the framework of multilateral consultations, the Parties shall be responsible for following the application of this Convention. They may in particular: (a) prepare technical protocols to this Convention in accordance with the provisions of Article 34; (b) suggest any necessary modifications to this Convention and examine those proposed in accordance with the provisions of Article 35; (c) examine, at the request of one or more Parties, questions concerning the interpretation of this Convention; (d) make recommendations to the Committee of Ministers concerning States to be invited to accede to this Convention. TECHNICAL PROTOCOLS Article 33 Object The Parties shall adopt technical protocols to this Convention concerning space allowances (Article 17) and water, feed and rest (Article 20). They may also adopt other technical protocols with a view to establishing technical norms for the implementation of the provisions contained in this Convention. Article 34 Adoption and entry into force 1. A technical protocol shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, and then forwarded to the Committee of Ministers for approval. After its approval, this text shall be forwarded to the Parties for acceptance. 2. A technical protocol shall enter into force, in respect of those Parties which have accepted it, on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date on which three Parties, including at least two Member States of the Council of Europe, have informed the Secretary-General that they have accepted it. In respect of any Party which subsequently accepts it, the protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date on which that Party has informed the Secretary-General of its acceptance. 3. For the purpose of preparing technical protocols, the Parties shall follow developments in scientific research and new methods in animal transport. Article 35 Amendments 1. Any amendment to a technical protocol to this Convention, proposed by a Party or by the Committee of Ministers, shall be communicated to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe and forwarded by him or her to the Member States of the Council of Europe, to the European Community and to any non-Member State which has acceded to, or has been invited to accede to this Convention in accordance with the provisions of Article 38. 2. Any amendment proposed in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall be examined not less than six months after the date of forwarding by the Secretary-General at a multilateral consultation, where it may be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties. The text adopted shall be forwarded to the Parties. 3. On the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of 18 months after its adoption by the multilateral consultation, unless more than one-third of the Parties have notified objections, any amendment shall enter into force for those Parties which have not notified objections. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES Article 36 Settlement of disputes 1. In case of a dispute regarding the interpretation or the application of the provisions of this Convention, the competent authorities of the Parties concerned shall consult with each other. Each Party shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe the names and addresses of their competent authorities. 2. If the dispute has not been settled by this means, it shall, at the request of one or other of the parties to the dispute, be referred to arbitration. Each party shall nominate an arbitrator and the two arbitrators shall nominate a referee. If one of the two parties to the dispute has not nominated its arbitrator within the three months following the request for arbitration, he shall be nominated at the request of the other party to the dispute by the President of the European Court of Human Rights. If the latter is a national of one of the parties to the dispute, this duty shall be carried out by the Vice-President of the Court or, if the Vice-President is a national of one of the parties to the dispute, by the most senior judge of the Court not being a national of one of the parties to the dispute. The same procedure shall be observed if the arbitrators cannot agree on the choice of referee. In the event of a dispute between two Parties, one of which is a Member State of the European Community, the latter itself being a Party, the other Party shall address the request for arbitration both to the Member State and to the Community, which jointly shall notify it, within three months of receipt of the request, whether the Member State or the Community, or the Member State and the Community jointly, shall be party to the dispute. In the absence of such notification within the said time limit, the Member State and the Community shall be considered as being one and the same party to the dispute for the purposes of the application of the provisions governing the constitution and procedure of the arbitration tribunal.