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charset=utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en" /> <meta name="description" content="<strong>A new agreement extends the privileges and immunities granted to CERN by its Host States by providing similar facilities in the other Member States of the Organization.</strong> " /> <meta name="keywords" content="CERN Document Server, WebSearch, CERN Document Server" /> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cds.cern.ch/js/jquery.min.js"></script>  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cds.cern.ch/img/webnews.css" type="text/css" />  <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cds.cern.ch/js/webnews.js?v=20131009"></script> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="137353533001720"/> <script type="text/x-mathjax-config"> MathJax.Hub.Config({ tex2jax: {inlineMath: [['$','$']], processEscapes: true}, showProcessingMessages: false, messageStyle: "none" }); </script> <script src="/MathJax/MathJax.js?config=TeX-AMS_CHTML" type="text/javascript"> </script>  <meta content="New Protocol grants CERN privileges and immunities" name="citation_title" /> <meta content="1" name="citation_firstpage" /> <meta content="CERN Bulletin" name="citation_conference" /> <meta content="2007/05/28" name="citation_publication_date" /> <meta name="citation_online_date" content="2007/05/24"> <meta content="BUL-NA-2007-060" name="citation_technical_report_number" /> <meta content="22/2007" name="citation_technical_report_number" /> <meta content="23/2007" name="citation_technical_report_number" />  <meta content="Un nouveau protocole accorde au CERN des privilèges et immunités" property="og:title" /> <meta content="New Protocol grants CERN privileges and immunities" property="og:title" /> <meta content="website" property="og:type" /> <meta content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135" property="og:url" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.gif?subformat=icon" /> <meta content="CERN Document Server" property="og:site_name" /> <meta content="Grâce à un accord entré en vigueur récemment, le CERN bénéficie d'un ensemble de privilèges et immunités destiné à faciliter les activités du Laboratoire en dehors de ses États hôtes, la Suisse et la France. Cérémonie de signature du Protocole, le 18 mars 2004. De gauche à droite: Ian de Jong, ambassadeur des Pays-Bas, Robert Aymar, Directeur général du CERN, Tassos Kriekoukis, ambassadeur de Grèce, Maarten Wilbers, conseiller juridique adjoint du CERN, Maximilian Metzger, Secrétaire général du CERN, Michael Schneider, ambassadeur d'Allemagne et Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss, conseiller juridique du CERN.Ian de Jong, ambassadeur des Pays-Bas, signe le Protocole lors de la cérémonie du 18 mars 2004. Au fond: Paolo Bruni, ambassadeur d'Italie et Michael Schneider, ambassadeur d'Allemagne. Le titre officiel de cet accord, Protocole sur les privilèges et immunités de l'Organisation européenne pour la Recherche nucléaire, laisse penser qu'il n'est pas d'une lecture facile. Le Bulletin a donc invité Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss, conseiller juridique du CERN qui a négocié le Protocole au nom de l'Organisation, à en expliquer les conséquences pratiques. Le Bulletin: pourquoi les États accordent-ils des privilèges et immunités à des organisations telles que le CERN? Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss: Le CERN, comme vous le savez, est une organisation internationale, autrement dit un organisme créé par les États afin d'accomplir des tâches qui ne peuvent être menées à bien qu'en collaboration. La création du CERN, par exemple, traduit une volonté commune de l'Europe, émergeant des ruines de la seconde guerre mondiale, d'explorer la physique des particules à des fins pacifiques. Pour ce but ambitieux, il était nécessaire de mettre en commun les savoir-faire de nos instituts de recherche nationaux et de disposer d'un budget dépassant les possibilités d'un seul État. De par leur nature, les organisations internationales ont besoin des facilités énoncées dans le Protocole. Sans la protection offerte par les privilèges et immunités accordés par les différents États dans lesquels l'organisation internationale intervient, ces derniers pourraient décider à qui donner ou refuser les permis de travail. Ils pourraient imposer des restrictions sur le droit de séjour du personnel, et prélever des impôts sur les revenus de l'Organisation, à savoir les contributions payées par les autres États membres. De telles ingérences seraient en contradiction avec la raison d'être de la création de l'Organisation et menaceraient son indépendance. Le Protocole est conçu pour régler ces problèmes. Le CERN existe depuis plus de cinquante ans, comment avons-nous fait jusque-là pour nous passer de ces facilités? En fait, nous y sommes arrivés, jusqu'à ce que le système soit dépassé. À l'origine, le domaine du CERN était situé entièrement sur le territoire suisse, et c'était là que se déroulaient toutes les activités. Par conséquent, les privilèges et immunités ont tout