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MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS, 1776-1917

Article 26

1.—In the interval which elapses between the meetings, any Postal Administration of a country of the Union has the right to address to the other Administrations belonging to it, through the intermediary of the International Bureau, propositions concerning the regimen of the Union.

2.—Every proposition is subject to the following procedure:

A period of five months is allowed to the Administrations of the Union to examine the propositions, and to transmit to the International Bureau, if necessary, their observations, amendments, or counter-propositions which they may desire to submit. The replies are tabulated by the International Bureau and communicated to the Administrations with the invitation to pronounce either for or against the proposition. Those Administrations which have not transmitted their vote within a period of six months, counting from the date of the second circular of the International Bureau notifying them of the observations made, are considered as abstaining from voting.

3.—In order to become binding the propositions must obtain, as follows:

  • 1st. Unanimity of votes, if they involve the addition of new Articles or a modification of the stipulations of the present Article and of Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15 and 18;
  • 2nd. Two-thirds of the votes, if they involve a modification of stipulations of the Convention other than those of Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, and 26;
  • 3d. Simply an absolute majority, if they affect the interpretation of the stipulations of the Convention, except in the case of dispute contemplated in Article 23 preceding.

4.—The binding decisions are sanctioned, in the first two cases, by a diplomatic declaration, which the Government of the Swiss Confederation is charged to prepare and transmit to all the Governments of the contracting countries, and, in the third case, by a simple notification from the International Bureau to all the Administrations of the Union.

5.—No modification or resolution adopted is binding until at least two months after its notification.

Article 27

The following are considered as forming, for the application of Articles 22, 25 and 26 preceding, a single country, or a single Administration, as the case may be:

  • 2nd.1st. The Empire of British India;
  • 2nd. The Dominion of Canada;
  • 2nd.3d. The whole of the British Colonies of Australasia;
  • 2nd.4th. The whole of the Danish Colonies;
  • 2nd.5th. The whole of the Spanish Colonies;
  • 2nd.6th. The whole of the French Colonies;