identifier: Arms Trade Treaty, 2013

reference: Arms Trade Treaty, 2013

title: Arms Trade Treaty, 2 April 2013

country: Palestine

country: Zambia

country: Austria

reservation: Declaration of provisional application under article 23.

country: Grenada

country: Mongolia

country: Hungary

country: Barbados

country: Congo

country: Japan

country: Czech Republic

country: Guyana

country: Haiti

country: Dominican Republic

country: Samoa

country: Dominica

country: Norway

country: Uruguay

country: Mali

country: Chad

country: Serbia

country: Côte d'Ivoire

country: Vanuatu

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification on 30.01.2015 (Courtesy Translation) (Original: French): .. It is the understanding of Switzerland that the terms "export", "import", "transit", "transshipment" and "brokering" in Article 2, paragraph 2, include, in the light of the object and purpose of this Treaty and in accordance with their ordinary meaning, monetary or non-monetary transactions, such as gifts, loans and leases, and that therefore these activities fall within the scope of this Treaty. It is the understanding of Switzerland that the term "grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, attacks directed against civilian objects or civilians protected as such, or other war crimes as defined by international agreements to which it is a Party" in article 6, paragraph 3, encompasses acts committed in international and in non-international armed conflicts, and includes, among others, serious violations of Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949; as well as, for States Parties to the relevant agreements, war crimes as described in the Hague Convention IV of 1907 and its Regulations, the Additional Protocols of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998. It is the understanding of Switzerland that the term "knowledge" in Article 6, paragraph 3, in the light of the object and purpose of this Treaty and in accordance with its ordinary meaning, implies that the State Party concerned shall not authorize the transfer if it has reliable information providing substantial grounds to believe that the arms or items would be used in the commission of the crimes listed. It is the understanding of Switzerland that the term "overriding risk" in Article 7, paragraph 3, encompasses, in the light of the object and purpose of this Treaty and in accordance with the ordinary meaning of all equally authentic language versions of this term in this Treaty, an obligation not to authorize the export whenever the State Party concerned determines that any of the negative consequences set out paragraph 1 are more likely to materialize than not, even after the expected effect of any mitigating measures has been considered. It is the understanding of Switzerland that Article 26, paragraph 2, seeks to ensure that in a private law dispute, this Treaty cannot be relied upon as a reason to declare as invalid existing or future international defence cooperation agreements concluded between States Parties, and as a consequence, this Treaty remains applicable for any State Party in disregard of obligations under a defence cooperation agreement, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969. Declaration of provisional application under article 23 made upon ratification on 30.01.2015.

country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

reservation: Declaration of provisional application under article 23 made upon ratification on 02.09.2014. Declarations made upon ratification on 02.09.2014 (Original: English): “... the Government of New Zealand ... DECLARES that it considers that the reference to “ammunitions/munitions” in Article 3 of the Treaty means “ammunition and munitions” and that accordingly the scope of the Treaty includes both ammunition and munitions fired, launched or delivered by the conventional arms covered under Article 2(1); AND DECLARES that it considers the reference to “grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, attacks directed against civilian objects or civilians protected as such, or other war crimes as defined by international agreements to which it is a Party” in Article 6(3), encompasses acts committed in international and in non-international armed conflict, and includes serious violations of Common Article 3 to the Geneva Convention of 1949 as well as, for States Parties to the relevant agreements, war crimes as described in the Hague Convention IV of 1907 and its Regulations, the Additional Protocols of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; AND DECLARES that it considers the effect of the term “overriding risk” in Article 7(3) is to require that it decline to authorize any export where it is determined that there is a substantial risk of any of the negative consequences in Article 7(1); AND DECLARES that it considers that where a non-monetary transaction, such as a gift, loan or lease, involves the transfer or arms or items within the scope of the Treaty, such transaction will be covered by the Treaty; AND DECLARES that it considers that the Treaty does not place any further restrictions on the international movement of small arms for legitimate recreational and sporting activities where there is no change in ownership of these arms; AND DECLARES that it considers that all obligations in the Treaty relating to transit and trans- shipment of arms or items within the scope of the Treaty must be read in the light of Article 9 ...” Declaration of territorial exclusion with regard to Tokelau made upon ratification on 02.09.2014 (Original: English): “... consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account the commitment of the Government of New Zealand to the development of self-government for Tokelau through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, [the] ratification [of the Arms Trade Treaty] shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the depository on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory ...”

reservation: Declaration of provisional application under article 23. Territorial exclusion (original : English): The Treaty shall not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland until further notice.

reservation: Declarations made upon ratification (Original: English): It is the understanding of Liechtenstein that the terms "export", "import", "transit", "transshipment" and "brokering" in Article 2, paragraph 2, include, in light of the object and purpose of this Treaty and in accordance with their ordinary meaning, monetary or non-monetary transactions, such as gifts, loans and leases, and that therefore these activities fall under the scope of this Treaty. It is the understanding of Liechtenstein that the term "grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, attacks directed against civilian objects or civilians protected as such, or other war crimes as defined by international agreements to which it is a party" in Article 6, paragraph 3, encompasses acts committed in international and in non-international armed conflicts, and includes, among others, serious violations of Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949; as well as, for States Parties to the relevant agreements, war crimes as described in the Hague Convention IV of 1907 and its Regulations, the Additional Protocols of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998. It is the understanding of Liechtenstein that the term "knowledge" in Article 6, paragraph 3, in light of the object and purpose of this Treaty and in accordance with its ordinary meaning, implies that the State Party concerned shall not authorise the transfer if it has reliable information providing substantial grounds to believe that the arms or items would be used in the commission of the crimes listed. It is the understanding of Liechtenstein that the term "overriding risk" in Article 7, paragraph 3, encompasses, in light of the object and purpose of this Treaty and in accordance with the ordinary meaning of all equally authentic language versions of this term in this Treaty, an obligation not to authorise the export whenever the State Party concerned determines that any of the negative consequences set out in paragraph 1 are more likely to materialise than not, even after the expected effect of any mitigating measures has been considered. It is the understanding of Liechtenstein that Article 26, paragraph 2, seeks to ensure that in a private law dispute, this Treaty cannot be relied upon as a reason to declare as invalid existing or future international defence cooperation agreements concluded between States Parties, and as a consequence, this Treaty remains applicable for any State Party in disregard of obligations under a defence cooperation agreement, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969.

reservation: Interpretative declaration made upon accession (Original: English): “The Republic of Kazakhstan, recognizing the object and purpose of the Treaty and notwithstanding Article 28 of the Treaty, declares that in the application of the Treaty the term “перенаправление” (diversion) in Article 13, paragraph 2 of the Treaty in Russian shall be understood as “незаконное перенаправление” (illegal diversion).”

