INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE CIRCULATION OF OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS

(Paris, 4 May 1910)

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 15 SEPTEMBER 1911

The Governments of the Powers hereinafter named, being equally desirous of facilitating, so far as their respective laws permit, the interchange of information for the purpose of the discovery and suppression of offences relating to obscene publications, have resolved to conclude an Agreement for that purpose, and have accordingly appointed their Plenipotentiaries, who, having met in conference at Paris from 18 April to 4 May 1910, have agreed upon the following provisions: 

Article 1

Each of the Contracting Governments agrees to establish or to designate an authority charged with the duty: 

1. Of coordinating all information which may facilitate the discovery and suppression of acts constituting offences against their internal legislation in respect of obscene writings, designs, pictures or objects, where the various acts constituting the offence have taken place in different countries; 

2. Of furnishing all information which may be useful for the purpose of preventing the importation of publications or objects contemplated by the preceding paragraph, or of securing or expediting the seizure thereof, so far as their respective laws permit; 

3. Of communicating the laws which have been or shall be introduced in their respective States which reference to the object of the present Agreement. 

The Contracting Governments shall make known to each other, through the intermediary of the Government of the French Republic, the authority established or designated in conformity with the present Article. 

Article 2

The authority designated under Article 1 shall have power to correspond direct with the similar department established in each of the other Contracting States. 

Article 3

The authority designated under Article 1 shall, if the internal legislation of the country concerned so permit, communicate to the similar authorities of all the other Contracting States particulars of convictions pronounced in the said country in respect of offences contemplated by Article 1. 

Article 4

Non-Signatory States may accede to the present Agreement. For this purpose they shall notify their intention to do so by means of a declaration which shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the French Republic, who shall communicate a certified copy thereof, through the diplomatic channel, to each of the Contracting States, notifying at the same time the date of such deposit. 

Six months after this date the Agreement shall come into force throughout the territory of the acceding State, and such State shall thereupon become a Contracting State. 

Article 5

The present Agreement shall come into force six months after the date of the deposit of ratifications. 

If one of the Contracting States denounces it, such denunciation shall only have effect as regards that State. 

The denunciation shall be notified by a declaration which shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the French Republic, who shall communicate a certified copy thereof, through the diplomatic channel, to each of the Contracting States, notifying at the same time the date of such deposit. 

Twelve months after this date the Agreement shall cease to be in force throughout the territory of the State which has denounced it. 

Article 6

The present Agreement shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be deposited at Paris as soon as six of the Contracting States are in a position to do so. 

A protocol recording the deposit of ratifications shall be drawn up, of which a certified copy shall be transmitted, through the diplomatic channel, to each of the Contracting States. 

Article 7

If a Contracting State desires the present Agreement to come into force in one or more of its colonies, possessions or consular judicial districts, it shall notify its intention by a declaration which shall be deposited with the Government of the French Republic, who shall communicate a certified copy thereof, through the diplomatic channel, to each of the Contracting States, notifying at the same time the date of such deposit. 

Six months after this date the Agreement shall come into force in the colonies, possessions and consular judicial districts included in such notification.

The denunciation of the Agreement by one of the Contracting Parties on behalf of one or more of its colonies, possessions and consular judicial districts, shall be made under the forms and conditions laid down by the first paragraph of this Article. Such denunciation shall have effect twelve months after the date of the deposit of the declaration thereof in the archives of the Government of the French Republic. 

Article 8

The present Agreement, which shall be dated 4 March 1910, may be signed in Paris up to 31 July following, by the Plenipotentiaries of the Powers represented at the Conference for the Suppression of Obscene Publications. 

DONE at Paris, the 4th May, 1910, in a single copy, of which a true copy shall be communicated to each of the Governments which have signed the same. 

[Signatures not reproduced here.]