The term "convention" can have a generic and a specific meaning. The generic use of the term "convention" embraces all international agreements, in the same way as the generic term "treaty". Convention can also be used as a specific term: whereas in the last century the term "convention" was regularly employed for bilateral agreements, it now is generally used for formal multilateral treaties with a broad number of parties. Conventions are normally open for participation by the international community as a whole, or by a large number of states (e.g. The European Convention on Human Rights).