International Identifier for serials
and other continuing resources, in the electronic and print world

The International Centre for the registration of serial publications – CIEPS

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The CIEPS, also known as the ISSN International Centre, is an intergovernmental organization which manages at the international level the identification and the description of serial publications and ongoing resources, print and online, in any subject.

  • Founding texts
  • Members
  • Functions of the Centre

Founding texts

The agreement

The ISSN International Centre was officially created in Paris in January 21st, 1976, under the terms of an agreement signed in November 1974 between UNESCO and France, the host country of the International Centre.

The statutes

The Statutes of the ISSN International Centre constitute the main part of the 1976 agreement and govern the ISSN International Centre.
To take advantage of the Centre’s activities, Member States and associate Members of UNESCO must be members of the Centre.

ISSN Staff regulations

These Staff Regulations were drafted on the basis of previous regulatory documents to provide consolidated rules abiding by international law. They came into force on November 1st, 2016 following a vote of the Governing Board on Oct. 17th, 2016, and amended in November 2022.

Members

Today there are 94 member countries.

Functions of the Centre

The ISSN International Centre coordinates the activities of member countries.

It is responsible for maintaining and publishing the ISSN International Portal.

It is also responsible for assigning ISSNs to:

  • international publications, and
  • publications issued in countries that do not have an ISSN National Centre.

Our team

Today the ISSN International Centre has a staff of 14:

 

The ISSN International centre premises are located in the centre of Paris, at 45 rue de Turbigo, in the 3rd arrondissement.