Barcelona Convention and Statute on Freedom of Transit

The Barcelona Convention and Statute on Freedom of Transit is an International treaty signed in Barcelona on 20 April 1921; the treaty ensures freedom of transit for various commercial goods across national boundaries. It was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on 8 October 1921. It went into effect on 31 October 1922. The convention is still in force at present.

Terms of the convention
The convention merely reaffirmed the statute adopted few days earlier at a League of Nations conference held in Barcelona. Article 1 of the statute defined transit as movement of persons and goods from one sovereign state to another. Article 2 recognized the freedom of sovereign governments to make transit arrangements within their territories. Article 3 prohibited governments from demanding payments for transit rights, except for dues designated to cover operational expenses. Article 4 made compulsory for governments to apply equal transit dues to all persons, regardless of nationality. Article 5 permitted governments to prevent the entry into their territories of certain persons or goods for reasons of security. Article 6 permitted governments to refrain from granting transit permission to persons of states that were non-signatories of the convention. Article 7 permitted governments to deviate from the provisions of the statute in cases of national emergency, but required this be done for as brief period as possible. Article 8 allowed exceptions in times of war. Article 9 stated that none of its provisions can contradict obligations of states within the League of Nations. Article 10 stated that the statute shall replace all other transit agreements concluded prior to 1 May 1921. Article 11 permitted governments to grant greater freedoms of transit than provided in the statute, if they chose to do so. Article 12 permitted governments to postpone temporarily the applications of the transit provisions in case their territory or parts of it still suffered from the devastation caused by the First World War. Article 13 provided for resolution of disputes regarding interpretation through the Permanent Court of International Justice. Article 14 permitted governments to refrain from applying reasonable transit provisions to territories that were either under populated or lacking in proper arrangements of the rule of law. Article 15 stated that different arrangements shall apply in League of Nations mandated territories.