reservation: Declaration made upon accession on 06.07.2020 (Courtesy Translation) (Original: Chinese): In accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the People’s Republic of China decides that the Treaty applies to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

text: Geneva Conventions

text: Geneva Conventions

text: Geneva Conventions

text: Geneva Conventions

text: The States Parties to this Treaty,

text: Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

text: Recalling Article 26 of the Charter of the United Nations which seeks to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world’s human and economic resources,

text: Underlining the need to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and to prevent their diversion to the illicit market, or for unauthorized end use and end users, including in the commission of terrorist acts,

text: Recognizing the legitimate political, security, economic and commercial interests of States in the international trade in conventional arms,

text: Reaffirming the sovereign right of any State to regulate and control conventional arms exclusively within its territory, pursuant to its own legal or constitutional system,

text: Acknowledging that peace and security, development and human rights are pillars of the United Nations system and foundations for collective security and recognizing that development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing,

text: Recalling the United Nations Disarmament Commission Guidelines for international arms transfers in the context of General Assembly resolution 46/36H of 6 December 1991,

text: Noting the contribution made by the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, as well as the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime2, and the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons,

text: Recognizing the security, social, economic and humanitarian consequences of the illicit and unregulated trade in conventional arms,

text: Bearing in mind that civilians, particularly women and children, account for the vast majority of those adversely affected by armed conflict and armed violence, Recognizing also the challenges faced by victims of armed conflict and their need for adequate care, rehabilitation and social and economic inclusion,

text: Emphasizing that nothing in this Treaty prevents States from maintaining and adopting additional effective measures to further the object and purpose of this Treaty,

text: Mindful of the legitimate trade and lawful ownership, and use of certain conventional arms for recreational, cultural, historical, and sporting activities, where such trade, ownership and use are permitted or protected by law,

text: Mindful also of the role regional organizations can play in assisting States Parties, upon request, in implementing this Treaty,

text: Recognizing the voluntary and active role that civil society, including nongovernmental organizations, and industry, can play in raising awareness of the object and purpose of this Treaty, and in supporting its implementation,

text: Acknowledging that regulation of the international trade in conventional arms and preventing their diversion should not hamper international cooperation and legitimate trade in materiel, equipment and technology for peaceful purposes,

text: Emphasizing the desirability of achieving universal adherence to this Treaty,

text: Determined to act in accordance with the following principles;

text: Principles

text: – The inherent right of all States to individual or collective self-defence as recognized in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations;

text: – The settlement of international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered in accordance with Article 2 (3) of the Charter of the United Nations;

text: – Refraining in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations in accordance with Article 2 (4) of the Charter of the United Nations;

text: – Non-intervention in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State in accordance with Article 2 (7) of the Charter of the United Nations;

text: – Respecting and ensuring respect for international humanitarian law in accordance with, inter alia, the Geneva Conventions of 19493, and respecting and ensuring respect for human rights in accordance with, inter alia, the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

text: – The responsibility of all States, in accordance with their respective international obligations, to effectively regulate the international trade in conventional arms, and to prevent their diversion, as well as the primary responsibility of all States in establishing and implementing their respective national control systems;

text: – The respect for the legitimate interests of States to acquire conventional arms to exercise their right to self-defence and for peacekeeping operations; and to produce, export, import and transfer conventional arms;

text: – Implementing this Treaty in a consistent, objective and non-discriminatory manner,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: Preamble

text: The object of this Treaty is to:

text: – Establish the highest possible common international standards for regulating or improving the regulation of the international trade in conventional arms;

text: – Prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and prevent their diversion;

text: for the purpose of:

text: – Contributing to international and regional peace, security and stability;

text: – Reducing human suffering;

text: – Promoting cooperation, transparency and responsible action by States Parties in the international trade in conventional arms, thereby building confidence among States Parties.

text: Article 1 - Object and Purpose

text: 1. This Treaty shall apply to all conventional arms within the following categories:

text: (a) Battle tanks;

text: (b) Armoured combat vehicles;

text: (c) Large-calibre artillery systems;

text: (d) Combat aircraft;

text: (e) Attack helicopters;

text: (f) Warships;

text: (g) Missiles and missile launchers; and

text: (h) Small arms and light weapons.

text: For the purposes of this Treaty, the activities of the international trade comprise export, import, transit, trans-shipment and brokering, hereafter referred to as “transfer”.

text: This Treaty shall not apply to the international movement of conventional arms by, or on behalf of, a State Party for its use provided that the conventional arms remain under that State Party’s ownership.

text: Article 2 - Scope

text: Each State Party shall establish and maintain a national control system to regulate the export of ammunition/munitions fired, launched or delivered by the conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1), and shall apply the provisions of Article 6 and Article 7 prior to authorizing the export of such ammunition/munitions.

text: Article 3 - Ammunition / Munitions

text: Each State Party shall establish and maintain a national control system to regulate the export of parts and components where the export is in a form that provides the capability to assemble the conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) and shall apply the provisions of Article 6 and Article 7 prior to authorizing the export of such parts and components.

text: Article 4 - Parts and Components

text: 1. Each State Party shall implement this Treaty in a consistent, objective and non-discriminatory manner, bearing in mind the principles referred to in this Treaty.

text: 2. Each State Party shall establish and maintain a national control system, including a national control list, in order to implement the provisions of this Treaty.

text: 3. Each State Party is encouraged to apply the provisions of this Treaty to the broadest range of conventional arms. National definitions of any of the categories covered under Article 2 (1) (a)-(g) shall not cover less than the descriptions used in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms at the time of entry into force of this Treaty. For the category covered under Article 2 (1) (h), national definitions shall not cover less than the descriptions used in relevant United Nations instruments at the time of entry into force of this Treaty.

text: 4. Each State Party, pursuant to its national laws, shall provide its national control list to the Secretariat, which shall make it available to other States Parties. States Parties are encouraged to make their control lists publicly available.

text: 5. Each State Party shall take measures necessary to implement the provisions of this Treaty and shall designate competent national authorities in order to have an effective and transparent national control system regulating the transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) and of items covered under Article 3 and Article 4.

text: 6. Each State Party shall designate one or more national points of contact to exchange information on matters related to the implementation of this Treaty. Each State Party shall notify the Secretariat, established under Article 18, of its national point(s) of contact and keep the information updated.

text: Article 5 - General Implementation

text: 1. A State Party shall not authorize any transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of items covered under Article 3 or Article 4, if the transfer would violate its obligations under measures adopted by the United Nations Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular arms embargoes.

