Treaty

International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001

Parties with reservations, declarations and objections

Party Reservations / Declarations Objections
Belgium Yes No
Bulgaria Yes No
China Yes No
Cyprus Yes No
Denmark Yes No
Egypt Yes No
Estonia Yes No
Finland Yes No
France Yes No
Germany Yes No
Ireland Yes No
Lithuania Yes No
Luxembourg Yes No
Malta Yes No
Netherlands, the Kingdom of the Yes No
New Zealand Yes No
Norway Yes No
Poland Yes No
Portugal Yes No
Romania Yes No
Slovakia Yes No
Spain Yes No
Sweden Yes No
Syria Yes No
Tunisia Yes No
Türkiye Yes No
United Kingdom Yes No

Belgium

11-08-2009

Judgements on matters covered by the Convention, when given by a court of another member state of the European Union, with the exception of Denmark, shall be recognized and enforced in Belgium according to the relevant Community rules on the subject.

Bulgaria

06-07-2007

Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania, be recognized and enforced in Bulgaria according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

China

09-12-2008

1. Article 7 of the Convention shall not apply to the ships operating exclusively within the inland waterways of the People's Republic of China.
2. In accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the People's Republic of China decides that the Convention applies to the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and unless otherwise notified by the Government, shall not apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

Cyprus

01-01-2005

Judgments on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom, be recognised and enforced in the Republic of Cyprus according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject (at present, these rules are laid down in Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001).

Denmark

18-03-2011

Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of a European Union Member State other than Denmark, be recognized and enforced in Denmark, according to the relevant internal Union rules on the subject based on the Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Denmark on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters.

Egypt

15-02-2010

The Arab Republic of Egypt hereby declares that the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001, is not applicable to ships passing through the Suez Maritime Canal, in order to ensure the freedom of use of the Suez Canal and its ports.

Estonia

05-10-2006

1. Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of the Member State of the European Union, except the court of Denmark, be recognized and enforced in the Republic of Estonia according to the relevant European Community rules on the subject.
2. Based on the Article 7 paragraph 15 of the Convention, the Article 7 does not apply to ships operating exclusively within the waters of the Republic of Estonia.

Finland

23-03-2003

Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a Court of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom, be recognised and enforced in Finland according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

France

19-10-2010

France declares that judgements on matters covered by the Convention, when given by a court of a Member State of the European Community except for France and Denmark, shall be recognized and enforced in France according to the relevant Community rules on the subject.

Germany

23-03-2001

Judgements on matters within the scope of this Convention, when given by a court in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom, shall be recognized and enforced in the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with the relevant internal Community rules (these rules are currently laid down in Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters (Official Journal of the European Communities L 12 of 16 January 2001, page 1ff)).
Signature is in accordance with the Council Decision authorizing the Member States to sign, ratify or accede, in the interest of the European Community, to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2002 (the Bunkers Convention).

Ireland

23-12-2008

Judgments on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of another Member State of the European Community other than Denmark, be recognised and enforced in Ireland according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

Lithuania

14-09-2007

[...] the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania [...] declares that judgments on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom, be recognized and enforced in the Republic of Lithuania according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

Luxembourg

21-11-2005

Luxembourg, being subject to Community regulations on these matters in its mutual relations with the Member States of the European Community, will apply the Community regulations concerning jurisdiction to the extent that the pollution damage occurs in a geographical zone as specified in article 2 of the Convention, belonging to a Member State of the European Community, and that the defendant is domiciled in a Member State of the European Community.
Judgements as specified in article 10, paragraph 1 of the Convention, when given by a court of a Member State of the European Community, will be recognized and enforced in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in accordance with the Community regulations.

Malta

12-11-2008

Judgements covered by the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001, shall, when given by a court of the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Slovak Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, be recognized and enforced in Malta according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

Netherlands, the Kingdom of the

23-12-2010

The Kingdom of the Netherlands declares that judgments on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, be recognised and enforced in the European part of the Netherlands according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

New Zealand

04-04-2014

[...] consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account the commitment of the Government of New Zealand to the development of self-government for Tokelau through an act of self-determination under the charter of the United Nations, this accession shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory.

