 22 and 23 shall be reviewed by
the Depositary at five-year intervals, the first such review to take
place at the end of the fifth year following the date of entry into
force of this Convention, or if the Convention does not enter into
force within five years of the date it is first open for signature,
within the first year of its entry into force, by reference to an
inflation factor which corresponds to the accumulated rate of
inflation since the previous revision or in the first instance since
the date of entry into force of the Convention. The measure of the
rate of inflation to be used in determining the inflation factor shall
be the weighted average of the annual rates of increase or
decrease in the Consumer Price Indices of the States whose
currencies comprise the Special Drawing Right mentioned in
paragraph 1 of Article 23.
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2. If the review referred to in the preceding paragraph
concludes that the inflation factor has exceeded 10 per cent, the
Depositary shall notify States Parties of a revision of the limits of
liability. Any such revision shall become effective six months
after its notification to the States Parties. If within three months
after its notification to the States Parties a majority of the States
Parties register their disapproval, the revision shall not become
effective and the Depositary shall refer the matter to a meeting of
the States Parties. The Depositary shall immediately notify all
States Parties of the coming into force of any revision.
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3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 of this Article, the procedure
referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall be applied at any
time provided that one-third of the States Parties express a desire
to that effect and upon condition that the inflation factor referred
to in paragraph 1 has exceeded 30 per cent since the previous
revision or since the date of entry into force of this Convention
if there has been no previous revision. Subsequent reviews using
the procedure described in paragraph 1 of this Article will take
place at five-year intervals starting at the end of the fifth year
following the date of the reviews under the present paragraph.
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Article 25 - Stipulation on Limits |
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A carrier may stipulate that the contract of carriage shall be
subject to higher limits of liability than those provided for in this
Convention or to no limits of liability whatsoever.
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Article 26 - Invalidity of Contractual Provisions |
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Any provision tending to relieve the carrier of liability or to fix
a lower limit than that which is laid down in this Convention shall
be null and void, but the nullity of any such provision does not
involve the nullity of the whole contract, which shall remain
subject to the provisions of this Convention.
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Article 27 - Freedom to Contract |
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Nothing contained in this Convention shall prevent the carrier
from refusing to enter into any contract of carriage, from waiving
any defences available under the Convention, or from laying
down conditions which do not conflict with the provisions of this
Convention.
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Article 28 - Advance Payments |
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In the case of aircraft accidents resulting in death or injury of
passengers, the carrier shall, if required by its national law, make
advance payments without delay to a natural person or persons
who are entitled to claim compensation in order to meet the
immediate economic needs of such persons. Such advance
payments shall not constitute a recognition of liability and may
be offset against any amounts subsequently paid as damages by
the carrier.
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Article 29 - Basis of Claims |
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In the carriage of passengers, baggage and cargo, any action
for damages, however founded, whether under this Convention
or in contract or in tort or otherwise, can only be brought subject
to the conditions and such limits of liability as are set out in this
Convention without prejudice to the question as to who are the
persons who have the right to bring suit and what are their
respective rights. In any such action, punitive, exemplary or any
other non-compensatory damages shall not be recoverable.
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Article 30 - Servants, Agents - Aggregation of Claims |
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1. If an action is brought against a servant or agent of the carrier
arising out of damage to which the Convention relates, such
servant or agent, if they prove that they acted within the scope of
their employment, shall be entitled to avail themselves of the
conditions and limits of liability which the carrier itself is entitled
to invoke under this Convention.
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2. The aggregate of the amounts recoverable from the carrier,
its servants and agents, in that case, shall not exceed the said
limits.
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3. Save in respect of the carriage of cargo, the provisions of
paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article shall not apply if it is proved
that the damage resulted from an act or omission of the servant
or agent done with intent to cause damage or recklessly and with
knowledge that damage would probably result.
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Article 31 - Timely Notice of Complaints |
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1. Receipt by the person entitled to delivery of checked
baggage or cargo without complaint is prima facie evidence that
the same has been delivered in good condition and in accordance
with the document of carriage or with the record preserved by the
other means referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 3 and paragraph
2 of Article 4.
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2. In the case of damage, the person entitled to delivery must
complain to the carrier forthwith after the discovery of the
damage, and, at the latest, within seven days from the date of
receipt in the case of checked baggage and fourteen days from the
date of receipt in the case of cargo. In the case of delay, the
complaint must be made at the latest within twenty-one days
from the date on which the baggage or cargo have been placed at
his or her disposal.