text: 2. A State Party shall not authorize any transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of items covered under Article 3 or Article 4, if the transfer would violate its relevant international obligations under international agreements to which it is a Party, in particular those relating to the transfer of, or illicit trafficking in, conventional arms.

text: 3. A State Party shall not authorize any transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of items covered under Article 3 or Article 4, if it has knowledge at the time of authorization that the arms or items would be used in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, attacks directed against civilian objects or civilians protected as such, or other war crimes as defined by international agreements to which it is a Party.

text: Article 6 - Prohibitions

text: 1. If the export is not prohibited under Article 6, each exporting State Party, prior to authorization of the export of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of items covered under Article 3 or Article 4, under its jurisdiction and pursuant to its national control system, shall, in an objective and nondiscriminatory manner, taking into account relevant factors, including information provided by the importing State in accordance with Article 8 (1), assess the potential that the conventional arms or items: a) would contribute to or undermine peace and security; (b) could be used to: (i) commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law; (ii) commit or facilitate a serious violation of international human rights law; (iii) commit or facilitate an act constituting an offence under international conventions or protocols relating to terrorism to which the exporting State is a Party; or (iv) commit or facilitate an act constituting an offence under international conventions or protocols relating to transnational organized crime to which the exporting State is a Party.

text: 2. The exporting State Party shall also consider whether there are measures that could be undertaken to mitigate risks identified in (a) or (b) in paragraph 1, such as confidence-building measures or jointly developed and agreed programmes by the exporting and importing States.

text: 3. If, after conducting this assessment and considering available mitigating measures, the exporting State Party determines that there is an overriding risk of any of the negative consequences in paragraph 1, the exporting State Party shall not authorize the export.

text: 4. The exporting State Party, in making this assessment, shall take into account the risk of the conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of the items covered under Article 3 or Article 4 being used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence or serious acts of violence against women and children.

text: 5. Each exporting State Party shall take measures to ensure that all authorizations for the export of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) or of items covered under Article 3 or Article 4 are detailed and issued prior to the export.

text: 6. Each exporting State Party shall make available appropriate information about the authorization in question, upon request, to the importing State Party and to the transit or trans-shipment States Parties, subject to its national laws, practices or policies.

text: 7. If, after an authorization has been granted, an exporting State Party becomes aware of new relevant information, it is encouraged to reassess the authorization after consultations, if appropriate, with the importing State.

text: Article 7 - Export and Export Assessment

text: 1. Each importing State Party shall take measures to ensure that appropriate and relevant information is provided, upon request, pursuant to its national laws, to the exporting State Party, to assist the exporting State Party in conducting its national export assessment under Article 7. Such measures may include end use or end user documentation.

text: 2. Each importing State Party shall take measures that will allow it to regulate, where necessary, imports under its jurisdiction of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1). Such measures may include import systems.

text: 3. Each importing State Party may request information from the exporting State Party concerning any pending or actual export authorizations where the importing State Party is the country of final destination.

text: Article 8 - Import

text: Each State Party shall take appropriate measures to regulate, where necessary and feasible, the transit or trans-shipment under its jurisdiction of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) through its territory in accordance with relevant international law.

text: Article 9 - Transit or trans-shipment

text: Each State Party shall take measures, pursuant to its national laws, to regulate brokering taking place under its jurisdiction for conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1). Such measures may include requiring brokers to register or obtain written authorization before engaging in brokering.

text: Article 10 - Brokering

text: 1. Each State Party involved in the transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) shall take measures to prevent their diversion.

text: 2. The exporting State Party shall seek to prevent the diversion of the transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) through its national control system, established in accordance with Article 5 (2), by assessing the risk of diversion of the export and considering the establishment of mitigation measures such as confidence-building measures or jointly developed and agreed programmes by the exporting and importing States. Other prevention measures may include, where appropriate: examining parties involved in the export, requiring additional documentation, certificates, assurances, not authorizing the export or other appropriate measures.

text: 3. Importing, transit, trans-shipment and exporting States Parties shall cooperate and exchange information, pursuant to their national laws, where appropriate and feasible, in order to mitigate the risk of diversion of the transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1).

text: 4. If a State Party detects a diversion of transferred conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1), the State Party shall take appropriate measures, pursuant to its national laws and in accordance with international law, to address such diversion. Such measures may include alerting potentially affected States Parties, examining diverted shipments of such conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1), and taking follow-up measures through investigation and law enforcement.

text: 5. In order to better comprehend and prevent the diversion of transferred conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1), States Parties are encouraged to share relevant information with one another on effective measures to address diversion. Such information may include information on illicit activities including corruption, international trafficking routes, illicit brokers, sources of illicit supply, methods of concealment, common points of dispatch, or destinations used by organized groups engaged in diversion.

text: 6. States Parties are encouraged to report to other States Parties, through the Secretariat, on measures taken in addressing the diversion of transferred conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1).

text: Article 11 - Diversion

text: 1. Each State Party shall maintain national records, pursuant to its national laws and regulations, of its issuance of export authorizations or its actual exports of the conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1).

text: 2. Each State Party is encouraged to maintain records of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) that are transferred to its territory as the final destination or that are authorized to transit or trans-ship territory under its jurisdiction.

text: 3. Each State Party is encouraged to include in those records: the quantity, value, model/type, authorized international transfers of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1), conventional arms actually transferred, details of exporting State(s), importing State(s), transit and trans-shipment State(s), and end users, as appropriate.

text: 4. Records shall be kept for a minimum of ten years.

text: Article 12 - Record keeping

text: 1. Each State Party shall, within the first year after entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party, in accordance with Article 22, provide an initial report to the Secretariat of measures undertaken in order to implement this Treaty, including national laws, national control lists and other regulations and administrative measures. Each State Party shall report to the Secretariat on any new measures undertaken in order to implement this Treaty, when appropriate. Reports shall be made available, and distributed to States Parties by the Secretariat.

text: 2. States Parties are encouraged to report to other States Parties, through the Secretariat, information on measures taken that have been proven effective in addressing the diversion of transferred conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1).

text: 3. Each State Party shall submit annually to the Secretariat by 31 May a report for the preceding calendar year concerning authorized or actual exports and imports of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1). Reports shall be made available, and distributed to States Parties by the Secretariat. The report submitted to the Secretariat may contain the same information submitted by the State Party to relevant United Nations frameworks, including the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. Reports may exclude commercially sensitive or national security information.

text: Article 13 - Reporting

text: Each State Party shall take appropriate measures to enforce national laws and regulations that implement the provisions of this Treaty.

