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Article 17 1. In tiie case of a member the territory of which includes large areas where, byreason of the sparseness of the population or the stage of development of the area, the competent authority considers it impracticable to enforce the provisions of this Convention, the authority may, after consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, where such exist, exempt such areas from the application of this Convention either generally or with such exceptions in respect of particular undertakings or occupations as it thinks fit. 2. Each member shall indicate in its first annual report upon the application of this Convention submitted under Article 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization any areas in respect of which it proposes to have recourse to the provisions of the present Article and shall give the reasons for which it proposes to have recourse thereto ; no member shall, after the date of its first annual report, have recourse to the provisions of the present Article except in respect of areas so indicated. 3. Each member having recourse to the provisions of this Article, shall at intervals not exceeding three years, reconsider in consultation with the organizations of employers and workers concerned, where such exist, the practicability of extending the application of the Convention to areas exempted in virtue of paragraph 1. 4. Each member having recourse to the provisions of this Article shall indicate in subsequent annual reports any areas in respect of which it renounces the right to have recourse to the provisions of this Article and any progress which may have been made with a view to the progressive application of the Convention in such areas. Article 18 The formal ratifications of this Convention shall be communicated to the DireqtorGeneral of the International Labour Office for registration. Article 19 1. This Convention shall be binding only upon those members of the International Labour Organization whose ratifications have been registered with the Director-General. 2. It shall come into force twelve months after the date on which the ratifications of two members have been registered with the Director-General. 3. Thereafter, this Convention shall come into force for any member twelve months after the date on which its ratification has been registered. Article 20 1. Declarations communicated to the Director-General of the International Labour Offiee in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 35 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization shall indicate — (a) The territories in respect of which the member concerned undertakes that the provisions of the Convention shall be applied without modification ; (b) The territories in respect of which it undertakes that the provisions of the Convention shall be applied subject to modifications, together with details of the said modifications ; (c) The territories in respect of which the Convention is inapplicable and in such cases the grounds on which it is inapplicable ; (d) The territories in respect of which it reserves its decision pending further consideration of the position. 2. The undertakings referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph lof this Article shall be deemed to be an integral part of the ratification and shall have the force of ratification.

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