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Corrigenda and reissues

Corrigenda

A corrigendum is a document issued to correct an error or errors in a document or publication that has already been distributed.

A corrigendum is not issued merely to correct minor typographical errors.

A corrigendum is not normally issued to correct a text circulated in provisional form, such as a draft report or draft resolution. Corrections should be held for incorporation in the final version. They may be indicated orally at the meeting at which the provisional text is considered.

Presentation

If the document to be corrected bears a masthead, the corrigendum bears the same masthead and distribution data as the original document.

The corner notation, title and subtitle(s) will also be the same as those of the original, unless the corrigendum is issued to correct any of those elements or the reference to the agenda item has to be updated. The title and subtitle(s) are followed by the subheading Corrigendum (see models 1 and 2).

The symbol and the date, and in some cases the language notation, will differ from the original, as explained below.

Corrigendum to a publication or Supplement

A corrigendum to a publication or to a Supplement to the Official Records, neither of which bears a masthead, is prepared under a factitious masthead (see models 3 and 3A). If the correction applies to some languages only, those languages are indicated; otherwise, no language notation appears.

Symbol

The symbol of a corrigendum consists of the symbol of the document to be corrected and the suffix /Corr.1,  /Corr.2 and so on.

Example: A/60/636/Corr.1.

In the case of a dual symbol, the suffix is attached to both symbols.

Example: A/56/351/Corr.2-S/2001/863/Corr.2 (see model 4).

If it is necessary to correct or withdraw a corrigendum, this is done by issuing a new corrigendum, with another number (see model 4).

Date and language(s)

The date in the masthead is the date on which the document containing the corrigendum is submitted to Documents Control.

The language indicated as the original is that of the original document if the corrigendum applies to all of the language versions. If the correction or corrections apply only to some languages, then the original language notation is replaced by “English only”, “Chinese and French only” and the like.

The corrigendum is issued only in the languages to which it applies.

Drafting

If there is more than one correction in a corrigendum, each correction is numbered, and has a heading in boldface indicating its location in the text; the text of the correction is blocked under its heading (see model 2).

Paragraph numbers, not page or section numbers, are used to indicate the place of a correction unless the original document, or the section to be corrected, has no paragraph numbers (see examples below).

The text to be deleted or inserted is not enclosed in quotation marks, unless they are integral to the text. Similarly, no punctuation is used unless it is part of the text being corrected (see examples below).

If a correction consists of a complete sentence, however, normal punctuation is used.

Example: The title of document A/60/496 should read as above.

Italics are used only for the word or phrase immediately preceding the word(s) to be deleted or inserted; do not insert a colon after the word or phrase in italics.

Examples:

Corrigendum

1.   Paragraph 2

For $471,000 read SwF 471,000

2.   Paragraph 11, first sentence

For addition of 7 international and 16 national staff read abolition of 7 international and 16 national staff posts

3.   Paragraphs 12, 15, 30 (a) and 35

Delete proposed before programme budget

4.   Paragraph 16

The second sentence should read

Owing to difficulties encountered in the import of certain goods, the equipment did not arrive on time; it is estimated that the project will be completed in December 2006.

5.   Paragraph 21

For the existing text substitute

21.   Reporting should be improved and consolidated to provide timely, concise and clear information in a way that meets the needs of Member States.

6.   Paragraph 39

At the beginning of the paragraph, insert

Twenty-seven States have reported that they are taking necessary measures to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.

If there is a small correction to a very long paragraph, reference may be made to the appropriate line.

7.   Paragraph 24, line 10

Delete global

If the text to be corrected has no paragraph numbers, reference is made to the page number and the appropriate line or the first, second, third, last . . . full paragraph. Reference may also be made to a page number if the correction is to a footnote.

8.   Page 3, line 2

For 2004 read 2006

9. Page 4, second full paragraph, last sentence

For in accordance with the rules of procedure read in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure

10. Page 5, footnote 3

After Sweden insert United States of America

Corrections not applicable to all languages

If a specific correction in a corrigendum does not apply to all language versions, then the correction is replaced by the words “Not applicable to English”/ “Sans objet en français”/ “No se aplica al texto español” and so on (see model 6).

If there are a large number of corrections that apply to different languages, it may be more convenient to issue one corrigendum containing all of the corrections that apply to all languages, and separate corrigenda containing those that apply to one language only (for example, Corr.1 might be issued in all languages, Corr.2 in Arabic only and Corr.3 in Russian only).

Corrigendum to change a symbol or withdraw a document

If it is necessary to change the symbol of a document, a corrigendum is issued to withdraw that document. The corrigendum bears the symbol of the document to be withdrawn plus the suffix /Corr.1. The text of the corrigendum will identify the document and refer the reader to the correct symbol (see models 5 and 5A). For example, the text of corrigendum S/2010/508/Corr.1 reads:

Document S/2010/508 is hereby withdrawn.