d'abord été accordés par la Suisse. Lors de l'extension de notre domaine vers la France, en 1965, le CERN obtint de ce pays des facilités similaires. Ces dernières sont énoncées dans les accords avec les États hôtes. Ensuite nous avons commencé à construire le LHC. Tandis que les travaux de construction pour le SPS et le LEP étaient en grande partie limités au domaine du CERN et impliquaient un nombre restreint d'entreprises partenaires, le LHC a provoqué une véritable explosion de la coopération internationale. Par exemple, les 1232 dipôles, constitués chacun d'une vingtaine d'éléments majeurs fabriqués et assemblés par plus d'une vingtaine de sociétés disséminées dans une dizaine de pays, ont dû franchir plusieurs fois des frontières européennes pour arriver au CERN. D'où des problèmes fiscaux ne pouvant plus être résolus grâce aux facilités de douanes accordées par nos seuls États hôtes. Et, avec la mondialisation constante de la physique des particules, il en sera de même pour tout projet futur. Comment le Protocole a-t-il été élaboré? Conscient de ces problèmes, le Conseil a mandaté en 2001 un groupe de travail avec pour mission de rédiger un protocole détaillé qui étendrait efficacement la protection déjà accordée par la Suisse et la France au territoire des 18 autres États membres de notre Organisation. Après deux ans d'intenses négociations, le groupe de travail, qui comprenait des experts juridiques spécialisés venant de plusieurs ministères des affaires étrangères, a soumis un projet de texte qui a été approuvé par notre Conseil en décembre 2003, ce qui a mis en marche le processus ayant abouti récemment à l'entrée en vigueur du Protocole. Je précise que la Suisse et la France ne sont pas parties au Protocole car les deux Accords avec les États hôtes restent applicables à ce jour. Le Protocole a été adopté par le Conseil en décembre 2003. Pourquoi n'entre-t-il en vigueur que maintenant? L'adoption du Protocole par le Conseil n'était que la première étape d'une longue procédure car il fallait, dans la plupart des cas, que le document soit approuvé par le Parlement de l'État membre. Douze ratifications étaient nécessaires pour que le Protocole puisse entrer en vigueur. Avec la douzième ratification déposée par le Royaume-Uni le 23 janvier dernier, le Protocole a acquis force de loi dans les douze États membres l'ayant ratifié. Depuis, deux autres États ont ratifié le Protocole et nous avons bon espoir que les autres achèvent leurs propres procédures de ratification dans les prochains mois. Quels sont les privilèges et immunités accordés par le Protocole? La liste est longue; je voudrais vous présenter les points principaux. Le Protocole reconnaît, par exemple, la capacité de l'Organisation «de contracter, d'acquérir et d'aliéner des biens mobiliers et immobiliers, ainsi que d'ester en justice.» Il peut paraître étrange qu'une organisation internationale n'ait pas ces capacités élémentaires, mais en fait, avant l'adoption du Protocole, seuls les États hôtes les avaient officiellement accordées au CERN. Entre autres, cette reconnaissance va permettre à notre Caisse de pensions, qui fait partie intégrante du CERN sans avoir de personnalité juridique propre, d'effectuer des opérations d'investissements sur des marchés dont l'accès lui était difficile auparavant. Le Protocole nous accorde également l'immunité par rapport à la compétence juridictionnelle des tribunaux nationaux, afin de garantir notre indépendance face aux États membres. Cela dit, nous ne travaillons pas pour autant dans un vide juridique. Le Protocole dispose que le CERN doit régler les différends par d'autres voies. C'est la raison pour laquelle les actions intentées par les membres du personnel contre l'Organisation doivent être adressées au Tribunal administratif de l'Organisation internationale du travail, et les litiges entre le CERN et les entreprises avec lesquelles il a conclu un contrat sont réglés, non pas par les tribunaux nationaux, mais par des experts indépendants nommés par les parties. Le Protocole a-t-il une incidence pour les membres du personnel? Certainement. Par exemple, un des articles étend aux membres du personnel le bénéfice de l'immunité de juridiction de l'Organisation, pour ce qui concerne les actes accomplis dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions. Le Protocole soustrait aussi le personnel et les membres de leur famille aux restrictions d'immigration, et exonère de l'impôt sur le revenu les traitements et émoluments payés par le CERN. La non soumission des membres du personnel aux restrictions d'immigration est particulièrement bienvenue lorsque le CERN a besoin de détacher du personnel auprès d'entreprises. Jusque-là, la nationalité du membre du personnel et la durée prévue du détachement représentaient des obstacles majeurs, à tel point que nous recevions des appels de membres du personnel du CERN retenus aux frontières. L'exonération, en dehors des États hôtes, de l'imposition des paiements effectués par le CERN aux membres du personnel est également appréciable. En échange de l'exonération des impositions nationales, le Protocole exige