text: Article 14 - Enforcement

text: 1. States Parties shall cooperate with each other, consistent with their respective security interests and national laws, to effectively implement this Treaty.

text: 2. States Parties are encouraged to facilitate international cooperation, including exchanging information on matters of mutual interest regarding the implementation and application of this Treaty pursuant to their respective security interests and national laws.

text: 3. States Parties are encouraged to consult on matters of mutual interest and to share information, as appropriate, to support the implementation of this Treaty.

text: 4. States Parties are encouraged to cooperate, pursuant to their national laws, in order to assist national implementation of the provisions of this Treaty, including through sharing information regarding illicit activities and actors and in order to prevent and eradicate diversion of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1).

text: 5. States Parties shall, where jointly agreed and consistent with their national laws, afford one another the widest measure of assistance in investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings in relation to violations of national measures established pursuant to this Treaty.

text: 6. States Parties are encouraged to take national measures and to cooperate with each other to prevent the transfer of conventional arms covered under Article 2 (1) becoming subject to corrupt practices.

text: 7. States Parties are encouraged to exchange experience and information on lessons learned in relation to any aspect of this Treaty.

text: Article 15 - International Cooperation

text: 1. In implementing this Treaty, each State Party may seek assistance including legal or legislative assistance, institutional capacity-building, and technical, material or financial assistance. Such assistance may include stockpile management, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes, model legislation, and effective practices for implementation. Each State Party in a position to do so shall provide such assistance, upon request.

text: 2. Each State Party may request, offer or receive assistance through, inter alia, the United Nations, international, regional, subregional or national organizations, non-governmental organizations, or on a bilateral basis.

text: 3. A voluntary trust fund shall be established by States Parties to assist requesting States Parties requiring international assistance to implement this Treaty. Each State Party is encouraged to contribute resources to the fund.

text: Article 16 - International Assistance

text: 1. A Conference of States Parties shall be convened by the provisional Secretariat, established under Article 18, no later than one year following the entry into force of this Treaty and thereafter at such other times as may be decided by the Conference of States Parties.

text: 2. The Conference of States Parties shall adopt by consensus its rules of procedure at its first session.

text: 3. The Conference of States Parties shall adopt financial rules for itself as well as governing the funding of any subsidiary bodies it may establish as well as financial provisions governing the functioning of the Secretariat. At each ordinary session, it shall adopt a budget for the financial period until the next ordinary session.

text: 4. The Conference of States Parties shall: (a) Review the implementation of this Treaty, including developments in the field of conventional arms; (b) Consider and adopt recommendations regarding the implementation and operation of this Treaty, in particular the promotion of its universality; (c) Consider amendments to this Treaty in accordance with Article 20; (d) Consider issues arising from the interpretation of this Treaty; (e) Consider and decide the tasks and budget of the Secretariat; (f) Consider the establishment of any subsidiary bodies as may be necessary to improve the functioning of this Treaty; and (g) Perform any other function consistent with this Treaty.

text: 5. Extraordinary meetings of the Conference of States Parties shall be held at such other times as may be deemed necessary by the Conference of States Parties, or at the written request of any State Party provided that this request is supported by at least two-thirds of the States Parties.

text: Article 17 - Conference of States Parties

text: 1. This Treaty hereby establishes a Secretariat to assist States Parties in the effective implementation of this Treaty. Pending the first meeting of the Conference of States Parties, a provisional Secretariat will be responsible for the administrative functions covered under this Treaty.

text: 2. The Secretariat shall be adequately staffed. Staff shall have the necessary expertise to ensure that the Secretariat can effectively undertake the responsibilities described in paragraph 3.

text: 3. The Secretariat shall be responsible to States Parties. Within a minimized structure, the Secretariat shall undertake the following responsibilities: (a) Receive, make available and distribute the reports as mandated by this Treaty; (b) Maintain and make available to States Parties the list of national points of contact; (c) Facilitate the matching of offers of and requests for assistance for Treaty implementation and promote international cooperation as requested; (d) Facilitate the work of the Conference of States Parties, including making arrangements and providing the necessary services for meetings under this Treaty; and (e) Perform other duties as decided by the Conferences of States Parties.

text: Article 18 - Secretariat

text: 1. States Parties shall consult and, by mutual consent, cooperate to pursue settlement of any dispute that may arise between them with regard to the interpretation or application of this Treaty including through negotiations, mediation, conciliation, judicial settlement or other peaceful means.

text: 2. States Parties may pursue, by mutual consent, arbitration to settle any dispute between them, regarding issues concerning the interpretation or application of this Treaty

text: Article 19 - Dispute Settlement

text: 1. Six years after the entry into force of this Treaty, any State Party may propose an amendment to this Treaty. Thereafter, proposed amendments may only be considered by the Conference of States Parties every three years.

text: 2. Any proposal to amend this Treaty shall be submitted in writing to the Secretariat, which shall circulate the proposal to all States Parties, not less than 180 days before the next meeting of the Conference of States Parties at which amendments may be considered pursuant to paragraph 1. The amendment shall be considered at the next Conference of States Parties at which amendments may be considered pursuant to paragraph 1 if, no later than 120 days after its circulation by the Secretariat, a majority of States Parties notify the Secretariat that they support consideration of the proposal.

text: 3. The States Parties shall make every effort to achieve consensus on each amendment. If all efforts at consensus have been exhausted, and no agreement reached, the amendment shall, as a last resort, be adopted by a three-quarters majority vote of the States Parties present and voting at the meeting of the Conference of States Parties. For the purposes of this Article, States Parties present and voting means States Parties present and casting an affirmative or negative vote. The Depositary shall communicate any adopted amendment to all States Parties.

text: 4. An amendment adopted in accordance with paragraph 3 shall enter into force for each State Party that has deposited its instrument of acceptance for that amendment, ninety days following the date of deposit with the Depositary of the instruments of acceptance by a majority of the number of States Parties at the time of the adoption of the amendment. Thereafter, it shall enter into force for any remaining State Party ninety days following the date of deposit of its instrument of acceptance for that amendment.

text: Article 20 - Amendments

text: 1. This Treaty shall be open for signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York by all States from 3 June 2013 until its entry into force.

text: 2. This Treaty is subject to ratification, acceptance or approval by each signatory State.

text: 3. Following its entry into force, this Treaty shall be open for accession by any State that has not signed the Treaty.

text: 4. The instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the Depositary.

text: Article 21 - Signature, Ratification, Acceptance, Approval or Accession

text: Article 23

text: 1. This Treaty shall enter into force ninety days following the date of the deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval with the Depositary.