The letter from the Permanent Representative of Namibia is being circulated under the symbol S/AC.50/2010/42.

If the symbol to be changed refers to a report, the second sentence of the corrigendum reads, for example:

For the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, see A/65/552-S/2010/463.

The text of a document that is withdrawn only (see also model 4) reads:

Document S/2005/225 is hereby withdrawn.

To change a single symbol to a dual symbol, the document is reissued for technical reasons (see below).

Corrigendum to correct original language, corner notation or title  

When a corrigendum is issued to correct the original language, the masthead of the corrigendum document indicates the language(s) of the corrigendum. The text of the correction reads, for example:

When a corrigendum is issued to correct the agenda items or any other element in the corner notation, or to correct the title or subtitle (see models 7 and 8), the corrigendum is prepared with the correct information, and the text reads, for example:

The agenda item(s)/corner notation on document A/60/735 should read as above.

The title of document A/60/450 should read as above.

Updating the agenda item. If the original document was issued under an item of the preliminary list [or the provisional agenda], and the corrigendum is prepared after the date of issuance of the provisional agenda [or the adopted agenda], the reference to the agenda in the corner notation may be updated. This change does not need to be mentioned in the text of the corrigendum.

As the corrigendum document has its own symbol, the symbol of the document being corrected should always be mentioned.

Corrigendum to correct the date of a document

When a corrigendum is issued to correct the date of a document, the correction reads, for example:

In the masthead of document S/2006/222, the date should read 12 May 2006

[Note: The date in the masthead of the corrigendum is the date of the corrigendum.]

Corrigendum to insert a new heading or paragraph

When inserting a new heading or paragraph, it may be necessary to refer to the page number.

It is not necessary or useful, after inserting a new paragraph, to say that subsequent paragraphs should be renumbered.

Examples:

1.   Page 2

Under the title, insert a subtitle reading

Report of the World Tourism Organization

2.   Page 9

After paragraph 53, insert a new paragraph reading

53 bis. Tourism in least developed countries is still limited to 2.6 per cent of the world market share in terms of international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts.

3.   Page 17

At the end of the text, insert a new paragraph reading

75. Sustainable development of tourism in least developed countries requires building national capacities within the framework of a clear long-term strategy and carefully designed master plans taking into account environmental, social and cultural constraints.

Corrigendum to replace a table

A corrigendum to replace a table or other text which will not fit on page 1 of the corrigendum (see model 9) should read:

1.   Annex II, table 1

Replace table 1 with the table below.

[insert new text of table]

2.   Figure III

Replace figure III with the figure below.

[insert correct figure]

Do not write “the annex/table/figure attached”, as the text in question will normally begin on page 2 of the corrigendum (the reverse of page 1) and is not an attachment.

Corrigendum to an annex or attachment  

When a corrigendum is issued to correct a text annexed to a letter or attached to a transmittal note, it is useful to include a subtitle that identifies the text being corrected (see models 4 and 6).

Corrigenda to tables

In a correction to a table, the table number and the column heading or number are included in the boldface heading. The stub item and the entry to be corrected are specified in the text of the correction.

Examples:

Table 1, column headed “Cost”

The entry for Travel and assistance should read 98

Table 2, column 3 (Exports)

The entry for Chile should read 4 439

The entry for Mexico should read 5 632

The total should read 1 580 742

Table 4, heading

The heading of the table should read . . .

Table 6, column 2, heading

For Expenditure read Costs

Reissue for technical reasons

Masthead documents

When it is necessary to reissue a document in its entirety because of a technical error, the complete text of the corrected document is reissued under the original symbol followed by an asterisk and a corresponding footnote.

In the case of a dual-symbol document, the asterisk follows each of the symbols: A/62/854*-S/2008/359*

Note: The asterisk is not part of the symbol, and is not included in any subsequent reference to the document.

The original date is retained in the masthead and the date of the reissue is given in the footnote.

Example of standard footnote:

* Reissued for technical reasons on 1 March 2010. (see model 1)

Subsequent reissues of the same document:

** Second reissue for technical reasons (3 March 2010). (see model 2)

*** Third reissue for technical reasons (date).

The footnote is inserted above any existing footnotes. The number of asterisks for any existing footnotes is adjusted as necessary (see model 3).

If a document that should have a dual symbol is issued with only one, the document should be reissued for technical reasons with the dual symbol. The asterisk is placed only against the symbol of the original document (see model 10).

Supplements

The footnote appears on the title page, not the cover (see model 4).

The asterisk is added to the symbol on the front and back covers and the title page.

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