ESA Convention
At the end of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries, held in Paris on 30 May 1975, the Convention for the establishment of a European Space Agency (CSE/CS(73)19, rev.7) was opened for signature by the Member States of the European Space Conference, until 31 December 1975.
The Final Act of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries and the associated Resolutions (CSE/CS(73)20, rev.7) established conditions for signature of the Convention and for the functioning of the European Space Agency.
On 30 May 1975, the Convention was signed by: the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Sweden, and the Swiss Confederation.
On 31 December 1975, the Convention was signed by Ireland.
The Convention entered into force on 30 October 1980.
In accordance with Article XVI. 3 of the Convention, the Council has amended certain provisions in Annexes to the Convention adopting the following:
- ESA/C-M/CXXII/Res. 1 (Final), chapter IV, adopted on 20 October 1995;
- ESA/C-M/CLIV/Res. 2 (Final), chapter III, adopted on 15 November 2001;
- ESA/C/CLXXIX/Res. 6 (Final), adopted on 22 June 2005;
- ESA/C(2009)73, adopted on 10 June 2009.
The versions with the consolidated text in force as of 1 January 2010 are provided in links below.
Ratification by Member States
Date of deposit of instruments of ratification:
| Sweden: | 6 April 1976 |
| Switzerland: | 19 November 1976 |
| Germany: | 26 July 1977 |
| Denmark: | 15 September 1977 |
| Italy: | 20 February 1978 |
| United Kingdom: | 28 March 1978 |
| Belgium: | 3 October 1978 |
| Netherlands: | 6 February 1979 |
| Spain: | 7 February 1979 |
| France: | 30 October 1980 |
| Ireland: | 10 December 1980 |
| Austria: | 30 December 1986 |
| Norway: | 30 December 1986 |
| Finland: | 1 January 1995 |
| Portugal: | 14 November 2000 |
| Greece: | 9 March 2005 |
| Luxembourg: | 30 June 2005 |
| Czech Republic: | 12 August 2008 |
| Romania: | 22 December 2011 |
| Poland: | 19 November 2012 |
| Estonia: | 1 September 2015 |
| Hungary: | 4 November 2015 |
Link to the ratifications for the ESA Member States are provided below.
ESA Convention English
ESA Convention German / Deutsch
ESA Convention French / Français