l'introduction d'un système d'imposition interne, au bénéfice de l'Organisation. Ce système a été reconnu par les États hôtes, ce qui rend la vie plus facile aux personnes dont le revenu provenant du CERN était auparavant imposé, à savoir les Suisses en Suisse et les Français en France. Pour le CERN, qui devait rembourser aux membres du personnel les impôts qu'ils avaient payés et ensuite obtenir le remboursement auprès des autorités fiscales nationales, cette reconnaissance permet d'éviter beaucoup de paperasserie. Je voudrais souligner le fait que les privilèges et immunités applicables au personnel sont accordés «uniquement afin d'assurer le libre fonctionnement de l'Organisation» et ne sont pas accordés «à l'avantage personnel des bénéficiaires». S'il était demandé au CERN de lever l'immunité d'un membre du personnel, par exemple dans le cadre d'une affaire pénale, le Laboratoire examinerait la demande du seul point de vue de l'intérêt de l'Organisation. Y aura-t-il des compléments à ce Protocole? Avec la participation à la construction du LHC des États-Unis, de la Fédération de Russie, de l'Inde et d'autres contributeurs, il serait logique que ces États adhèrent aussi au Protocole. Nous y travaillons. Pour lire l'intégralité du Protocole: http://cdsweb.cern.ch/search?sysno=002693575CER Autres privilèges prévus par le Protocole Le Protocole: garantit l'inviolabilité des locaux du CERN. Sauf en cas d'incendie ou d'autre sinistre, aucune autorité publique n'est autorisée à pénétrer sur le site sans le consentement exprès du Directeur général. garantit que les délégués au Conseil et aux autres comités peuvent voyager, s'exprimer et prendre des décisions librement. exonère les biens et revenus de l'Organisation des impôts directs et accorde des privilèges similaires concernant la TVA et les droits d'exportation. " property="og:description" /> <meta content=" A new agreement extends the privileges and immunities granted to CERN by its Host States by providing similar facilities in the other Member States of the Organization. At the 18 March 2004 Protocol-signing ceremony. From left to right: Dutch Ambassador Ian de Jong, CERN Director-General Robert Aymar, Greek Ambassador Tassos Kriekoukis, CERN Deputy Legal Counsel Maarten Wilbers, Secretary General Maximilian Metzger, German Ambassador Michael Schneider, CERN Legal Counsel Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss.Dutch Ambassador Ian de Jong signs the Protocol at the 18 March 2004 ceremony. Background: Italian Ambassador Paolo Bruni (left) and German Ambassador Michael Schneider. Thanks to a new agreement, CERN now has at its disposal a set of privileges and immunities aimed at facilitating the Laboratory's operations outside its Host States Switzerland and France. The agreement's official title, 'Protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Organization for Nuclear Research', does not exactly suggest an easy read. The Bulletin has therefore invited Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss, the CERN Legal Counsel who negotiated the Protocol on CERN's behalf, to explain its practical implications. The Bulletin: Why do States grant privileges and immunities to organisations such as CERN? Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss: Well CERN, as you know, is an international organisation, and by that I mean a body that governments have created to do work that really can only be performed properly in a collaboration between them. CERN's creation, for example, reflected a common European desire born from the ruins of World War II to push the frontiers of our knowledge of particle physics for peaceful purposes. This ambitious goal can only be realised through the combined know-how of our national research institutions and requires a budget too high to be sustained by that of a single State. By their nature, international organisations such as CERN require the kind of facilities laid down in the Protocol. Without the protection offered by the privileges and immunities granted by the individual States in which the international organisation operates, those States could decide whom to give to, and whom to refuse work permits; they could impose entry restrictions on personnel, and levy taxes on the Organization's income--that is, on the membership contributions paid by the other Member States. Such national interference would contravene the very motive behind the Organization's creation as an international organisation and pose a threat to its autonomy. The Protocol is designed to take care of these issues. CERN is more than fifty years old; how did we get by without the facilities offered by the Protocol? Actually, we did get by - until the system broke. Originally, CERN's site was exclusively in Swiss territory, and all of its work was done there, so privileges and immunities were first granted by Switzerland alone. With the extension of our site to France, back in 1965, CERN was granted similar facilities by France. These are laid down in what are called the 'Host State Agreements.' Then we started building the LHC. While the construction work for the SPS