Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Signature
When?
What States and
entities can sign? Are
there limits on
participation (regional
commission members,
etc.)?
Who can sign on
behalf of a State?
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Signature
Who can sign on behalf of a State?
Head of State
Head of Government
Minister for Foreign
Affairs
Acting or Ad Interim
Head of State or
Government or Minister
for Foreign Affairs
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Signature
Full Powers
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Signature
Requirements for full powers
A valid instrument of full powers must
contain the following elements:
Authorize signature
Identify the treaty specifically
Specify full name and title of individual
authorized to sign
Issued and signed by Head of State or
Government or MFA or by a person
exercising the power of one of the three
authorities ad interim;
Dated
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Signature
Venue
Appointment for
signature in the Treaty
Section
Facsimile No: 1 (212)
963-3693
Phone No: 1 (212)
963-5047
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Signature
Annual Treaty Events
Millennium Summit (2000)
Focus 2001: Women and Children
Treaty Event: Multilateral Treaties on
Terrorism (10 to 16 November 2001)
Focus 2002: Sustainable Development
Focus 2003: Treaties Against Transnational
Organized Crime and Terrorism
Focus 2004: Treaties on the Protection of
Civilians
Focus 2005: Responding to Global
Challenges
Focus 2006: Crossing Borders
Focus 2007: Towards Universal Participation
and Implementation
Treaty Event 2008: Dignity and Justice for
All of Us
Treaty Events 2009 and 2010: Towards
Universal Participation and Implementation
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Simple Signature
Legal Implications
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Signature
Problem 1
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Consent to be Bound
To become party to
a treaty,
a State must
express its
consent to be bound
by a treaty at
international law.
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Consent to be Bound
How?
Definitive Signature
Simple Signature
followed by Ratification,
Acceptance or Approval
Accession
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Consent to be Bound
How?
Succession An undertaking at
international law
whereby a State
assumes the rights
and obligations
under a treaty
previously applied to
its territory by a
predecessor State.
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Consent to be Bound
Domestic “Ratification”
A State is not a party to a treaty by simply
“ratifying” a treaty domestically.
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Consent to be Bound
Domestic “Ratification”
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Consent to be Bound
Basic requirements for a valid instrument
Identify treaty
Declaration of undertaking
Expression of intent of the Government to be
bound by the treaty and to undertake faithfully to
observe and implement its provisions
Issued and signed
Head of State or Government or the MFA or
by a person exercising the power of one of the
three authorities ad interim;
Dated
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Consent to be Bound
Problem 2
The following document has been
lodged for deposit with the
Secretary-General. Should this
document be accepted in deposit
as a valid binding instrument?
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Consent to be Bound
Model Instrument of Ratification, Acceptance or Approval
Ratification/Acceptance/Approval
(To be signed by Head of State, Head of Government or Minister for Foreign Affairs)
AND WHEREAS the said [treaty] has been signed on behalf of the Government
of [State] on [date],
NOW THEREFORE I, [name and title of the HS, HG or MFA] declare that the
Government of [State], having considered the above [treaty],
[ratifies/accepts/approves] the same and undertakes faithfully to perform
and carry out the stipulations therein contained.
[Signature]
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Consent to be Bound
Problem 3
The following document has been
lodged for deposit with the
Secretary-General. Should this
document be accepted in deposit
as a valid binding instrument?
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Consent to be Bound
Additional requirements for a valid instrument
Optional Declarations
Mandatory Declarations
Notifications
Reservations
Authorized?
Prohibited?
Silent?
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Consent to be Bound
Optional and Mandatory Declarations
Legally binding and must be included in
a duly signed instrument of ratification,
acceptance, etc. or signed in their own
right.
Often such declarations must be made
upon ratification, acceptance, approval
or accession.
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Consent to be Bound
Optional Declarations
E.g.: International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights
Article 41: A State Party may at any time declare
that it recognizes the competence of the Human
Rights Committee to receive and consider
communications to the effect that a State Party
claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its
obligations under the Covenant.
E.g.: Article 36, paragraph 2 of the Statute of
the ICJ recognizing as compulsory the
jurisdiction of the Court.
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Consent to be Bound
Mandatory Declarations
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Consent to be Bound
Notifications
Notifications typically provide information as required
under a treaty.
Distinction between declarations and notifications is not
always made.
E.g.: International Convention for the Suppression of the
Financing of Terrorism
Article 7 (3): Upon ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding
to this Convention, each State Party shall notify the SG of the
UN of the jurisdiction it has established in accordance with
paragraph 2 (Note that a State Party MAY establish jurisdiction
over specified offences in paragraph 2).
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Consent to be Bound
Notifications
E.g.: UN Convention Against Transnational
Organized Crime
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Consent to be Bound
Review
Definitive Signature
Is the treaty open for signature?
Does the treaty allow your State to sign?
Who will sign?
Are full powers required?
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Consent to be Bound
Review
Signatory Ratification,
Acceptance or
Approval
Non-signatory Accession
Conditions for Accession?
Declarations/Notifications?
Reservations?
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Consent to be Bound
Problem 4
State B would like to become a party to
the Optional Protocol to the Convention on
the Rights of the Child on the Involvement
of Children in Armed Conflict. State B has
signed the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, but has not ratified it. You are
presented with an instrument. What do
you advise?
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Consent to be Bound
Problem 5
State B would like to become party to the
Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions
on the Use of Certain Conventional
Weapons which may be deemed to be
Excessively Injurious or to have
Indiscriminate Effects, with Protocols I, II,
III, IV and V, (Geneva, 10 October 1980).
The relevant provisions of the Convention
follow. The instrument below has been
submitted for deposit. As a lawyer in your
treaty office, what do you advise?
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Deposit of Instruments
Place and Method
Instruments become
effective only when
deposited with SG at UNHQ.
Or by personal delivery to
the SG or to his
representative - the Legal
Counsel or the Chief of the
Treaty Section.
By mail, by facsimile or by
e-mail.
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Deposit of Instruments
Place and Methods
Appointment for
deposit in the Treaty
Section
Facsimile No: 1 (212)
963-3693
Phone No:1 (212) 963-
5047
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Deposit of Instruments
Date of Deposit
Date when instrument is
received at UNHQ either
by SG, the Legal Counsel,
the Treaty Section or by
the Mail Unit;
Deposit will produce its
effect in accordance with
provisions of a treaty.
Important when a State
is calculating EIF for
participation in meetings
or elections.
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Copyright Notice
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