International Commission on Civil Status


The International Commission on Civil Status, or ICCS, is an intergovernmental organization and the first organization created after World War II in order to work for European integration. Provisionally established in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on September 29 and 30, 1948, it predates both the Council of Europe and the European Union. The organisation is seated in Strasbourg, France, and has 7 members and 10 former members. The official language of the Commission is French.

Purpose

Founded in the post-war context of millions of refugees, missing persons and displaced people, the organization's aim was to facilitate the cooperation between States in establishing, recognizing, validating vital records or any other type of official documents used as birth, marriage, divorce or death certificates. It did so by providing standardized translations of vital terms in vital records and via multilateral conventions. The ICCS has signed co-operation agreements with the Council of Europe, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the European Union.

States

States can become a member of the organisation by adhesion of to its constituting protocol, which was signed by the 5 founding members. An overview of the members and former members is shown below
StateEntry into ForceEnd of membershipcomment
Austria
BelgiumFounding member
Croatia
FranceFounding member
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
LuxembourgFounding member
Mexico
NetherlandsFounding member
Poland
Portugal
Spain
SwitzerlandFounding member
Turkey
United Kingdom

Observers