Decreto n.º 31/95

TEXTO :

Decreto n.º 31/95

de 18 de Agosto

Nos termos da alínea c) do n.º 1 do artigo 200.º da Constituição, o Governo decreta o seguinte:

Artigo único. É aprovado, para aceitação, o Acordo sobre a Conservação dos Morcegos na Europa, adoptado em Londres, em 10 de Agosto de 1991, cujas versões autênticas nas línguas inglesa, alemã e francesa e respectiva tradução em língua portuguesa seguem em anexo ao presente decreto.

Visto e aprovado em Conselho de Ministros de 6 de Julho de 1995. - Aníbal António Cavaco Silva - José Manuel Durão Barroso - Maria Teresa Pinto Basto Gouveia.

Ratificado em 28 de Julho de 1995.

Publique-se.

O Presidente da República, MÁRIO SOARES.

Referendado em 1 de Agosto de 1995.

Pelo Primeiro-Ministro, Manuel Dias Loureiro, Ministro da Administração Interna.

AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION OF BATS IN EUROPE

The Contracting Parties:

Recalling the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals opened for signature in Bonn on 23 June 1979;

Recognising the unfavourable conservation status of bats in Europe and non-European Range States and in particular the serious threat to them from habitat degradation, disturbance of roosting sites and certain pesticides;

Conscious that the threats facing bats in Europe and non-European Range States are common to both migratory and non-migratory species and that roosts are often shared by migratory and non-migratory species;

Recalling that the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals held in Bonn in October 1985 agreed to add European species of Chiroptera (Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae) to appendix II of the Convention and instructed the Secretariat of the Convention to take appropriate measures to develop an agreement for these species;

Convinced that the conclusion of an agreement for these species would greatly benefit the conservation of bats in Europe;

have agreed as follows:

Article I

Scope and interpretation

For the purposes of this Agreement:

Article II

General provisions

1 - This Agreement is an agreement within the meaning of paragraph 3 of article IV of the Convention.

2 - The provisions of this Agreement shall not relieve Parties of their obligations under any existing treaty, convention or agreement.

3 - Each Party to this Agreement shall designate one or more competent authorities to whom it shall assign responsibility for the implementation of this Agreement. It shall communicate the name and address of its authority or authorities to the other Parties to this Agreement.

4 - Appropriate administrative and financial support for this Agreement shall be determined by its Parties in consultation with the Parties to the Convention.

Article III

Fundamental obligations

1 - Each Party shall prohibit the deliberate capture, keeping or killing of bats except under permit from its competent authority.

2 - Each Party shall identify those sites within its own area of jurisdiction wich are important for the conservation status, including for the shelter and protection, of bats. It shall, taking into acount as necessary economic and social considerations, protect such sites from damage or disturbance. In addition, each Party shall endeavour to identify and protect important feeding areas for bats from damage or disturbance.

3 - When deciding wich habitats to protect for general conservation purposes each Party shall give due weight to habitats that are important for bats.

4 - Each Party shall take appropriate measures to promote the conservation of bats and shall promote public awareness of the importance of bat conservation.

5 - Each Party shall assign to an appropriate body responsibilites for the provision of advice on bat conservation and management within its territory particularly with regard to bats in buildings. Parties shall exchange information on their experiences in this matter.

6 - Each Party shall take such additional action as it considers necessary to safeguard populations of bats which it identifies as being subject to threat and shall report under article VI on the action taken.

7 - Each Party shall, as appropriate, promote research programmes relating to the conservation and management of bats. Parties shall consult each other on such research programmes, and shall endeavour to co-ordinate such research and conservation programmes.

8 - Each Party shall, wherever appropriate, consider the potential effects of pesticides on bats, when assessing pesticides for use, and shall endeavour to replace timber treatment chemicals which are highly toxic to bats with safer alternatives.

Article IV

National implementation

1 - Each Party shall adopt and enforce such legislative and administrative measures as may be necessary for the purpose of giving effect to this Agreement.

2 - The provisions of this Agreement shall in no way affect the right of Parties to adopt stricter mesarures concerning the conservation of bats.

