FINAL ACT OF THE UNITED NATIONS
CONFERENCE ON ROAD TRAFFIC
1. The United Nations Conference on Road Traffic was convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with resolutions 1129 (XLI) and 1203 (XLII) adopted by the Economic and Social Council on 27 July 1966 and 26 May 1967. These resolutions read as follows:
Resolution 1129 (XLI)
«The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling its resolutions 967 (XXXVI) of 25 July 1963, 1034 (XXXVII) of 14 August 1964, and 1082 B (XXXIX) of 30 July 1965, on the revision of the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic and Protocol on Road Signs and Signals,
Considering, in conformity with the view already expressed in its resolutions 1034 (XXXVII) and 1082 B (XXXIX), that the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic and the 1949 Protocol on Road Signs and Signals need to be amended and amplified in order to facilitate road traffic,
Noting the report of the Secretary-General, in particular paragraph 6, and bearing in mind the contents of its resolution 1082 B (XXXIX),
Noting further the invitation of the Government of Austria,
1. DECIDES that the international conference to be convened shall decide whether more than one instrument should be prepared to replace the 1949 Convention and Protocol and whether some provisions concerning road signs and signals should be obligatory or simply recommended practices;
2. DECIDES that all States Members of the United Nations or members of the specialized agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency and, in an advisory capacity, the specialized agencies and also, as observers, interested inter-governmental organizations and interested non-governmental organizations having consultative status with the Council, shall be invited to the conference;
3. FURTHER DECIDES that the conference shall be convened, for a period not exceeding twenty-five working days, at Vienna in March 1968 at a date to be determined by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Government of Austria;
4. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to prepare and circulate as conference documents:
(a) A draft convention on road traffic;
(b) A draft convention on road signs and signals based on the drafts previously prepared and taking into account any amendments proposed by the regional economic commissions;
(c) Commentaries on these draft conventions which shall:
(i) Clearly show any substantive difference between the new texts and those previously circulated,
(ii) Reproduce any amendments proposed by the regional economic commissions that have not been incorporated in the new texts;
5. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General:
(a) When circulating the new draft conventions, to request:
(i) The Governments of States invited to the conference to communicate to the Secretary-General not less than four months before the opening of the conference, any amendments to those texts which they may wish to propose;
(ii) The specialized agencies, and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations invited to the conference, to communicate, within the same time-limit, any suggestions for amending the technical provisions of the new draft conventions which they may desire to submit;
(b) To circulate the amendments and suggestions received under sub-paragraph (a) above not less than two months before the opening of the conference,
(c) To make the other necessary arrangements for the convening of the conference, including the preparation and circulation of draft provisions, rules of procedure for the conference, and of any other requisite documents».
Resolution 1203 (XLII)
«The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling its resolution 1129 (XLI) of 27 July 1966 concerning the arrangements for an international conference to replace the Convention on Road Traffic and the Protocol on Road Signs and Signals, done at Geneva, 19 September 1949,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 16 March 1967, as amended by his note of 3 April 1967,
DECIDES that the time-table for the conference set out in resolution 1129 (XLI) should be amended:
(a) In paragraph 3 of that resolution, by deleting the words following "Vienna" and substituting therefor the words “from 30 September to 1 November 1968”;
(b) In paragraph 5, by substituting "six months” for "four months” in sub-paragraph (a) (i) and by substituting “three months” for “two months” in sub-paragraph (b)».
2. Since the dates prescribed for the Conference in the resolution referred to above had been deferred at the request of the host Government, the Conference on Road Traffic was held from 7 October to 8 November 1968.
The Governments of the following States were represented at the Conference by delegations:
Afghanistan
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic
Canada
Central African Republic
Chile
China
Costa Rica
Cyprus
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Federal Republic of Germany
Finland
France
Gabon
Ghana
Greece
Holy See
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
Kenya
Kuwait
Liberia
Libya
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Mali
Mexico
Monaco
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Korea
Romania
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Spain
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
United Arab Republic
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Venezuela
Yugoslavia
The Governments of the following States had observers at the Conference:
Bolivia
Colombia
Cuba
Guatemala
Nicaragua
The International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency were represented at the Conference in a consultative capacity.
The following organizations were represented at the Conference by observers:
A. Inter-governmental organizations
Commission of the European Communities
Council of Europe
European Conference of Ministers of Transport
International Institute for the Unification of Private Law
League of Arab States
Organization for the Collaboration of Railways
Nordic Council
B. Non-governmental organizations
European Insurance Committee
International Association for the Prevention of Road Accidents
International Chamber of Commerce
International Commission on Illumination
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
International Criminal Police Organization
International Federation of Christian Trade Unions
International Federation of Senior Police Officers
International Organization for Standardization
International Permanent Bureau of Motor Cycle Manufacturers
International Permanent Bureau of Motor Manufacturers
International Road Federation
International Road Transport Union
International Union of Official Travel Organizations
International Union of Public Transport
International Union of Railways
League of Red Cross Societies
World Federation of Trade Unions
World Touring and Automobile Organization.