and the LEP was still largely confined to the CERN site and involved a limited number of contract partners, the LHC provoked a veritable explosion of international collaboration. For example, the 1232 dipole magnets, each made up of some twenty major components manufactured and assembled by more than twenty firms spread over some ten countries, were moved continuously across EU borders on their way to CERN. This led to costly fiscal problems that could no longer be remedied by the customs facilities granted by our two Host States only. And with the continued globalisation of particle physics, the same will be true for any future project. So how did the Protocol come into being? Alerted to our problems, Council agreed in 2001 to mandate a Working Group with the task of drafting a detailed Protocol which effectively would extend the protection already granted by Switzerland and France to the territories of the other 18 Member States of our Organization. After two years of detailed negotiations, the Working Group, which included specialised legal experts from the various Ministries of Foreign Affairs, came up with a draft text that was approved by our Council in December 2003, and which set in motion the process which recently culminated in the Protocol's entry into force. I should mention that Switzerland and France are not parties to the Protocol since the two Host State Agreements continue to be valid today. The Protocol was adopted by Council back in December 2003. Why has it entered into force only now? Council's adoption of the Protocol was only the first step in a long formal process that required, in most cases, that the document be submitted by each Member State for approval by its Parliament. Twelve ratifications were necessary for the Protocol to become valid. With the ratification on 23 January by the United Kingdom-the twelfth Member State to accept the document-the Protocol has become law in those twelve countries1). By the way, two more States2) have ratified the Protocol since that time, and we have good hope that the others will complete their own acceptance procedures within the next few months. What are these privileges and immunities granted through the Protocol? It's a long list so I'll take you through the key points. The Protocol recognises, for example, the Organization's capacity to 'contract, to acquire and to dispose of movable and immovable property and to participate in legal proceedings.' It may sound odd that an international organisation would not have such basic facilities, but in fact, before the Protocol was adopted, it was only the Host States that had officially granted them to CERN. Among other things, the new recognition means that our Pension Fund - which is an integral part of CERN without a legal status of its own - can now enter into investment operations in markets that were previously hard to access. The Protocol also grants us immunity from jurisdiction of the national courts, to ensure our independence from individual Member States. Mind you, this doesn't mean we operate in some kind of legal vacuum: the Protocol requires that CERN settle its disputes by other means. This is why claims by the members of our personnel against the Organization should be submitted to the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization, and why conflicts between CERN and its contractors are decided not by the national courts but by independent experts appointed by the disputing parties. These are all facilities for the Organization itself. Does the Protocol have an impact on the individual members of the personnel? Certainly. For instance, one article extends the Organization's immunity from jurisdiction to the members of the personnel, as far as acts committed in the exercise of their functions are concerned. It also exempts the personnel and the members of their families from immigration restrictions, and from taxation on their CERN income. The exemption from immigration restrictions is particularly welcome whenever CERN needs to detach personnel to one of its suppliers. Previously, the nationality of the member of the personnel and the planned duration of the detachment represented major obstacles, to the point where we would receive phone calls from CERN personnel held up at border posts.... Also welcome is the exemption, outside the Host States, from taxation of payments made by CERN to personnel. In exchange for exemption from national taxation, the Protocol requires the introduction of a system of internal taxation, for the benefit of the Organization. This system has been recognised by the Host States as well, making life a lot easier for those people whose CERN income was taxed previously-that is, Swiss nationals in Switzerland and French nationals in France. And for CERN, which had to reimburse the personnel for taxes paid by them, and then seek reimbursement from the national tax authorities, that recognition means a lot less 'red tape'. I should emphasise that the privileges and immunities that apply to the personnel are granted 'solely to ensure the unimpeded functioning of the Organization' and not 'for the