text: 2. For any State that deposits its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession subsequent to the entry into force of this Treaty, this Treaty shall enter into force for that State ninety days following the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

text: Article 22 - Entry into force

text: Any State may at the time of signature or the deposit of instrument of its of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, declare that it will apply provisionally Article 6 and Article 7 pending the entry into force of this Treaty for that State.

text: Article 23 - Provisional Application

text: 1. This Treaty shall be of unlimited duration.

text: 2. Each State Party shall, in exercising its national sovereignty, have the right to withdraw from this Treaty. It shall give notification of such withdrawal to the Depositary, which shall notify all other States Parties. The notification of withdrawal may include an explanation of the reasons for its withdrawal. The notice of withdrawal shall take effect ninety days after the receipt of the notification of withdrawal by the Depositary, unless the notification of withdrawal specifies a later date.

text: 3. A State shall not be discharged, by reason of its withdrawal, from the obligations arising from this Treaty while it was a Party to this Treaty, including any financial obligations that it may have accrued.

text: Article 24 - Duration and Withdrawal

text: 1. At the time of signature, ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, each State may formulate reservations, unless the reservations are incompatible with the object and purpose of this Treaty.

text: 2. A State Party may withdraw its reservation at any time by notification to this effect addressed to the Depositary.

text: Article 25 - Reservations

text: 1. The implementation of this Treaty shall not prejudice obligations undertaken by States Parties with regard to existing or future international agreements, to which they are parties, where those obligations are consistent with this Treaty.

text: 2. This Treaty shall not be cited as grounds for voiding defence cooperation agreements concluded between States Parties to this Treaty.

text: Article 26 - Relationship with other international agreements

text: The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be the Depositary of this Treaty.

text: Article 27 - Depositary

text: The original text of this Treaty, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

text: DONE AT NEW YORK, this second day of April, two thousand and thirteen.

text: Article 28 - Authentic Texts

summary: In 2006, States began exploring the feasibility and elements of a global "Arms Trade Treaty." In January 2010, the UN General Assembly decided to convene the 2012 UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty to elaborate a legally binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms. A first Diplomatic Conference in July 2012 failed to reach an agreement. A final Diplomatic Conference was convened for March 2013. After nine working days of intensive negotiations, the Final Diplomatic Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty ended without States reaching consensus on the text of the treaty as required by the Conference’s rules of procedure. However, on 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly voted by a large majority in favour of adopting the Arms Trade Treaty. In the view of the ICRC, the Arms Trade Treaty has a solid humanitarian basis. It regulates international transfers of conventional arms, ammunition, and parts and components, with a view, notably, to reducing human suffering. The Treaty subjects arms transfer decisions to humanitarian concerns by forbidding transfers when there is a defined level of risk that war crimes or serious violations of international human rights law will be committed. Moreover, a key principle underpinning the Treaty, and explicitly recognized in the text, is the duty of the States to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law. The ATT was opened for signature on 3 June 2013. It will enter into force 90 days following the deposit of the 50th instrument of ratification, acceptance, or approval. If a State submits its instrument after this date, then the Treaty will enter into force for that State 90 days after the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

title: Arms Trade Treaty, 2 April 2013


doctype: treaty

identifier: Amendment to the Statute of the International Criminal Court, amended article 124, 2015

depositary: United Nations

languages: Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish

publisher: International Committee of the Red Cross

title: Amendment to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on War Crimes, amended article 124, 26 November 2015

action: accession

country: Italy

country: Belgium

country: Austria

country: Netherlands

action: declaration

reservation: Acceptance for the European part and the Caribbean part (the Islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) of the Netherlands and for Curaçao.

country: France

country: Slovakia

country: Croatia

country: Switzerland

country: Andorra

country: Slovenia

country: Latvia

country: Romania

country: Portugal

country: Finland

country: Liechtenstein

country: Sweden

country: Spain

country: Germany

country: Estonia

country: Lithuania

country: Cyprus

country: Denmark

reservation: Territorial exclusion in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

country: Timor-Leste

country: Seychelles

country: San Marino

country: Poland

text: Rome Statute, article 124

text: Article 124

text: of the

text: Rome Statute

text: is deleted.

type: stycke

text: Amendment

type: artikel

summary: On 26 November 2015, at the 11th plenary meeting of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, which was held from 18 to 26 November 2015 in The Hague, Netherlands, the Parties adopted by Resolution ICC-ASP/14/Res.2, in accordance with article 121, paragraph 3, of the Rome Statute, the Amendment to Article 124 of the Rome Statute. The Amendment will enter into force in accordance with article 121, paragraph 4 of the Rome Statute which reads as follows: “Except as provided in paragraph 5, an amendment shall enter into force for all States Parties one year after instruments of ratification or acceptance have been deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations by seven-eighths of them”.

type: internationell-overenskommelse


identifier: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 2017

reference: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 2017

title: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 7 July 2017

country: Malaysia

action: signature

country: Honduras

country: Trinidad and Tobago

country: Lesotho

country: Grenada

country: Belize

country: United Republic of Tanzania

country: Zambia

country: Maldives

country: Nauru

country: Dominica

country: Botswana

country: Cambodia

country: Guinea-Bissau

country: Brunei Darussalam

country: Saint Lucia

country: Antigua and Barbuda

country: Myanmar

country: Tuvalu

country: Peru

country: Cook Islands

reservation: Declarations made upon accession (Original: English): The Government of the Cook Islands : (a) declares that it does not own, possess, or control nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices, neither does it have a nuclear-weapon programme or nuclear-weapons-related facilities in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control; (b) notwithstanding Article 1 (a), declares that it does not own, possess, or control any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; (c) notwithstanding Article 1 (g), declares there are no nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State.

country: Sao Tome and Principe

country: Togo

country: Samoa

country: South Africa

country: Uruguay

reservation: Declaration of territorial application in respect of Tokelau made upon ratification on 31.07.2018.

