THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION.

(Cap. 190, section 2).

[9th September, 1955.]

His Excellency the Governor hereby declares and provides as
follows

A. THE ORGANIZATION.

1. The World Meteorological Organization (hereinafter referred to
as the Organization) is an organization to which the Diplomatic
Privileges Ordinance applies.

2. The Organization shall have the legal capacities of a body
corporate and, except in so far as in any particular case it has expressly
waived its immunity, immunity from suit and legal process. No waiver of
immunity shall be deemed to extend to any measure of execution.

3. The Organization shall have the like inviolability of official
archives and premises occupied as offices as is accorded in respect of
official archives and premises of an envoy of a foreign sovereign power
accredited to Her Majesty.

4. The Organization shall have the like exemption or relief from taxes
and rates. other than taxes on the importation of goods, as is accorded
to a foreign sovereign power.

5. The Organization shall have exemption from taxes on the
importation of goods directly imported by the Organization for its
official use in Hong Kong or for exportation, or on the importation
of any publications of the Organization directly imported by it,
such exemption to be subject to compliance with such conditions
as the of Commerce and Industry may prescribe for the
protection of the revenue.

6. The Organization shall have exemption from prohibitions and
restrictions on importation or exportation in the case of goods directly
imported or exported by the Organization for its official use and in the
case of any publications of the Organization directly imported or
exported by it.

7. The Organization shall have the right to avail itself, for
telegraphic communications sent by it and containing only matter
intended for publication by the press or for broadcasting (including
communications addressed to or dispatched from places outside Hong
Kong), of any reduced rates applicable for the corresponding service in
the case of press telegrams.





B. REPRESENTATIVES, OTHER THAN REPRESENTATIVES OF
HER MAJESTY's GOVERNMENT IN THE COLONY, ON
ORGANS OR COMMITTEES OF THE ORGANIZATION.

8. (1) Except in so far as in any particular case any privilege or
immunity is waived by the Governments whom they represent,
representatives of members at the World Meteorological Congress, on
the Executive Committee, at regional associations, on technical
commissions, or on any committee of any of these bodies shall enjoy

(a)while exercising their functions as such and during their
journeys to and from the place of meeting, immunity from
personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal
baggage and inviolability for all papers and documents;

(b)immunity from legal process of every kind in respect of words
spoken or written and things done or omitted to be done by
them in their capacity as representatives.

(2) Where the incidence of any form of taxation depends upon
residence, representatives shall not be deemed to be resident in Hong
Kong during any period when they are present in Hong Kong for the
discharge of their duties.

(3) For the purposes of the application of this Article the
expression 'representatives' shall be deemed to include, in addition to
the representatives, the following members of their official staffs
accompanying them as such representatives:

Alternate representatives,

Advisers,

Technical experts,

Secretaries of Delegations,

and Part IV of the Schedule to the Ordinance shall not operate so as to
confer privileges or immunities on the staffs of representatives other
than on those persons falling within the abovementioned descriptions.

(4) The provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this Article shall
not confer any immunity or privilege on any person as the
representative of Her Majesty's Government in Hong Kong or as a
member of the staff of such representative or on any person who is 1
citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies s.



C. HIGH OFFICIALS OF THE ORGANIZATION.

9. Except in so far as in any particular case any privilege or
immunity is waived by the Organization, any officer of the Organization
holding the office of Secretary-General (including any officer acting for
him during his absence from duty) shall be





accorded in respect of himself, his spouse and his children under
the age of twenty-one, the like immunity from suit and legal
process, the like inviolability of residence and the like exemption
or relief from taxes, other than income tax, as is accorded to an
envoy of a foreign sovereign power accredited to Her Majesty,
his spouse and children, and exemption from income tax in respect
of emoluments received by him as an officer of the Organization.

D. OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE ORGANIZATION.

10. Except in so far as in any particular case any privilege
or immunity is waived by the Organization, officials of the
Organization of any category specified by it shall enjoy-

(a)immunity from suit and legal process in respect of words
spoken or written and things done or omitted to be done
by them in the course of the performance of their official
duties;

(b)exemption from income tax in respect of emoluments
received by them as officers or servants of the Organiza-
tion.
G.N.A. 88/55. (Cap. 190.)

G.N.A. 88/55. (Cap. 190.)

https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/2812

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