Article V

Meetings of the Parties

1 - There shall be periodic meetings of the Parties to this Agreement. The Government of the United Kingdom shall call the first meeting of the Parties to the Agreement not later than three years after the date of entry into force of the Agreement. The Parties to the Agreement shall adopt rules of procedure for their meetings and financial rules, including the provisions on the budget and the scale of contributions for the next financial period. Such rules shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting. Decisions taken under the financial rules shall require a three-quarters majority of the Parties present and voting.

2 - At their meetings the Parties may establish such scientific and other working groups as they see fit.

3 - Any Range State or Regional Economic Integration Organisation not a Party to this Agreement, the Secretariat of the Convention, the Council of Europe in its capacity as the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and similar intergovernmental organisations may be represented by observers at meetings of the Parties. Any agency or body technically qualified in the conservation and management of bats may be represented by observers at meetings of the Parties unless at least one-third of the Parties present object. Only Parties may vote at meetings of the Parties.

4 - Except as provided for in paragraph 5 below, each Party to this Agreement shall have one vote.

5 - Regional Economic Integration Organisations which are Parties to this Agreement shall, in matters within their competence, exercise their right to vote with a number of votes equal to the number of their member States which are Parties to the Agreement and present at the time of the vote. A Regional Economic Integration Organisation shall not exercise its right to vote if its Member States exercise theirs, and vice versa.

Article VI

Reports on implementation

Each Party shall present to each meeting of the Parties an up-to-date report on its implementation of this Agreement. It shall circulate the report to the Parties not less than 90 days before the opening of the ordinary meeting.

Article VII

Amendment of the Agreement

1 - This Agreement may be amended at any meeting of the Parties.

2 - Proposals for amendment may be made by any Party.

3 - The text of any proposed amendment and the reasons for it shall be communicated to the Depositary at least 90 days before the opening of the meeting. The Depositary shall transmit copies forthwith to the Parties.

4 - Amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting and shall enter into force for those Parties which have accepted them 60 days after the deposit of the fifth instrument of acceptance of the amendment with the Depositary. Thereafter, they shall enter into force for a Party 30 days after the date of deposit of its instrument of acceptance of the amendment with the Depositary.

Article VIII

Reservations

The provisions of this Agreement shall not be subject to general reservations. However, a Range State or Regional Economic Integration Organisation may, on becoming a Party in accordance with article X or XI, enter a specific reservation with regard to any particular species of bat.

Article IX

Settlement of disputes

Any dispute which may arise between Parties with respect to the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Agreement shall be subject to negotiation between the Parties involved in the dispute.

Article X

Signature, ratification, acceptance and approval

This Agreement shall be open to signature by Range States or Regional Economic Integration Organisations who may become Parties either by:

Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Depositary.

This Agreement shall remain open for signature until the date of entry into force of the Agreement.

Article XI

Accession

This Agreement shall be open for accession by Range States or Regional Economic Integration Organisations after the date of entry into force of the Agreement. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Depositary.

Article XII

Entry into force

This Agreement shall enter into force on the ninetieth day following the date on which five Range States have become Parties in accordance with article X. Thereafter it shall enter into force for a signatory or acceding State on the thirtieth day after the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

Article XIII

Denunciation and termination

Any Party may denounce this Agreement by written notification to the Depositary at any time. The denunciation shall take effect 12 months after the date on which the Depositary has received the notification. The Agreement shall remain in force for at least ten years, and thereafter shall terminate on the date on which there cease to be at least five Parties thereto.

Article XIV

Depositary

The original of the Agreement, in English, French and German, each version being equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Government of the United Kingdom, which shall be the Depositary and shall transmit certified copies thereof to all States and any Regional Economic Integration Organisations that have signed the Agreement or deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

The Depositary shall inform all Range States and Regional Economic Integration Organisations of signatures, deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, entry into force of this Agreement, amendments thereto, reservations and notifications of denunciation.

