Spain has become the first country to ratify the Rotterman Rules, having given domestic approval for the new regime on 19 January 2011.Spain was also one of the 17 nations that signed the Rules at the ceremony in September 2009. Since then six other nations have signed, bringing the total to 23; Most of these signed immediately after the ceremony and only two, Luxembourg and Demopcratic Republic of Congo, signed in 2010.
It is important to recall the signing of a treaty is a statement of intent only: the treaty is never binding in domestic law until ratified, and the treaty only come-into-force as between States Party after twenty nations have deposited their ratifying instruments with the secretariat.
Below is the list of nations signing and the date of signature, followed by the date of ratification where applicable:
Armenia 29/09/2009
Cameroon 29/09/2009
Congo 23/09/2009
DR Congo 23/09/2010
Denmark 23/09/2009
France 23/09/2009
Gabon 23/09/2009
Ghana 23/09/2009
Greece 23/09/2009
Guinea 23/09/2009
Luxembourg 31/08/2010
Madagascar 25/09/2009
Mali 26/10/2009
Netherlands 23/09/2009
Niger 22/10/2009
Nigeria 23/09/2009
Norway 23/09/2009
Poland 23/09/2009
Senegal 23/09/2009
Spain 23/09/2009 19/01/2011
Switzerland 23/09/2009
Togo 23/09/2009
USA 23/09/2009
Readers can obtain an up-to-date status by visiting the UN link here:
http://www.uncitral.org/uncitral/en/uncitral_texts/transport_goods/rotterdam_status.html