personal benefit of the individuals concerned'. If CERN should be asked to lift the immunity of a member of the personnel-in, say, a criminal case-the Laboratory will consider that request solely from the perspective of the Organization's interest. Is there anything else you want to say about the Protocol? Just this: with the major involvement in LHC construction of the USA, the Russian Federation, India and a number of other contributors, it would only be natural if those countries too would accede to the Protocol. Efforts in this direction are under preparation today. For the full text of the Protocol: http://cdsweb.cern.ch/search?sysno=002693576CER Other privileges in the Protocol The Protocol also: ensures inviolability of CERN's premises. Save in the case of fire or other disaster, no public authority may enter the site without the express consent of the Director-General. ensures that Delegates to Council and other committees may travel, speak, and make decisions without impediment. exempts the Organization's property and income from direct taxation and grants similar privileges concerning VAT and export duties. 1) Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. 2) Italy and Portugal. " property="og:description" /> <meta content="Grâce à un accord entré en vigueur récemment, le CERN bénéficie d'un ensemble de privilèges et immunités destiné à faciliter les activités du Laboratoire en dehors de ses États hôtes, la Suisse et la France. " property="og:description" /> <meta content="A new agreement extends the privileges and immunities granted to CERN by its Host States by providing similar facilities in the other Member States of the Organization." property="og:description" />  <meta content="summary" name="twitter:card" /> <style></style> </head> <body class="CERN32Document32Server search" lang="en">  <div id="cern-toolbar"> <h1><a href="http://cern.ch" title="CERN">CERN <span>Accelerating science</span></a></h1> <ul> <li class="cern-accountlinks"><a class="cern-account" href="https://cds.cern.ch/youraccount/login?ln=en&referer=https%3A//cds.cern.ch/record/1035135%3Fln%3Den" title="Sign in to your CERN account">Sign in</a></li> <li><a class="cern-directory" href="http://cern.ch/directory" title="Search CERN resources and browse the directory">Directory</a></li> </ul> </div>   <div role="banner" class="clearfix" id="header"> <div class="header-inner inner"> <hgroup class="clearfix"> <h2 id="site-name"> <a rel="home" title="Home" href="/"><span>CERN Document Server</span></a> </h2> <h3 id="site-slogan">Access articles, reports and multimedia content in HEP</h3> </hgroup> <div role="navigation" id="main-navigation" class="cdsmenu"> <h2 class="element-invisible">Main menu</h2><ul class="links inline clearfix"> <li class="menu-386 first active-trail"><a class="active-trail" href="https://cds.cern.ch/?ln=en">Search</a></li> <li class="menu-444 "><a class="" title="" href="https://cds.cern.ch/submit?ln=en">Submit</a></li> <li class="menu-426 "><a class="" href="https://cds.cern.ch/help/?ln=en">Help</a></li> <li class="leaf hassubcdsmenu"> <a hreflang="en" class="header" href="https://cds.cern.ch/youraccount/display?ln=en">Personalize</a> <ul class="subsubcdsmenu"><li><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/youralerts/list?ln=en">Your alerts</a></li><li><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/yourbaskets/display?ln=en">Your baskets</a></li><li><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/yourcomments?ln=en">Your comments</a></li><li><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/youralerts/display?ln=en">Your searches</a></li></ul></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>  <table class="navtrailbox"> <tr> <td class="navtrailboxbody"> <a href="/?ln=en" class="navtrail">Home</a> > New Protocol grants CERN privileges and immunities </td> </tr> </table> </div> <div class="pagebody"><div class="pagebodystripemiddle"> <div class="detailedrecordbox"> <div class="detailedrecordtabs"> <div> <ul class="detailedrecordtabs"><li class="on first"><a href="/record/1035135/?ln=en">Information </a></li><li class=""><a href="/record/1035135/files?ln=en">Files </a></li></ul> <div id="tabsSpacer" style="clear:both;height:0px"> </div></div> </div> <div class="detailedrecordboxcontent"> <div class="top-left-folded"></div> <div class="top-right-folded"></div> <div class="inside">  <abbr class="unapi-id" title="1035135"></abbr> <link href="https://cds.cern.ch//img/webjournal_CERNBulletin/CERNBulletin.css" rel="stylesheet" media="all" type="text/css" /> <link href="https://framework.web.cern.ch/framework/2.0/fonts/PTSerifWeb/PTSerifWeb.