(in international law) A unilateral statement made by a state, when signing, ratifying, accepting, approving, or acceding to a treaty, in order to exclude or modify the legal effect of certain provisions of the treaty in their application to that state. This device is used by signatory states to exempt particular policies from challenge. The UK has made one reservation in relation to the right to education in Article 2 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. The Human Rights Act 1998 also excludes public authorities from duties under Article 2 where this reservation applies.
Subjects: International Law.