Treaty of Canterbury
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Canterbury was signed by British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
and French President François Mitterrand
on 12 February 1986, and is the original document providing for the existing undersea tunnel
between the two countries. The treaty is significant and unusual because it is a modern and recent modification to the national borders of the UK and France. Similar proposals made in the past were never realized.
The Treaty of Canterbury was followed a month later by the Concession Agreement, which was signed on 14 March 1986.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and French President François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
on 12 February 1986, and is the original document providing for the existing undersea tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
between the two countries. The treaty is significant and unusual because it is a modern and recent modification to the national borders of the UK and France. Similar proposals made in the past were never realized.
The Anglo-French Treaty on the Channel TunnelChannel TunnelThe Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
was signed by both governments in Canterbury cathedralCanterbury CathedralCanterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
. The Treaty prepared the Concession for the construction and operation of the Fixed Link by privately owned companies. It outlines the methods to be used for arbitration in the event of a dispute. It sets up the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) which is responsible for monitoring all matters associated with the construction and operation of the Tunnel on behalf of the British and French governments, together with a Safety Authority to advise the IGC.
The Treaty draws a land frontier between the two countries in the middle of the Tunnel – the first of its kind.
The Treaty of Canterbury was followed a month later by the Concession Agreement, which was signed on 14 March 1986.
The Concession Agreement is a binding agreement between the British and French governments entrusting France Manche and the Channel Tunnel Group with the design, financing, construction and operation of the Channel Tunnel for a period of 55 years. The Concession was later extended to 2086.
The Agreement specifies in particular the purpose of the Concession and the conditions applicable to its termination.
The appendices to the Agreement cover specific aspects, including the purchase and sale of land, insurance obligations and exercise of the right of substitution. The right of substitution provides for the temporary transfer of operation to two entities under the control of the lenders who financed the Tunnel to allow them to be reimbursed. Substitution may only be exercised under specific cases of default by EurotunnelEurotunnelGroupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
and requires the non-objection of the two governments.
External links
- Independent photograph of treaty signing. Note that the photograph is incorrectly dated.