Energy Charter Treaty

98 shall not exercise its right to vote if its member states exercise theirs, and vice versa. (8) In the event of persistent arrears in a Contracting Party’s discharge of financial obligations under this Treaty, the Charter Conference may suspend that Contracting Party’s voting rights in whole or in part. Article 37: Funding Principles (1) Each Contracting Party shall bear its own costs of representation at meetings of the Charter Conference and any subsidiary bodies. (2) The cost of meetings of the Charter Conference and any subsidiary bodies shall be regarded as a cost of the Secretariat. (3) The costs of the Secretariat shall be met by the Contracting Parties assessed according to their capacity to pay, determined as specified in Annex B, the provisions of which may be modified in accordance with Article 36(1)(d). (4) A Protocol shall contain provisions to assure that any costs of the Secretariat arising from that Protocol are borne by the parties thereto. (5) The Charter Conference may in addition accept voluntary contributions from one or more Contracting Parties or from other sources. Costs met from such contributions shall not be considered costs of the Secretariat for the purposes of paragraph (3). Part VIII: Final Provisions Article 38: Signature This Treaty shall be open for signature at Lisbon from 17 December 1994 to 16 June 1995 by the states and Regional Economic Integration Organisations which have signed the Charter. Article 39: Ratification, Acceptance or Approval This Treaty shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval by signatories. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Depositary.