Chinese government ratifies °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Agreement
On Thursday 30 August, the National People's Congress of China ratified the Agreement on the establishment of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Organization, and the Agreement on the privileges and immunities of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Organization. This is a first step to full ratification of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Agreement by China, the final step being the signature of the Chinese President, which is expected shortly. The ratification took place as part of the seven-day, bimonthly meeting of the 170-member Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Agreements were signed during a ceremony on 21 November last year in Paris, but before the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ can be established formally as a true international organization, the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Agreement needs to be ratified, accepted or approved, in accordance with the procedures of each °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Party. In the course of the year, the other six Parties have already concluded this process.
The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Agreement will enter into force 30 days after the reception by the IAEA - which is the repository of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ Agreement - of the official notification of the ratification from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At that time, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¸ßÊÖ will officially become an international organization.