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <div id="webjournal-en"> <div id="top"><div id="topbanner"> </div><div id="mainmenu" style="width:1100px;margin:auto"><table width="100%"><tr><td class="left"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2007/23" target="_blank">Bulletin Issue: 22/2007 & 23/2007, Mon 28 May 2007</a></td><td class="right">BUL-NA-2007-060</td></tr><tr><td class="right"></td></tr></table></div><div id="mainphoto"></div></div> <div id="container"> <table id="middle"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="300px" id="leftColumnDetailed" style="width:300px"> <div class="menuleft"> <h4>Also in this Issue: </h4><div class="active"><div class="subNavigationMenuItem">New Protocol grants CERN privileges and immunities</div></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035137">The end of an era at Restaurant No. 1</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035138">Restaurant No. 1 fully renovated</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035139">Medals for CERN spin-offs</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035140">Globe events 2007</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035399">Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 10 May 2007</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035146">2006-2007 Academic training programme</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035147">General and Professional French Courses</a></div><div class="subNavigationMenuItem"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035392">CERN Technical Training: Open Courses (June-July 2007)</a></div> </div> </td> <td valign="top" id="rightColumnDetailed" style="width:700px;"> <div class="text articleBody" > <h2 class="articleTitle">New Protocol grants CERN privileges and immunities</h2> <p class="articleHeader">A new agreement extends the privileges and immunities granted to CERN by its Host States by providing similar facilities in the other Member States of the Organization.</p><p> </p><div class="phlwithcaption"><div class="imageScale"><a href="http://cdsweb.cern.ch/search?recid=732767'"><img class="featureImageScaleHolder" src="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div><p><center>At the 18 March 2004 Protocol-signing ceremony. From left to right: Dutch Ambassador Ian de Jong, CERN Director-General Robert Aymar, Greek Ambassador Tassos Kriekoukis, CERN Deputy Legal Counsel Maarten Wilbers, Secretary General Maximilian Metzger, German Ambassador Michael Schneider, CERN Legal Counsel Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss.</center></p><p><center>Dutch Ambassador Ian de Jong signs the Protocol at the 18 March 2004 ceremony. Background: Italian Ambassador Paolo Bruni (left) and German Ambassador Michael Schneider.</center></p><div class="phlwithcaption"><div class="imageScale"><a href="http://cdsweb.cern.ch/search?recid=732767'"><img class="featureImageScaleHolder" src="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div><p> Thanks to a new agreement, CERN now has at its disposal a set of privileges and immunities aimed at facilitating the Laboratory's operations outside its Host States Switzerland and France. The agreement's official title, 'Protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Organization for Nuclear Research', does not exactly suggest an easy read. The Bulletin has therefore invited Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss, the CERN Legal Counsel who negotiated the Protocol on CERN's behalf, to explain its practical implications.<br /><br /><br /> <br /> <em> <strong>The Bulletin:</strong> Why do States grant privileges and immunities to organisations such as CERN?</em><br /> <br /> <strong> Eva-Maria Gröniger-Voss: </strong>Well CERN, as you know, is an international organisation, and by that I mean a body that governments have created to do work that really can only be performed properly in a collaboration between them. CERN's creation, for example, reflected a common European desire born from the ruins of World War II to push the frontiers of our knowledge of particle physics for peaceful purposes. This ambitious goal can only be realised through the combined know-how of our national research institutions and requires a budget too high to be sustained by that of a single State. <br /> <br /> By their nature, international organisations such as CERN require the kind of facilities laid down in the Protocol. Without the protection offered by the privileges and immunities granted by the individual States in which the international organisation operates, those States could decide whom to give to, and whom to refuse work permits; they could impose entry restrictions on personnel, and levy taxes on the Organization's income--that is, on the membership contributions paid by the other Member States. Such national interference would contravene the very motive behind the Organization's creation as an international organisation and pose a threat to its autonomy. The Protocol is designed to take care of these issues.<br /> <br /> <em> CERN is more than fifty years old; how did we get by without the facilities offered by the Protocol?</em><br /> <br /> Actually, we did get by - until the system broke. Originally, CERN's site was exclusively in Swiss territory, and all of its work was done there, so privileges and immunities were first granted by Switzerland alone. With the extension of our site to France, back in 1965, CERN was granted similar facilities by France. These are laid down in what are called the 'Host State Agreements.'