【Read in 3 Minutes】 Treaty Ratification? Entry into Force? Adoption? A Clear Explanation of the Treaty Process!

This article explains what a treaty is and provides a clear explanation of terms such as ratification and conclusion!

What is a Treaty?

In simple terms, a treaty is a legal document agreed upon between different countries or international organizations. It is also known as an "international agreement" in international law. This represents an agreement by the involved parties on specific matters, leading to legal obligations based on that agreement. Treaties reflect agreements among sovereign states and are expected to be adhered to.

Treaty Process

Treaties typically follow the following sequence (the entry into force and conclusion may be reversed in some cases):

Adoption → Signature → Ratification → Entry into Force → Conclusion

Now, let's explain each of these steps and related terms in an easy-to-understand manner.
 

Adoption:

        Adoption refers to the process where a new treaty is agreed upon as a draft and formally adopted.
        Usually, during international conferences or United Nations General Assembly sessions, a draft is compiled as a result of negotiations and discussions. Once the participating countries agree, the treaty is adopted.
 

Signature:

        After a treaty is adopted, the involved countries sign it to express their agreement.
        The signing is done by the representatives of the nations (usually the chief representatives of diplomatic delegations) and can involve official ceremonies or international forums.
        The signature indicates that the content of the treaty is finalized, and the participating countries express their intention to join the treaty in the future.
 

Ratification:

        Ratification is the process where a country reviews the content of the signed treaty, confirming its final acceptance and expressing the intention to be bound by it internationally.
        Typically, after signing, necessary legal procedures (usually parliamentary or congressional approval) take place domestically, and a ratification document is produced.
        Ratification is the stage where a country becomes legally bound by the treaty; signing alone does not have binding force.
 

Entry into Force:

        For a treaty to enter into force, a certain number of countries usually need to submit ratification documents, and specific conditions must be met.
        Once the treaty enters into force, the participating countries have legal binding force based on its provisions.
        The conditions for the entry into force are stipulated in the treaty itself and may vary based on domestic laws and international customs.
 

Conclusion:

        After completing all the above procedures, a country concludes the treaty. This is the stage where a country confirms its participation in the treaty and enters the phase of legal binding force.

Reservation:

        A reservation is a declaration by a country that it does not accept a specific part of a treaty. If there is a reservation, the country may not be bound by that particular provision.
 

Amendment:

        Amendment refers to changing the content of an already effective treaty. Usually, the agreement of the contracting countries is required for an amendment to become effective.
 

Protocol:

        A protocol is a document that complements an existing treaty and may be concluded separately from the original treaty. It may include additional provisions or changes.
 

Exchange of Instruments of Ratification:

        Documents such as ratification instruments are exchanged between countries, formalizing the completion of ratification procedures. This confirms the entry into force of the treaty.

Conclusion

How was it? I hope this article has deepened your understanding of treaties even a little! Thank you for reading to the end!