Explanatory note

Section 9A of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 (c. 67) makes provision for the transfer to the Ministry of Defence of liability in certain claims against visiting forces. With the exception of Canada and Malta, to which section 9A already applies, it is necessary to designate North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) member countries and States which have accepted the invitation of NATO to take part in the Partnership for Peace as countries to which section 9A applies. Article 4 of this Order designates the countries to which section 9A is to apply.

In relation to Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Kingdom of Spain, Turkey and the United States of America, this Order implements obligations imposed on the United Kingdom by the Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Forces, done in London on 19th June 1951.

In relation to Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, this Order implements obligations imposed on the United Kingdom by the Agreement, dated 19th June 1995, made between the Member States of NATO and those other States which have accepted the invitation to take part in the Partnership for Peace (Miscellaneous No. 12 (1996), Cm 3237).

In relation to Ireland, this Order also implements obligations imposed on the United Kingdom by the European Union Status of Forces Agreement (also known as the EU SOFA) dated 17th November 2003, made between the Member States of the European Union.