<br /> <br /> Then we started building the LHC. While the construction work for the SPS and the LEP was still largely confined to the CERN site and involved a limited number of contract partners, the LHC provoked a veritable explosion of international collaboration. For example, the 1232 dipole magnets, each made up of some twenty major components manufactured and assembled by more than twenty firms spread over some ten countries, were moved continuously across EU borders on their way to CERN. This led to costly fiscal problems that could no longer be remedied by the customs facilities granted by our two Host States only. And with the continued globalisation of particle physics, the same will be true for any future project.<br /> <br /> <em> So how did the Protocol come into being?</em><br /> <br /> Alerted to our problems, Council agreed in 2001 to mandate a Working Group with the task of drafting a detailed Protocol which effectively would extend the protection already granted by Switzerland and France to the territories of the other 18 Member States of our Organization. After two years of detailed negotiations, the Working Group, which included specialised legal experts from the various Ministries of Foreign Affairs, came up with a draft text that was approved by our Council in December 2003, and which set in motion the process which recently culminated in the Protocol's entry into force. I should mention that Switzerland and France are not parties to the Protocol since the two Host State Agreements continue to be valid today.<br /> <br /> <em> The Protocol was adopted by Council back in December 2003. Why has it entered into force only now?</em><br /> <br /> Council's adoption of the Protocol was only the first step in a long formal process that required, in most cases, that the document be submitted by each Member State for approval by its Parliament. Twelve ratifications were necessary for the Protocol to become valid. With the ratification on 23 January by the United Kingdom-the twelfth Member State to accept the document-the Protocol has become law in those twelve countries<sup>1)</sup>. By the way, two more States<sup>2)</sup> have ratified the Protocol since that time, and we have good hope that the others will complete their own acceptance procedures within the next few months.<br /> <br /> <em> What are these privileges and immunities granted through the Protocol?</em><br /> <br /> It's a long list so I'll take you through the key points.<br /> <br /> The Protocol recognises, for example, the Organization's capacity to 'contract, to acquire and to dispose of movable and immovable property and to participate in legal proceedings.' It may sound odd that an international organisation would not have such basic facilities, but in fact, before the Protocol was adopted, it was only the Host States that had officially granted them to CERN. Among other things, the new recognition means that our Pension Fund - which is an integral part of CERN without a legal status of its own - can now enter into investment operations in markets that were previously hard to access.<br /> <br /> The Protocol also grants us immunity from jurisdiction of the national courts, to ensure our independence from individual Member States. Mind you, this doesn't mean we operate in some kind of legal vacuum: the Protocol requires that CERN settle its disputes by other means. This is why claims by the members of our personnel against the Organization should be submitted to the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization, and why conflicts between CERN and its contractors are decided not by the national courts but by independent experts appointed by the disputing parties.<br /> <br /> <em> These are all facilities for the Organization itself. Does the Protocol have an impact on the individual members of the personnel?</em><br /> <br /> Certainly. For instance, one article extends the Organization's immunity from jurisdiction to the members of the personnel, as far as acts committed in the exercise of their functions are concerned. It also exempts the personnel and the members of their families from immigration restrictions, and from taxation on their CERN income.<br /> <br /> The exemption from immigration restrictions is particularly welcome whenever CERN needs to detach personnel to one of its suppliers. Previously, the nationality of the member of the personnel and the planned duration of the detachment represented major obstacles, to the point where we would receive phone calls from CERN personnel held up at border posts....<br /> <br /> Also welcome is the exemption, outside the Host States, from taxation of payments made by CERN to personnel. In exchange for exemption from national taxation, the Protocol requires the introduction of a system of internal taxation, for the benefit of the Organization. This system has been recognised by the Host States as well, making life a lot easier for those people whose CERN income was taxed previously-that is, Swiss nationals in Switzerland and French nationals in France. And for CERN, which had to reimburse the personnel for taxes paid by them, and then seek reimbursement from the national tax authorities, that recognition means a lot less 'red tape'.