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Translation) (Original: Spanish): The prohibition on the testing of nuclear weapons contained in Article 1(a) encompasses all forms of testing, including those performed using non-explosive methods such as subcritical testing and computer simulation. The transit of nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices through territory under the jurisdiction of the States Parties to this Treaty is also a prohibited activity according to the provisions of Article 1(e). The financing of any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty is also a prohibited activity according to the provisions of Article 1(e). The declarations that States Parties are required to make under Article 2 must include information on any activity they carry out that is prohibited under Article 1.

text: The States Parties to this Treaty,

text: Determined to contribute to the realization of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

text: Deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from any use of nuclear weapons, and recognizing the consequent need to completely eliminate such weapons, which remains the only way to guarantee that nuclear weapons are never used again under any circumstances,

text: Mindful of the risks posed by the continued existence of nuclear weapons, including from any nuclear-weapon detonation by accident, miscalculation or design, and emphasizing that these risks concern the security of all humanity, and that all States share the responsibility to prevent any use of nuclear weapons,

text: Cognizant that the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons cannot be adequately addressed, transcend national borders, pose grave implications for human survival, the environment, socioeconomic development, the global economy, food security and the health of current and future generations, and have a disproportionate impact on women and girls, including as a result of ionizing radiation,

text: Acknowledging the ethical imperatives for nuclear disarmament and the urgency of achieving and maintaining a nuclear-weapon-free world, which is a global public good of the highest order, serving both national and collective security interests,

text: Mindful of the unacceptable suffering of and harm caused to the victims of the use of nuclear weapons (hibakusha), as well as of those affected by the testing of nuclear weapons,

text: Recognizing the disproportionate impact of nuclear-weapon activities on indigenous peoples,

text: Reaffirming the need for all States at all times to comply with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law,

text: Basing themselves on the principles and rules of international humanitarian law, in particular the principle that the right of parties to an armed conflict to choose methods or means of warfare is not unlimited, the rule of distinction, the prohibition against indiscriminate attacks, the rules on proportionality and precautions in attack, the prohibition on the use of weapons of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering, and the rules for the protection of the natural environment,

text: Considering that any use of nuclear weapons would be contrary to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict, in particular the principles and rules of international humanitarian law,

text: Reaffirming that any use of nuclear weapons would also be abhorrent to the principles of humanity and the dictates of public conscience,

text: Recalling that, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, States must refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations, and that the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security are to be promoted with the least diversion for armaments of the world’s human and economic resources,

text: Recalling also the first resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations, adopted on 24 January 1946, and subsequent resolutions which call for the elimination of nuclear weapons,

text: Concerned by the slow pace of nuclear disarmament, the continued reliance on nuclear weapons in military and security concepts, doctrines and policies, and the waste of economic and human resources on programmes for the production, maintenance and modernization of nuclear weapons,

text: Recognizing that a legally binding prohibition of nuclear weapons constitutes an important contribution towards the achievement and maintenance of a world free of nuclear weapons, including the irreversible, verifiable and transparent elimination of nuclear weapons, and determined to act towards that end,

text: Determined to act with a view to achieving effective progress towards general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control,

text: Reaffirming that there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control,

text: Reaffirming also that the full and effective implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which serves as the cornerstone of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, has a vital role to play in promoting international peace and security,

text: Recognizing the vital importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and its verification regime as a core element of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime,

text: Reaffirming the conviction that the establishment of the internationally recognized nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned enhances global and regional peace and security, strengthens the nuclear non-proliferation regime and contributes towards realizing the objective of nuclear disarmament,

text: Emphasizing that nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of its States Parties to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination,

text: Recognizing that the equal, full and effective participation of both women and men is an essential factor for the promotion and attainment of sustainable peace and security, and committed to supporting and strengthening the effective participation of women in nuclear disarmament,

text: Recognizing also the importance of peace and disarmament education in all its aspects and of raising awareness of the risks and consequences of nuclear weapons for current and future generations, and committed to the dissemination of the principles and norms of this Treaty,

text: Stressing the role of public conscience in the furthering of the principles of humanity as evidenced by the call for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, and recognizing the efforts to that end undertaken by the United Nations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, other international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, religious leaders, parliamentarians, academics and the hibakusha,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: Preamble

text: 1. Each State Party undertakes never under any circumstances to:

text: (a) Develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;

text: (b) Transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly or indirectly;

text: (c) Receive the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly or indirectly;

text: (d) Use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;

text: (e) Assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty;

text: (f) Seek or receive any assistance, in any way, from anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty;

text: (g) Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or at any place under its jurisdiction or control.

text: Article 1 - Prohibitions

text: 1. Each State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, not later than 30 days after this Treaty enters into force for that State Party, a declaration in which it shall:

text: (a) Declare whether it owned, possessed or controlled nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices and eliminated its nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party;

text: (b) Notwithstanding Article 1 (a), declare whether it owns, possesses or controls any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;

text: (c) Notwithstanding Article 1 (g), declare whether there are any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State.

text: 2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit all such declarations received to the States Parties.

text: Article 2 - Declarations

text: 1. Each State Party to which Article 4, paragraph 1 or 2, does not apply shall, at a minimum, maintain its International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards obligations in force at the time of entry into force of this Treaty, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future.

text: 2. Each State Party to which Article 4, paragraph 1 or 2, does not apply that has not yet done so shall conclude with the International Atomic Energy Agency and bring into force a comprehensive safeguards agreement (INFCIRC/1 53 (Corrected)). Negotiation of such agreement shall commence within 180 days from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. Each State Party shall thereafter maintain such obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future.

text: Article 3 - Safeguards

text: 1. Each State Party that after 7 July 2017 owned, possessed or controlled nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices and eliminated its nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for it, shall cooperate with the competent international authority designated pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Article for the purpose of verifying the irreversible elimination of its nuclear-weapon programme. The competent international authority shall report to the States Parties. Such a State Party shall conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency sufficient to provide credible assurance of the non-diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and of the absence of undeclared nuclear material or activities in that State Party as a whole. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence within 180 days from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months from the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party. That State Party shall thereafter, at a minimum, maintain these safeguards obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future.

text: 2. Notwithstanding Article 1 (a), each State Party that owns, possesses or controls nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices shall immediately remove them from operational status, and destroy them as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties, in accordance with a legally binding, time-bound plan for the verified and irreversible elimination of that State Party’s nuclear-weapon programme, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities. The State Party, no later than 60 days after the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party, shall submit this plan to the States Parties or to a competent international authority designated by the States Parties. The plan shall then be negotiated with the competent international authority, which shall submit it to the subsequent meeting of States Parties or review conference, whichever comes first, for approval in accordance with its rules of procedure.

text: 3. A State Party to which paragraph 2 above applies shall conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency sufficient to provide credible assurance of the non-diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities and of the absence of undeclared nuclear material or activities in the State as a whole. Negotiation of such agreement shall commence no later than the date upon which implementation of the plan referred to in paragraph 2 is completed. The agreement shall enter into force no later than 18 months after the date of initiation of negotiations. That State Party shall thereafter, at a minimum, maintain these safeguards obligations, without prejudice to any additional relevant instruments that it may adopt in the future. Following the entry into force of the agreement referred to in this paragraph, the State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations a final declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under this Article.

