States that ratify the Convention appoint a single body to receive requests from other state parties regarding information on the "law and procedure in civil and commercial fields as well as on their judicial organisation".
States may by individual agreement or declaration expand the categories of information that must be provided.
The five Council of Europe states that have not ratified the convention are Andorra, Armenia, Ireland, and San Marino.
[citation needed] On 15 March 1978 the Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Information on Foreign Law was concluded in Strasbourg.
The Additional Protocol expands the categories of information that must be provided to encompass "substantive and procedural law and judicial organisation in the criminal field, including prosecuting authorities, as well as on the law concerning the enforcement of penal measures".