CAT/C/46/2 II. The year in review A. Participation in the Optional Protocol system 6. As of 31 December 2010, 57 States are party to the Optional Protocol.2 Since April 2010, seven States have ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol: Luxembourg (19 May 2010); Burkina Faso (7 July 2010); Ecuador and Togo (20 July 2010); Gabon (22 September 2010); Democratic Republic of the Congo (23 September 2010); and Netherlands (28 September 2010). In addition, three States have signed the Optional Protocol during the reporting period, these being: Bulgaria and Panama (22 September 2010) and Zambia (27 September 2010). 7. As a result of increase in the number of States parties, the pattern of regional participation has changed somewhat, there now being the following number of parties in each of the regions: States parties by region Africa 10 Asia 6 Eastern Europe 16 Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) 13 Group of Western European and Other States (WEOG) 12 West er n Eur opean and Ot her St at es; 12 Af r ican St at es; 10 Asian St at es; 6 Lat in Amer ican and Car ibbean St at es; 13 East er n Eur opean St at es; 16 8. The regional breakdown of signatory States which are yet to ratify the Optional Protocol is now as follows: States that have signed but not ratified the Optional Protocol, by region (total 21) Africa 8 Asia 1 Eastern Europe 1 Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) 1 Group of Western European and Other States (WEOG) 2 GE.11-40683 10 For a list of the States parties to the Optional Protocol, see annex I. 5