1. “Regional integration organization” shall mean an organization
constituted by sovereign States of a given region, to which its member States
have transferred competence in respect of matters governed by the present
Convention. Such organizations shall declare, in their instruments of formal
confirmation or accession, the extent of their competence with respect to
matters governed by the present Convention. Subsequently, they shall inform
the depositary of any substantial modification in the extent of their
competence.
2. References to “States Parties” in the present Convention shall apply to
such organizations within the limits of their competence.
3. For the purposes of article 45, paragraph 1, and article 47, paragraphs 2
and 3, of the present Convention, any instrument deposited by a regional
integration organization shall not be counted.
4. Regional integration organizations, in matters within their competence,
may exercise their right to vote in the Conference of States Parties, with a
number of votes equal to the number of their member States that are Parties to
the present Convention. Such an organization shall not exercise its right to
vote if any of its member States exercises its right, and vice versa.