text: 4. Notwithstanding Article 1 (b) and (g), each State Party that has any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or in any place under its jurisdiction or control that are owned, possessed or controlled by another State shall ensure the prompt removal of such weapons, as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties. Upon the removal of such weapons or other explosive devices, that State Party shall submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations a declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under this Article.

text: 5. Each State Party to which this Article applies shall submit a report to each meeting of States Parties and each review conference on the progress made towards the implementation of its obligations under this Article, until such time as they are fulfilled.

text: 6. The States Parties shall designate a competent international authority or authorities to negotiate and verify the irreversible elimination of nuclear-weapons programmes, including the elimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities in accordance with paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article. In the event that such a designation has not been made prior to the entry into force of this Treaty for a State Party to which paragraph 1 or 2 of this Article applies, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall convene an extraordinary meeting of States Parties to take any decisions that may be required.

text: Article 4 - Towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons

text: 1. Each State Party shall adopt the necessary measures to implement its obligations under this Treaty.

text: 2. Each State Party shall take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control.

text: Article 5 - National implementation

text: 1. Each State Party shall, with respect to individuals under its jurisdiction who are affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, in accordance with applicable international humanitarian and human rights law, adequately provide age- and gender-sensitive assistance, without discrimination, including medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support, as well as provide for their social and economic inclusion.

text: 2. Each State Party, with respect to areas under its jurisdiction or control contaminated as a result of activities related to the testing or use of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, shall take necessary and appropriate measures towards the environmental remediation of areas so contaminated.

text: 3. The obligations under paragraphs 1 and 2 above shall be without prejudice to the duties and obligations of any other States under international law or bilateral agreements.

text: Article 6 - Victim assistance and environmental remediation

text: 1. Each State Party shall cooperate with other States Parties to facilitate the implementation of this Treaty.

text: 2. In fulfilling its obligations under this Treaty, each State Party shall have the right to seek and receive assistance, where feasible, from other States Parties.

text: 3. Each State Party in a position to do so shall provide technical, material and financial assistance to States Parties affected by nuclear-weapons use or testing, to further the implementation of this Treaty.

text: 4. Each State Party in a position to do so shall provide assistance for the victims of the use or testing of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

text: 5. Assistance under this Article may be provided, inter alia, through the United Nations system, international, regional or national organizations or institutions, non-governmental organizations or institutions, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, or national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, or on a bilateral basis.

text: 6. Without prejudice to any other duty or obligation that it may have under international law, a State Party that has used or tested nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosive devices shall have a responsibility to provide adequate assistance to affected States Parties, for the purpose of victim assistance and environmental remediation.

text: Article 7 - International cooperation and assistance

text: 1. The States Parties shall meet regularly in order to consider and, where necessary, take decisions in respect of any matter with regard to the application or implementation of this Treaty, in accordance with its relevant provisions, and on further measures for nuclear disarmament, including:

text: (a) The implementation and status of this Treaty;

text: (b) Measures for the verified, time-bound and irreversible elimination of nuclear-weapon programmes, including additional protocols to this Treaty;

text: (c) Any other matters pursuant to and consistent with the provisions of this Treaty.

text: 2. The first meeting of States Parties shall be convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations within one year of the entry into force of this Treaty. Further meetings of States Parties shall be convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on a biennial basis, unless otherwise agreed by the States Parties. The meeting of States Parties shall adopt its rules of procedure at its first session. Pending their adoption, the rules of procedure of the United Nations conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination, shall apply.

text: 3. Extraordinary meetings of States Parties shall be convened, as may be deemed necessary, by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the written request of any State Party provided that this request is supported by at least one third of the States Parties.

text: 4. After a period of five years following the entry into force of this Treaty, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall convene a conference to review the operation of the Treaty and the progress in achieving the purposes of the Treaty. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall convene further review conferences at intervals of six years with the same objective, unless otherwise agreed by the States Parties.

text: 5. States not party to this Treaty, as well as the relevant entities of the United Nations system, other relevant international organizations or institutions, regional organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and relevant non-governmental organizations, shall be invited to attend the meetings of States Parties and the review conferences as observers.

text: Article 8 - Meeting of States Parties

text: 1. The costs of the meetings of States Parties, the review conferences and the extraordinary meetings of States Parties shall be borne by the States Parties and States not party to this Treaty participating therein as observers, in accordance with the United Nations scale of assessment adjusted appropriately.

text: 2. The costs incurred by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the circulation of declarations under Article 2, reports under Article 4 and proposed amendments under Article 10 of this Treaty shall be borne by the States Parties in accordance with the United Nations scale of assessment adjusted appropriately.

text: 3. The cost related to the implementation of verification measures required under Article 4 as well as the costs related to the destruction of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, and the elimination of nuclear-weapon programmes, including the elimination or conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities, should be borne by the States Parties to which they apply.

text: Article 9 - Costs

text: 1. At any time after the entry into force of this Treaty, any State Party may propose amendments to the Treaty. The text of a proposed amendment shall be communicated to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall circulate it to all States Parties and shall seek their views on whether to consider the proposal. If a majority of the States Parties notify the Secretary-General of the United Nations no later than 90 days after its circulation that they support further consideration of the proposal, the proposal shall be considered at the next meeting of States Parties or review conference, whichever comes first.

text: 2. A meeting of States Parties or a review conference may agree upon amendments which shall be adopted by a positive vote of a majority of two thirds of the States Parties. The Depositary shall communicate any adopted amendment to all States Parties.

text: 3. The amendment shall enter into force for each State Party that deposits its instrument of ratification or acceptance of the amendment 90 days following the deposit of such instruments of ratification or acceptance by a majority of the States Parties at the time of adoption. Thereafter, it shall enter into force for any other State Party 90 days following the deposit of its instrument of ratification or acceptance of the amendment.

text: Article 10 - Amendments

text: 1. When a dispute arises between two or more States Parties relating to the interpretation or application of this Treaty, the parties concerned shall consult together with a view to the settlement of the dispute by negotiation or by other peaceful means of the parties’ choice in accordance with Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations.

text: 2. The meeting of States Parties may contribute to the settlement of the dispute, including by offering its good offices, calling upon the States Parties concerned to start the settlement procedure of their choice and recommending a time limit for any agreed procedure, in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Treaty and the Charter of the United Nations.

text: Article 11 - Settlement of disputes

text: Each State Party shall encourage States not party to this Treaty to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Treaty, with the goal of universal adherence of all States to the Treaty.

text: Article 12 - Universality

text: This Treaty shall be open for signature to all States at United Nations Headquarters in New York as from 20 September 2017.