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3. Every complaint must be made in writing and given or
dispatched within the times aforesaid.
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4. If no complaint is made within the times aforesaid, no action
shall lie against the carrier, save in the case of fraud on its part.
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Article 32 - Death of Person Liable |
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In the case of the death of the person liable, an action for
damages lies in accordance with the terms of this Convention
against those legally representing his or her estate.
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Article 33 - Jurisdiction |
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1. An action for damages must be brought, at the option of the
plaintiff, in the territory of one of the States Parties, either before
the court of the domicile of the carrier or of its principal place of
business, or where it has a place of business through which the
contract has been made or before the court at the place of
destination.
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2. In respect of damage resulting from the death or injury of
a passenger, an action may be brought before one of the courts
mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article, or in the territory of a
State Party in which at the time of the accident the passenger has
his or her principal and permanent residence and to or from
which the carrier operates services for the carriage of passengers
by air, either on its own aircraft, or on another carrier's aircraft
pursuant to a commercial agreement, and in which that carrier
conducts its business of carriage of passengers by air from
premises leased or owned by the carrier itself or by another carrier
with which it has a commercial agreement.
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3. For the purposes of paragraph 2,
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4. Questions of procedure shall be governed by the law of the
court seised of the case.
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Article 34 - Arbitration |
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1. Subject to the provisions of this Article, the parties to the
contract of carriage for cargo may stipulate that any dispute
relating to the liability of the carrier under this Convention shall
be settled by arbitration. Such agreement shall be in writing.
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2. The arbitration proceedings shall, at the option of the
claimant, take place within one of the jurisdictions referred to in
Article 33.
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3. The arbitrator or arbitration tribunal shall apply the
provisions of this Convention.
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4. The provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article shall be
deemed to be part of every arbitration clause or agreement, and
any term of such clause or agreement which is inconsistent
therewith shall be null and void.
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Article 35 - Limitation of Actions |
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1. The right to damages shall be extinguished if an action is not
brought within a period of two years, reckoned from the date of
arrival at the destination, or from the date on which the aircraft
ought to have arrived, or from the date on which the carriage
stopped.
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2. The method of calculating that period shall be determined
by the law of the court seised of the case.
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Article 36 - Successive Carriage |
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1. In the case of carriage to be performed by various successive
carriers and falling within the definition set out in paragraph 3 of
Article 1, each carrier which accepts passengers, baggage or
cargo is subject to the rules set out in this Convention and is
deemed to be one of the parties to the contract of carriage in so
far as the contract deals with that part of the carriage which is
performed under its supervision.
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2. In the case of carriage of this nature, the passenger or any
person entitled to compensation in respect of him or her can take
action only against the carrier which performed the carriage
during which the accident or the delay occurred, save in the case
where, by express agreement, the first carrier has assumed
liability for the whole journey.
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3. As regards baggage or cargo, the passenger or consignor
will have a right of action against the first carrier, and the
passenger or consignee who is entitled to delivery will have a
right of action against the last carrier, and further, each may take
action against the carrier which performed the carriage during
which the destruction, loss, damage or delay took place. These
carriers will be jointly and severally liable to the passenger or to
the consignor or consignee.
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Article 37 - Right of Recourse against Third Parties |
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Nothing in this Convention shall prejudice the question
whether a person liable for damage in accordance with its
provisions has a right of recourse against any other person.
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Chapter IV |
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Combined Carriage |
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Article 38 - Combined Carriage |
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1. In the case of combined carriage performed partly by air and
partly by any other mode of carriage, the provisions of this
Convention shall, subject to paragraph 4 of Article 18, apply
only to the carriage by air, provided that the carriage by air falls
within the terms of Article 1.
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2. Nothing in this Convention shall prevent the parties in the
case of combined carriage from inserting in the document of air
carriage conditions relating to other modes of carriage, provided
that the provisions of this Convention are observed as regards the
carriage by air.
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Chapter V |
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Carriage by Air Performed by a Person Other Than the Contracting Carrier |
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Article 39 - Contracting Carrier - Actual Carrier |
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The provisions of this Chapter apply when a person
(hereinafter referred to as ``the contracting carrier'') as a principal
makes a contract of carriage governed by this Convention with
a passenger or consignor or with a person acting on behalf of the
passenger or consignor, and another person (hereinafter referred
to as ``the actual carrier'') performs, by virtue of authority from
the contracting carrier, the whole or part of the carriage, but is not
with respect to such part a successive carrier within the meaning
of this Convention. Such authority shall be presumed in the
absence of proof to the contrary.