3. The Conference had before it and used as a basis for discussion a draft Convention on Road Traffic and a draft Convention on Road Signs and Signals prepared by the Secretary-General.
4. On the basis of its deliberations, as recorded in the summary records of its plenary meetings and in the summary records of the decisions of its main committees, the Conference prepared and opened for signature a Convention on Road Traffic and a Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
5. In addition, the Conference adopted by acclamation the following resolution entitled “A tribute to the Government and People of the Republic of Austria":
“The United Nations Conference on Road Traffic, at the end of its work in Vienna on 7 November 1968, wishes to express its profound gratitude to the people and Government of Austria and to the City of Vienna for the kind and generous hospitality granted to all delegates at the Conference.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned representatives have signed this Final Act.
DONE at Vienna this eighth day of November one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight in a single copy in the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each text authentic. The original will be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who will send certified copies to each of the Governments invited to send representatives to the Conference.
Afghanistan |
SAADULLAH YOSUFI |
Algeria |
|
Argentina |
CARLOS ORTIZ DE ROZAS |
Australia |
JOHN PERMEZEL |
Austria |
KURT WALDHEIM OTTO MITTERER |
Belgium |
GEORGES PUTTEVILS |
Brazil |
SYLVIO CARLOS DINIZ BORGES |
Bulgaria |
DEMIR BORACHEV |
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic |
ANDREI VASILEVICH ZUBOVICH |
Canada |
GILLES SICOTTE |
Central African Republic |
|
Chile |
MIGUEL SERRANO |
China |
PAO-NAN CHENG |
Costa Rica |
FRANZ JOS.HASLINGER |
Cyprus |
DINOS NICOLAOU APHAMIS |
Czechoslovakia |
JOSEF DYKAST |
Denmark |
KRISTIAN FROSIG AAGE ANDERSEN |
Dominican Republic |
THEODOR SCHMIDT |
Ecuador |
ARSENIO LARCO DIAZ |
Federal Republic of Germany |
OTTO LINDER |
Finland |
ENSIO HELANIEMI |
France |
JEAN GABARRA |
Gabon |
|
Ghana |
JONATHAN W.DECKER |
Greece |
ODYSSEUS N.PAPADAKIS |
Holy See |
GEROLAMO PRIGIONE |
Hungary |
LASZLO FOLDVARI |
India |
|
Indonesia |
JUNUS POHAN |
Iran |
ASLAN AFSHAR |
Israel |
EZRA KAMMA JACOB FRISHER |
Italy |
LIONELLO COZZI |
Japan |
KINYA NISEKI |
Kenya |
SHASHIKANT KANTIHAL RAVAL |
Kuwait |
MOHAMMAD SAAD KHADR |
Lebanon |
|
Liberia |
TILMON GARDINER |
Libya |
ABDULLAH GIBRIL SALAH |
Luxembourg |
RENE LOGELIN |
Malaysia |
ABDUL FATAH BIN ZAKARIA |
Mali |
MAHAMAR MAIGA |
Mexico |
G.MORALES GARZA |
Monaco |
|
Morocco |
|
Netherlands |
JOHAN KAUFMANN ADRIAN H.RUNBERG |
Nigeria |
ETIM INYANG |
Norway |
ROLF NORMAN TORGERSEN |
Peru |
ENRIQUE LAFOSSE |
Philippines |
BALTAZAR AQUINO ROMEO FLORES EDU |
Poland |
JOZEF WOJCIECHOWSKI |
Portugal |
ARMANDO DE PAULA COELHO ANTONIO BRITO DA SILVA |
Republic of Korea |
TONG UN PARK |
Romania |
VICTOR MATEEVICH |
San Marino |
WILHELM MULLER-FEMBECK |
Saudi Arabia |
ABDUL MUNEM BAS |
Spain |
JOAQUIN BUXO-DUICE |
Sudan |
ALI YASSIN |
Sweden |
BERTIL G.HOLMQUIST |
Switzerland |
OSCAR SCHURCH |
Thailand |
MANU AMATAYAKUL |
Turkey |
GULTEKIN TOPCAM |
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic |
MAKAR MAKAROVICH YASHNIK |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics |
BORIS TIKHONOVICH SHUMILIN |
United Arab Republic |
MAHMOUD YOUNIS EL ANSARY YOUSSEF EZZELDINE |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
JAMES RICHARD MADGE |
United States of America |
WILLIAM J.STIBRAVY CHARLES W.PRISK HENRY H.KELLY |
Venezuela |
FRANCISCO AZPURUA ESPINOZA |
Yugoslavia |
LAZAR MOJSOV |
The President of the Conference: |
The Executive Secretary: |
A. BUZZI-QUATTRINI |
F.D. MASSON |