text: Article 13 - Signature

text: This Treaty shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or approval by signatory States. The Treaty shall be open for accession.

text: Article 14 - Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession

text: 1. This Treaty shall enter into force 90 days after the fiftieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession has been deposited.

text: 2. For any State that deposits its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession after the date of the deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, this Treaty shall enter into force 90 days after the date on which that State has deposited its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

text: Article 15 - Entry into force

text: The Articles of this Treaty shall not be subject to reservations.

text: Article 16 - Reservations

text: 2. Each State Party shall, in exercising its national sovereignty, have the right to withdraw from this Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events related to the subject matter of the Treaty have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country. It shall give notice of such withdrawal to the Depositary. Such notice shall include a statement of the extraordinary events that it regards as having jeopardized its supreme interests.

text: 3. Such withdrawal shall only take effect 12 months after the date of the receipt of the notification of withdrawal by the Depositary. If, however, on the expiry of that 12-month period, the withdrawing State Party is a party to an armed conflict, the State Party shall continue to be bound by the obligations of this Treaty and of any additional protocols until it is no longer party to an armed conflict.

text: Article 17 - Duration and withdrawal

text: The implementation of this Treaty shall not prejudice obligations undertaken by States Parties with regard to existing international agreements, to which they are party, where those obligations are consistent with the Treaty.

text: Article 18 - Relationship with other agreements

text: The Secretary-General of the United Nations is hereby designated as the Depositary of this Treaty.

text: Article 19 - Depositary

text: The Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts of this Treaty shall be equally authentic.

text: DONE at New York, this seventh day of July, two thousand and seventeen.

text: Article 20 - Authentic texts

summary: The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was inspired by the “humanitarian initiative”- an informal effort by a range of States to reframe the debate on nuclear weapons and place greater emphasis on the catastrophic and lasting consequences of their use on health, societies and the environment. A key part of the initiative was a series of conferences on the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons, which were held in Oslo (2013), Nayarit (2014) and Vienna (2014). These conferences provided new information on the immediate and long-term effects of nuclear weapons and the dangers associated with their potential use and continued possession. The observations and conclusions inspired several UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions focused on the humanitarian-related aspects of nuclear weapons. These included resolutions on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, the humanitarian pledge for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons and the ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world. Ways to advance nuclear disarmament were also being considered. The UNGA authorized an Open-ended Working Group to look at various aspects of this issue, which met in 2013 and 2016. The final report of the 2016 Group included a recommendation for the UN General Assembly to convene a conference in 2017, open to all States, with the participation and contribution of international organizations and civil society, to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading to their total elimination. The UNGA subsequently authorized the convening of a UN conference in 2017 to negotiate such an instrument. The UN conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons met in March and June/July 2017. At the close of the negotiations 122 States voted to adopt the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 1 State opposed and 1 abstained. The Treaty was opened for signature as of 20 September 2017.


identifier: Amendment to the Statute of the International Criminal Court, amended article 8 (Weapons which use microbial or other biological agents, or toxins), 2017

title: Amendment to article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Weapons which use microbial or other biological agents, or toxins)

country: Switzerland

country: Slovakia

country: Netherlands

reservation: Acceptance for the European part and the Caribbean part (the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) of the Netherlands.

country: New Zealand

country: Latvia

country: Luxembourg

country: Czech Republic

country: Norway

country: Croatia

country: Liechtenstein

country: Sweden

country: Romania

country: Slovenia

country: Mexico

country: Chile

country: Germany

country: Estonia

country: Belgium

country: Lithuania

country: Cyprus

country: Ukraine

country: Denmark

country: Seychelles

country: Andorra

country: San Marino

country: Spain

country: Poland

text: Employing weapons, which use microbial or other biological agents, or toxins, whatever their origin or method of production;

text: Amendment

summary: On 14 December 2017, at its 12th plenary meeting, the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted by Resolution ICC-ASP/16/Res.4, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 121 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, an amendment to article 8 in order to insert new articles 8-2-b)xxvii) and 8-2-e)xvi) relating to weapons which use microbial or other biological agents, or toxins.


identifier: Amendment to the Statute of the International Criminal Court, amended article 8 (Weapons the primary effect of which is to injure by fragments undetectable by x-rays in the human body), 2017

title: Amendment to article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Weapons the primary effect of which is to injure by fragments undetectable by x-rays in the human body)

country: Switzerland

country: Czech Republic

country: Slovakia

country: Netherlands

country: Latvia

country: New Zealand

country: Luxembourg

country: Norway

country: Croatia

country: Uruguay

text: Employing weapons the primary effect of which is to injure by fragments which in the human body escape detection by X-rays;

text: Amendment

summary: On 14 December 2017, at its 12th plenary meeting, the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted by Resolution ICC-ASP/16/Res.4, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 121 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, an amendment to article 8 in order to insert new articles 8-2-b)xxviii) and 8-2-e)xvii) relating to weapons the primary effect of which is to injure by fragments which in the human body escape detection by X-rays.


identifier: Amendment to the Statute of the International Criminal Court, amended article 8 (Blinding laser weapons), 2017

title: Amendment to article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Blinding laser weapons)

country: Romania

country: Slovenia

country: Mexico

country: Chile

country: Germany

country: Estonia

country: Belgium

country: Lithuania

country: Cyprus

country: Ukraine

text: Employing laser weapons specifically designed, as their sole combat function or as one of their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision, that is to the naked eye or to the eye with corrective eyesight devices;

text: Amendment

summary: On 14 December 2017, at its 12th plenary meeting, the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted by Resolution ICC-ASP/16/Res.4, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 121 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, an amendment to article 8 in order to insert new articles 8-2-b)xxix) and 8-2-e)xviii) relating to weapons specifically designed, as their sole combat function or as one of their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision, that is to the naked eye or to the eye with corrective eyesight devices.


identifier: Amendment to the Statute of the International Criminal Court, amended article 8 (Intentionally using starvation of civilians), 2019

title: Amendment to article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Intentionally using starvation of civilians)

country: Andorra

country: Netherlands

country: Portugal

country: Liechtenstein

country: Switzerland

country: Denmark

country: Seychelles

country: San Marino

country: Spain

country: Poland

text: Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies.

text: Amendment

summary: On 6 December 2019, at its 9th plenary meeting, the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted by Resolution ICC-ASP/18/Res.5, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 121 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, an amendment to article 8 in order to insert a new article 8-2-e)-xix) relating to intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies. In accordance with its article 121, paragraph 5, “[a]ny amendment to articles 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this Statute shall enter into force for those States Parties which have accepted the amendment one year after the deposit of their instruments of ratification or acceptance”.