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Article 40 - Respective Liability of Contracting and Actual Carriers |
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If an actual carrier performs the whole or part of carriage
which, according to the contract referred to in Article 39, is
governed by this Convention, both the contracting carrier and the
actual carrier shall, except as otherwise provided in this Chapter,
be subject to the rules of this Convention, the former for the
whole of the carriage contemplated in the contract, the latter
solely for the carriage which it performs.
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Article 41 - Mutual Liability |
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1. The acts and omissions of the actual carrier and of its
servants and agents acting within the scope of their employment
shall, in relation to the carriage performed by the actual carrier,
be deemed to be also those of the contracting carrier.
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2. The acts and omissions of the contracting carrier and of its
servants and agents acting within the scope of their employment
shall, in relation to the carriage performed by the actual carrier,
be deemed to be also those of the actual carrier. Nevertheless, no
such act or omission shall subject the actual carrier to liability
exceeding the amounts referred to in Articles 21, 22, 23 and 24.
Any special agreement under which the contracting carrier
assumes obligations not imposed by this Convention or any
waiver of rights or defences conferred by this Convention or any
special declaration of interest in delivery at destination
contemplated in Article 22 shall not affect the actual carrier
unless agreed to by it.
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Article 42 - Addressee of Complaints and Instructions |
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Any complaint to be made or instruction to be given under this
Convention to the carrier shall have the same effect whether
addressed to the contracting carrier or to the actual carrier.
Nevertheless, instructions referred to in Article 12 shall only be
effective if addressed to the contracting carrier.
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Article 43 - Servants and Agents |
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In relation to the carriage performed by the actual carrier, any
servant or agent of that carrier or of the contracting carrier shall,
if they prove that they acted within the scope of their
employment, be entitled to avail themselves of the conditions
and limits of liability which are applicable under this Convention
to the carrier whose servant or agent they are, unless it is proved
that they acted in a manner that prevents the limits of liability
from being invoked in accordance with this Convention.
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Article 44 - Aggregation of Damages |
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In relation to the carriage performed by the actual carrier, the
aggregate of the amounts recoverable from that carrier and the
contracting carrier, and from their servants and agents acting
within the scope of their employment, shall not exceed the
highest amount which could be awarded against either the
contracting carrier or the actual carrier under this Convention,
but none of the persons mentioned shall be liable for a sum in
excess of the limit applicable to that person.
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Article 45 - Addressee of Claims |
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In relation to the carriage performed by the actual carrier, an
action for damages may be brought, at the option of the plaintiff,
against that carrier or the contracting carrier, or against both
together or separately. If the action is brought against only one of
those carriers, that carrier shall have the right to require the other
carrier to be joined in the proceedings, the procedure and effects
being governed by the law of the court seised of the case.
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Article 46 - Additional Jurisdiction |
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Any action for damages contemplated in Article 45 must be
brought, at the option of the plaintiff, in the territory of one of the
States Parties, either before a court in which an action may be
brought against the contracting carrier, as provided in Article 33,
or before the court having jurisdiction at the place where the
actual carrier has its domicile or its principal place of business.
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Article 47 - Invalidity of Contractual Provisions |
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Any contractual provision tending to relieve the contracting
carrier or the actual carrier of liability under this Chapter or to fix
a lower limit than that which is applicable according to this
Chapter shall be null and void, but the nullity of any such
provision does not involve the nullity of the whole contract,
which shall remain subject to the provisions of this Chapter.
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Article 48 - Mutual Relations of Contracting and Actual Carriers |
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Except as provided in Article 45, nothing in this Chapter shall
affect the rights and obligations of the carriers between
themselves, including any right of recourse or indemnification.
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Chapter VI |
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Other Provisions |
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Article 49 - Mandatory Application |
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Any clause contained in the contract of carriage and all special
agreements entered into before the damage occurred by which
the parties purport to infringe the rules laid down by this
Convention, whether by deciding the law to be applied, or by
altering the rules as to jurisdiction, shall be null and void.
