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