Link to: Status of Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the UN Secretary-General

Status of Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General (printed copy discontinued)

This online database provides the most detailed information on the status ofover 560 major multilateral instruments deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations (as of 1 June 2014) and covers a range of subject matter such as Human Rights, Disarmament, Commodities, Refugees, the Environment and the Law of the Sea. The number of treaties deposited with the Secretary-General keeps growing steadily. This database reflects the status of these instruments, as Member States sign, ratify, accede or lodge declarations, reservations or objections. It is currently updated daily. The printing and distribution of this publication hard-copy was discontinued in August 2011as part of the United Nations efforts to reduce paper waste and conserve energy and resources. Its online version is updated daily or intra-daily, as required.

United Nations Treaty Series (December 1946 – July 2013)

A collection of treaties and international agreements registered or filed and recorded with and published by the Secretariat since 1946, pursuant to Article 102 of the Charter. The UNTS includes the texts of treaties in their authentic language(s), along with translations into English and French, as appropriate. The collection currently contains over 200,000 treaties and related subsequent actions which have been published in hard copy in over 2,700 volumes. The latest authentic texts of treaties available on the website correspond to July 2013 registration month. The latest hard copy publication corresponds to volume 2700 (October 2010 registration month). The UNTS collection is continuosly being enhanced to include the latest desktop published volumes at the average rate of 62 volumes annually.

Limited Publication Policy – Note by the Secretariat

League of Nations Treaty Series (10 January 1920 – 18 April 1946) (this database is under development)

This is a collection of treaties and subsequent treaty actions registered with and published by the Secretariat of the League of Nations pursuant to Article 18 of its Covenant. It contains the texts of treaties and records of subsequent treaty actions published in 205 volumes of the League of Nations Treaty Series.

Photographs of Signature Ceremonies

This collection consists of photographs taken at signature ceremonies relating to multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General.

Titles in the UN Official Languages

This collection consists of the titles of multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General in the UN official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Summary of Practice of the Secretary-General as Depositary of MultilateralTreaties

This on-line publication prepared by the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs highlights the main features of the practice followed by the Secretary-General in the daily exercise of depositary functions. Contains models of instruments, depositary notifications, etc.

Treaty Handbook

This publication has been prepared by the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs as a guide to the Secretary-General’s practice as a depositary of multilateral treaties and the Secretariat’s practice in relation to the registration and publication functions.

Handbook of Final Clauses of Multilateral Treaties

This publication has been prepared by the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs as a practical guide intended to assist those who are directly involved in the multilateral treaty-making. In particular, its purpose is to help States with scarce resources and limited technical proficiency in treaty law and practice to participate fully in the multilateral treaty-making process. It incorporates recent developments in the practice of the Secretary-General as depositary of multilateral treaties with regard to matters normally included in the final clauses of these treaties.

Monthly Statements of treaties and International Agreements(printed copy discontinued)

This publication is issued monthly by the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs pursuant to article 13 of the Regulations prior to their publication in the UNTS pursuant to Article 102 of the Charter. It contains detailed record of treaties and related subsequent treaty actions which were registered or filed and recorded with the Secretariat on a given month. The printing and distribution of this publication in hard-copy was discontinued in April 2010 as part of the United Nations efforts to reduce paper waste and conserve energy and resources. The online version is updated monthly and includes all historical issues since December 1946.

Depositary Notifications (CNs) by the Secretary-General(printed copy discontinued)

The depositary is required to provide treaty related information to all interested parties on the treaties deposited with him. The Secretary-General, as depositary of multilateral treaties, provides this information by issuing depositary notifications. The printing and distribution of depositary notifications (CNs) in hard-copy was discontinued in April 2010 as part of the United Nations efforts to reduce paper waste and conserve energy and resources. They have been posted ever since on the website as part of the CNs database which is updated daily and intra-daily, as required.

United Nations Treaty Series Cumulative Index
(printed copy discontinued)

In order to facilitate reference to the United Nations Treaty Series, the Secretariat publishes a Cumulative Index (in English and French). This continues the practice of the League of Nations, which published a similar index to its Treaty Series. A volume of the United Nations Treaty Series Cumulative Index is issued for every fifty volumes of the United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS). The printing and distribution of this publication in hard-copy was discontinued in December 2013 as part of the United Nations efforts to reduce paper waste and conserve energy and resources. The latest printed edition of the Cumulative Index – issue #48 covers the UNTS volumes 2551-2600 and corresponds to treaties and treaty actions registered or filed and recorded with the Secretariat in December 2008 – June 2009.

Notes verbales from The Legal Counsel relating to the depositary practice and the registration of treaties pursuant to Article 102 of the Charter

To facilitate access by Member States, international organizations and other interested entities to notes verbales issued by the Legal Counsel on matters concerning the registration and publication of treaties and depositary requirements, the relevant notes are made available on-line.