5
The Contracting States shall accord to a refugee treatment as favourable as possible and, in any event,
not less favourable than that accorded to aliens generally in the same circumstances, as regards the
acquisition of movable and immovable property and other rights pertaining thereto, and to leases and
other contracts relating to movable and immovable property.
Article 14. - Artistic rights and industrial property
In respect of the protection of industrial property, such as inventions, designs or models, trade marks,
trade names, and of rights in literary, artistic and scientific works, a refugee shall be accorded in the
country in which he has his habitual residence the same protection as is accorded to nationals of that
country. In the territory of any other Contracting States, he shall be accorded the same protection as
is accorded in that territory to nationals of the country in which he has his habitual residence.
Article 15. - Right of association
As regards non-political and non-profit-making associations and trade unions the Contracting States
shall accord to refugees lawfully staying in their territory the most favourable treatment accorded to
nationals of a foreign country, in the same circumstances.
Article 16. - Access to courts
1. A refugee shall have free access to the courts of law on the territory of all Contracting States.
2. A refugee shall enjoy in the Contracting State in which he has his habitual residence the same
treatment as a national in matters pertaining to access to the courts, including legal assistance and
exemption from cautio judicatum solvi .
3. A refugee shall be accorded in the matters referred to in paragraph 2 in countries other than that in
which he has his habitual residence the treatment granted to a national of the country of his habitual
residence.
Chapter III
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
Article 17. - Wage-earning employment
1. The Contracting States shall accord to refugees lawfully staying in their territory the most
favourable treatment accorded to nationals of a foreign country in the same circumstances, as regards
the right to engage in wage-earning employment.
2. In any case, restrictive measures imposed on aliens or the employment of aliens for the protection
of the national labour market shall not be applied to a refugee who was already exempt from them at
the date of entry into force of this Convention for the Contracting State concerned, or who fulfils one of
the following conditions:
( a ) He has completed three years' residence in the country;
( b ) He has a spouse possessing the nationality of the country of residence. A refugee may not invoke
the benefit of this provision if he has abandoned his spouse;
( c ) He has one or more children possessing the nationality of the country of residence.
3. The Contracting States shall give sympathetic consideration to assimilating the rights of all refugees
with regard to wage-earning employment to those of nationals, and in particular of those refugees who