Norway

25-03-2008

In accordance with article 4, paragraph 3 of the Convention, Norway will apply the Convention to warships, naval auxiliary ships or other ships owned or operated by the Norwegian State and used, for the time being, only on Government non-commercial service. The rules of the Convention will apply generally to such ships.
For such ships owned by the Norwegian State, it follows by Section 186, third paragraph of the Norwegian Maritime Act of June 24, 1994, No. 39, that if insurance or other financial security is not maintained in respect of such a ship, the ship may instead carry a certificate issued by the appropriate authority of the State, stating that the ship is owned by the State and that the ship's liability is covered within the limit prescribed in accordance with article 7, paragraph 1.

Poland

07-01-2007

Judgements on matters covered by the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, when given by a court of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, be recognised and enforced in the Republic of Poland according to the relevant international Community rules on the subject.

Portugal

14-12-2015

Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of another Member State of the European Union other than Denmark, be recognised and enforced in Portugal according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

Romania

15-06-2009

1. Judgements concerning issues provided for by the BUNKERS Convention of 2001, when delivered by courts from the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Hellenic Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Malta, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Portugal, the Republic of Slovakia, the Republic of Slovenia, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or the Republic of Hungary, are recognized and enforced in Romania, in accordance with the relevant European Union Regulations;
2. Romania accedes to the BUNKERS Convention of 2001 in accordance with the Decision of the European Union Council no.2002/762/CE of 19 September 2002 to authorize the Member States in the interest of European Community to sign, to ratify or to accede to this international Convention.

Slovakia

01-05-2013

Judgements on matters within the scope of this Convention, when given by a court in the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, Ireland, the Hellenic Republic, Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, be recognized and enforced in the Slovak Republic of Germany in accordance with the relevant internal Community rules on the subject (Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001).

Spain

10-12-2003

Spain declares that judicial rulings on the matters addressed by the Convention, whether pronounced by a Court in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, shall be recognized and acted upon in Spain, pursuant to the provisions in the relevant internal regulations of the European Union.

Sweden

23-03-2001

I further declare that Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Portugal or Spain, be recognised and enforced in Sweden according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.


03-06-2013

In accordance with article 4, paragraph 3 of the Convention, Sweden will apply the Convention to warships, naval auxiliary ships and other ships owned or operated by a State and used for the time being only on Government non-commercial service. The rules of liability in the Convention will apply generally when such ships cause pollution damage in the territory, including the territorial sea of Sweden, or in the exclusive economic zone of Sweden or preventive measures have been taken to prevent or minimize pollution damage in the territory of Sweden or in the exclusive economic zone of Sweden. Such ships will not be required to maintain insurance or other financial security according to article 7 in the Convention and will not be required to hold a certificate according to article 7, paragraph 2 or 14 of the Convention.
Judgements on matters covered by the Convention, when given by a court of another Member State of the European Union, with the exception of Denmark, shall be recognized and enforced in Sweden according to the relevant internal Union rules on the subject.

Syria

24-04-2009

The Syrian Arab Republic by joining this Agreement does not in any way recognise Israel and will not enter into any dealings with it as prescribed by the Agreement.

Tunisia

05-09-2011

The accession by the Republic of Tunisia to this Convention shall not be binding upon it in respect of any future amendment to the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976.

Türkiye

12-09-2013

In acceding to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001, the Republic of Turkey dissociates itself from the references made in this Convention to the international instruments that it is not party to, including the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, 1982. The accession of Turkey to the 2001 Bunker Convention cannot be interpreted as a change in the legal position of Turkey with regard to the said instruments.
In relation to article 2(a)(ii) of this Convention, the Republic of Turkey considers that this article is not in conformity with international law and defines those maritime areas as high seas whereby no country has jurisdiction and sovereign rights according to international law. The Republic of Turkey however, taking into consideration the objectives of this Convention, reserves its rights deriving from the Convention. Within this context, the Republic of Turkey hereby declares that in maritime areas where there has been no delimitation agreement between opposite of adjacent coastal States, the exercise of authority or any claim thereof under this Convention by any Coastal States Party to this Convention, creates no rights or obligations with regard to delimitation of maritime areas, nor does it create a precedent for the future agreements between those States concerning the delimitations of maritime areas under national jurisdiction.
Finally, in relation to the implementation of article 9 of this Convention, the Republic of Turkey hereby declares that it would only take into account the jurisdiction of the courts of the States Parties that have diplomatic relations with Turkey.

United Kingdom

29-06-2006

Judgements on matters covered by the Convention shall, when given by a court of Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain or Sweden, be recognized and enforced in the United Kingdom according to the relevant internal Community rules on the subject.

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