(ver documento original)

ACCORD RELATIF A LA CONSERVATION DES CHAUVES-SOURIS EN EUROPE

Les Parties contractantes:

Rappelant la Convention sur la conservation des espèces migratrices appartenant à la faune sauvage ouverte à la signature à Bonn le 23 juin 1979;

Reconnaissant l'état défavorable de la conservation des chauves-souris en Europe et dans des Etats non européens de leur aire de répartition et en particulier la sérieuse menace que font peser sur elles la dégradation des habitats, la perturbation des gîtes et certains pesticides;

Conscientes que les menaces auxquelles sont exposés les chauves-souris en Europe et dans des Etats non européens de leur aire de répartition, sont communes aux espèces migratices et non migratrices et que les gîtes sont souvent partagées para des espèces migratrices et non migratices;

Rappelant que la première session de la Conférence des Parties à la Convention sur la conservation des espèces migratrices appartenant à la faune sauvage, qui'est tenue à Bonn en octobre 1985, a convenu d'ajouter des espèces européennes de Chiroptera (Rhinolophidae et Vespertilionidae) à l'annexe II de la Convention et a chargé le Secrétariat de la Convention de prendre les mesures voulues pour élaborer un Accord portant sur ces espèces;

Convaincues que la conclusion d'un Accord pour ces espèces serait dans le plus grand intérêt de la conservation des chauves-souris en Europe;

sont convenues de ce qui suit:

Article premier

Portée et interprétation

Aux fins du présent Accord:

Article II

Dispositions générales

1 - Le présent Accord est un accord au sens du paragraphe 3 de l'article IV de la Convention.

2 - Les dispositions du présent Accord ne dispensent pas les Parties des obligations qu'elles ont contractées aux termes de tout traité, de toute convention ou de tout accord existant.

3 - Chaque Partie au présent Accord désigne une ou plusieurs autorités compétentes auxquelles elle attribue la responsabilité de la mise en application du présent Accord. Elle communique le nom et l'adresse de son autorité ou de ses autorités aux autres Parties au présent Accord.

4 - Le soutien administratif et financier qu'il convient d'accorder au présent Accord est déterminé par ses Parties en consultation avec les Parties à la Convention.

Article III

Obligations fondamentales

1 - Chaque Partie interdit la capture, la détention ou la mise à mort intentionnelle des chauves-souris, sauf en vertu d'un permis délivré par son autorité compétente.

2 - Chaque Partie identifie, dans son propre ressort, les sites qui sont importants pour l'état de la conservation des chauves-souris, notamment pour leur abri et leur protection. En tenant compte au besoin des considérations économiques et sociales, elle protège de tels sites de toute dégradation ou perturbation. Par ailleurs, chaque Partie s'efforce d'identifier et de protéger de toute dégradation ou perturbation les aires d'alimentation importantes pour les chauves-souris.

3 - En décidant des habitats qu'il convient de protéger à des fins de conservation générale, chaque Partie prend dûment en considération les habitats qui sont importants pour les chauves-souris.

4 - Chaque Partie prend des mesures appropriées en vue d'encourager la conservation des chauves-souris et oeuvre à sensibiliser le public à l'importance de la conservation des chauves-souris.

5 - Chaque Partie attribue à un organisme approprié la responsabilité de dispenser des conseils sur la conservation et la gestion des chauves-souris à l'intérieur de son territoire, en particulier en ce qui concerne les chauves-souris dans les bâtiments. Les Parties échangent des informations sur leurs expériences dans ce domaine.

6 - Chaque Partie prend toutes mesures complémentaires jugées nécessaires pour sauvegarder les populations de chauves-souris qu'elle identifie comme étant menacées et rend compte, aux termes de l'article IV, des mesures prises.

7 - Chaque Partie s'attache, de la manière qui convient, à encourager les programmes de recherche portant sur la conservation et la gestion des chauves-souris. Les Parties se consultent au sujet de tels programmes de recherche et s'efforcent de coordonner de tels programmes de recherche et de conservation.

8 - Chaque Partie prend en considération, le cas échéant, les effets potentiels des pesticides sur les chauves-souris lors de l'évaluation des pesticides en vue de leur emploi et s'efforce de remplacer les produits chimiques de traitement du bois qui sont hautement toxiques pour les chauves-souris par des substituts moins dangereux.

Article IV

Mise en application au niveau national

1 - Chaque Partie adopte et met en application toutes mesures législatives et administratives nécessaires pour donner effet au présent Accord.

2 - Les dispositions du présent Accord ne portent atteinte en aucune façon au droit des Parties d'adopter des mesures plus strictes pour la conservation des chauves-souris.

Article V

Réunions des Parties