• Government and Administration
• External Relations
• Guernsey's International Identity
• Guernsey and the Bailiwick
  • Alderney Website
    
  • Sark Website
    
  • Herm Website
    
• Guernsey, the UK and the EU
  • British-Irish Council
    
• Guernsey and the World
• International Agreements
  • Tax Information Exchange Agreements
    
  • Periodic Reports
    
  • Human Rights
    
• Sanctions
  • Administration of Sanctions Matters in Guernsey
    
  • Sanction Measures
    
  • Measures Against Terrorism
    
  • Afghanistan
    
  • Al-Qaida
    
  • Belarus
    
  • Burma/Myanmar
    
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
    
  • Egypt
    
  • Eritrea
    
  • Federal Republic of Yugoslavia & Serbia
    
  • Guinea-Bissau
    
  • Iran
    
  • Iraq
    
  • Ivory Coast
    
  • Lebanon and Syria
    
  • Liberia
    
  • Libya
    
  • North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)
    
  • Republic of Guinea
    
  • Sierra Leone
    
  • Somalia
    
  • Sudan and South Sudan
    
  • Syria
    
  • Tunisia
    
  • Zimbabwe
    

Guernsey and the World

As well as engaging with the UK and the European Union, Guernsey proactively engages with many other jurisdictions and international bodies.

These include the US, India and China and other G20 countries as well as with supra-national organisations such as the UN, OECD and the ILO.  It also means we seek to meet and exceed the highest international standards, and that we meet our obligations in areas such as sanctions.

Whilst Guernsey is not a sovereign state, the UK is responsible for its international relations. The UK has recognised that Guernsey's international personality differs from its own in the International Identity Framework Document. The UK seeks to consult the authorities on international matters that engage interests of the island, and invite representatives to join the UK delegation where appropriate. The UK has also "entrusted" the island to agree and conclude its own international Agreements on exchange of information in relation to tax matters with OECD, EU and G20 countries, as well as with those countries that have been assessed by the OECD as having substantially implemented the internationally agreed tax standard. These agreements include Tax Information Exchange Agreements.

Guernsey seeks to represent its own interests where possible and practicable, though developing relationships with Ambassadors to the United Kingdom based in London, through direct contact in countries with a direct economic or social link such as the US, Canada, India, China and other G20 and OECD members States. In addition to this the island is active in its representation and implementing of standards described by international and supranational bodies, some of which are described below.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

The convention founding the OECD is extended to the island and decisions, recommendations and agreements apply to the same extent as they do to the UK. In 2002 the States of Guernsey made a general political commitment to the OECD in relation to improvement of transparency in tax systems. The island has some OECD treaties extended to it including the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

Commonwealth

Guernsey is not an independent Commonwealth Member. However it is active within the Commonwealth and embraces the values of the Commonwealth and is committed to democracy and democratic processes, including free and fair elections and representative legislatures; the rule of law and independence of the judiciary; good governance, including a well-trained public service and transparent public accounts; and the protection of human rights, freedom of expression, and equality of opportunity.

Guernsey is already a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and representatives attend Commonwealth Meetings of Finance Ministers, Meetings of Law Ministers/Attorneys General, and the Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers.

Council of Europe

The Island is represented by the UK in the Council of Europe for the instruments that are extended to it. These include the: European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR); European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Criminal Law Convention on Corruption amongst others. The island gives effect to certain rights described in the ECHR with the Human Rights (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2000 and the domestic courts take into account the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

United Nations

The UK's United Nations Act 1946, which enables the implementation of United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions, is extended to the island. These resolutions can be implemented by Order in Council. Guernsey is not a independent member of the UN.

The Island also has a number of UN treaties extended to it including the: UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; UN Convention Against Corruption; and the UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, amongst others. The Island contributes to the UK periodic reports in respect of these conventions as well as the Universal Periodic Review, established by the UN Human Rights Council.

International Country Codes

In 2004 the UN issued Guernsey with a numerical code 831 for the purposes of statistical use. In 2006 the International Standards organisation recognised Guernsey on its ISO-3166 list of countries codes, with numerical identifier GG and GGY.

---

Document downloads

Framework for Developing the International Identity of Guernsey Signed 18 December 2008

• Privacy