<br /> <br /> I should emphasise that the privileges and immunities that apply to the personnel are granted 'solely to ensure the unimpeded functioning of the Organization' and not 'for the personal benefit of the individuals concerned'. If CERN should be asked to lift the immunity of a member of the personnel-in, say, a criminal case-the Laboratory will consider that request solely from the perspective of the Organization's interest.<br /> <br /> <em> Is there anything else you want to say about the Protocol?</em><br /> <br /> Just this: with the major involvement in LHC construction of the USA, the Russian Federation, India and a number of other contributors, it would only be natural if those countries too would accede to the Protocol. Efforts in this direction are under preparation today.</p><div class="phrwithcaption"><div class="imageScale"><a href="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1034289""><img class="featureImageScaleHolder" src="https://cds.cern.ch/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div><p>For the full text of the Protocol: </p><p><a href="http://cdsweb.cern.ch/search?sysno=002693576CER">http://cdsweb.cern.ch/search?sysno=002693576CER</a></p><p><strong>Other privileges in the Protocol</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>The Protocol also:</strong></p><p><hr /> <em><sup>1)</sup> Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.<br /> <sup>2)</sup> Italy and Portugal.</em> </p> </div> <div>© CERN 2007-2024 - CERN Publications, IR-ECO-CO</div> </td> </tr> </table> <div id="bottom"> </div> </div> </div><br/><br/><div align="right"><div style="padding-bottom:2px;padding-top:30px;"><span class="moreinfo" style="margin-right:10px;"> <a href="" class="moreinfo">Back to search</a> </span></div></div> <div class="bottom-left-folded"><div class="recordlastmodifiedbox" style="position:relative;margin-left:1px"> Record created 2007-05-24, last modified 2023-12-08</div></div> <div class="bottom-right-folded" style="text-align:right;padding-bottom:2px;"> <span class="moreinfo" style="margin-right:10px;"><a href="/search?ln=en&p=recid%3A1035135&rm=wrd" class="moreinfo">Similar records</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> <br/> <br /> <div class="detailedrecordminipanel"> <div class="top-left"></div><div class="top-right"></div> <div class="inside"> <div id="detailedrecordminipanelfile" style="width:33%;float:left;text-align:center;margin-top:0"> <div><small class="detailedRecordActions">Fulltext:</small> <br /><em>na-2007-065_eva-web</em> - <a href="/record/1035135/files/na-2007-065_eva-web.jpg"><img style="border:none" src="/img/file-icon-text-12x16.gif" alt="Download fulltext"/>JPG</a><br /><em>na-2007-060_protocol_1-web</em> - <a href="/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_1-web.jpg"><img style="border:none" src="/img/file-icon-text-12x16.gif" alt="Download fulltext"/>JPG</a><br /><em>na-2007-060_protocol_2-web</em> - <a href="/record/1035135/files/na-2007-060_protocol_2-web.jpg"><img style="border:none" src="/img/file-icon-text-12x16.gif" alt="Download fulltext"/>JPG</a><br /></div> </div> <div id="detailedrecordminipanelreview" style="width:30%;float:left;text-align:center"> </div> <div id="detailedrecordminipanelactions" style="width:36%;float:right;text-align:right;"> <ul class="detailedrecordactions"> <li><a href="/yourbaskets/add?ln=en&recid=1035135">Add to personal basket</a></li> <li>Export as <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/hx?ln=en">BibTeX</a>, <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/hm?ln=en">MARC</a>, <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/xm?ln=en">MARCXML</a>, <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/xd?ln=en">DC</a>, <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/xe?ln=en">EndNote</a>,  <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/xn?ln=en">NLM</a>, <a style="text-decoration:underline;font-weight:normal" href="/record/1035135/export/xw?ln=en">RefWorks</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div style="clear:both;margin-bottom: 0;"></div> </div> <div class="bottom-left"></div><div class="bottom-right"></div> </div> </div></div> <footer id="footer" class="pagefooter clearfix">  <div class="pagefooterstripeleft"> CERN Document Server :: <a class="footer" href="https://cds.cern.ch/?ln=en">Search</a> :: <a class="footer" href="https://cds.cern.ch/submit?ln=en">Submit</a> :: <a class="footer" href="https://cds.cern.ch/youraccount/display?ln=en">Personalize</a> :: <a class="footer" href="https://cds.cern.ch/help/?ln=en">Help</a> :: <a class="footer" href="https://cern.service-now.com/service-portal?id=privacy_policy&se=CDS-Service" target="_blank">Privacy Notice</a> <br /> Powered by <a class="footer" href="http://invenio-software.org/">Invenio</a> <br /> Maintained by <a class="footer" href="https://cern.service-now.com/service-portal?id=service_element&name=CDS-Service">CDS Service</a> - Need help? 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