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Article 50 - Insurance |
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States Parties shall require their carriers to maintain adequate
insurance covering their liability under this Convention. A
carrier may be required by the State Party into which it operates
to furnish evidence that it maintains adequate insurance covering
its liability under this Convention.
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Article 51 - Carriage Performed in Extraordinary Circumstances |
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The provisions of Articles 3 to 5, 7 and 8 relating to the
documentation of carriage shall not apply in the case of carriage
performed in extraordinary circumstances outside the normal
scope of a carrier's business.
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Article 52 - Definition of Days |
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The expression ``days'' when used in this Convention means
calendar days, not working days.
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Chapter VII |
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Final Clauses |
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Article 53 - Signature, Ratification and Entry into Force |
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1. This Convention shall be open for signature in Montreal on
28 May 1999 by States participating in the International
Conference on Air Law held at Montreal from 10 to 28 May
1999. After 28 May 1999, the Convention shall be open to all
States for signature at the Headquarters of the International Civil
Aviation Organization in Montreal until it enters into force in
accordance with paragraph 6 of this Article.
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2. This Convention shall similarly be open for signature by
Regional Economic Integration Organisations. For the purpose
of this Convention, a ``Regional Economic Integration
Organisation'' means any organisation which is constituted by
sovereign States of a given region which has competence in
respect of certain matters governed by this Convention and has
been duly authorized to sign and to ratify, accept, approve or
accede to this Convention. A reference to a ``State Party'' or
``States Parties'' in this Convention, otherwise than in paragraph
2 of Article 1, paragraph 1(b) of Article 3, paragraph (b) of
Article 5, Articles 23, 33, 46 and paragraph (b) of Article 57,
applies equally to a Regional Economic Integration
Organisation. For the purpose of Article 24, the references to ``a
majority of the States Parties'' and ``one-third of the States
Parties'' shall not apply to a Regional Economic Integration
Organisation.
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3. This Convention shall be subject to ratification by States
and by Regional Economic Integration Organisations which
have signed it.
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4. Any State or Regional Economic Integration Organisation
which does not sign this Convention may accept, approve or
accede to it at any time.
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5. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or
accession shall be deposited with the International Civil Aviation
Organization, which is hereby designated the Depositary.
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6. This Convention shall enter into force on the sixtieth day
following the date of deposit of the thirtieth instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the
Depositary between the States which have deposited such
instrument. An instrument deposited by a Regional Economic
Integration Organisation shall not be counted for the purpose of
this paragraph.
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7. For other States and for other Regional Economic
Integration Organisations, this Convention shall take effect sixty
days following the date of deposit of the instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
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8. The Depositary shall promptly notify all signatories and
States Parties of:
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Article 54 - Denunciation |
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1. Any State Party may denounce this Convention by written
notification to the Depositary.
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2. Denunciation shall take effect one hundred and eighty days
following the date on which notification is received by the
Depositary.
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Article 55 - Relationship with Other Warsaw Convention Instruments |
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This Convention shall prevail over any rules which apply to
international carriage by air:
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1. between States Parties to this Convention by virtue of those
States commonly being Party to
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2. within the territory of any single State Party to this
Convention by virtue of that State being Party to one or more of
the instruments referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e) above.
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Article 56 - States with More Than One System of Law |
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1. If a State has two or more territorial units in which different
systems of law are applicable in relation to matters dealt with in
this Convention, it may at the time of signature, ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession declare that this Convention
shall extend to all its territorial units or only to one or more of
them and may modify this declaration by submitting another
declaration at any time.
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2. Any such declaration shall be notified to the Depositary and
shall state expressly the territorial units to which the Convention
applies.
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3. In relation to a State Party which has made such a
declaration:
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Article 57 - Reservations |
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No reservation may be made to this Convention except that a
State Party may at any time declare by a notification addressed
to the Depositary that this Convention shall not apply to:
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned Plenipotentiaries,
having been duly authorized, have signed this Convention.
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DONE at Montreal on the 28th day of May of the year one
thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine in the English, Arabic,
Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish languages, all texts being
equally authentic. This Convention shall remain deposited in the
archives of the International Civil Aviation Organization, and
certified copies thereof shall be transmitted by the Depositary to
all States Parties to this Convention, as well as to all States Parties
to the Warsaw Convention, The Hague Protocol, the Guadalajara
Convention, the Guatemala City Protocol, and the Montreal
Protocols.
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