Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties

The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) is an international agreement that regulates treaties among sovereign states; the VCLT is a codification of customary international law and state practice concerning treaties. Known as the "treaty on treaties", the VCLT establishes comprehensive, operational guidelines, rules, and procedures for how treaties are drafted, defined, amended, and interpreted. An international treaty is a written agreement between countries subject to international law that stipulates their consent to the creation, alteration, or termination of their rights and obligations, as stipulated in the treaty. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties was adopted and opened to signature on 23 May 1969, became effective on 27 January 1980, and has been ratified by 116 sovereign states as of January 2018. Non-ratifying parties, such as the U.S., have recognized parts of the VCLT as a restatement of customary international law. In treaty law, the VCLT is the authority for resolving disputes about the interpretation of a treaty. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) was drafted by the International Law Commission (ILC) of the United Nations, which began work on the convention in 1949. During the 20 years of preparation, several draft versions of the convention and commentaries were prepared by special rapporteurs of the ILC, which included prominent international law scholars James Brierly, Hersch Lauterpacht, Gerald Fitzmaurice, and Humphrey Waldock. In 1966, the ILC adopted 75 draft articles, which formed the basis for its final work. Over two sessions in 1968 and 1969, the Vienna Conference completed the convention, which was adopted on 22 May 1969 and opened for signature on the following day. In the practices of international law, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties is the legal authority about the formation and effects of a treaty. The legal standing of the VCLT is recognised by non-signator countries, such as the U.S.

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Related concepts (16)

International law

International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognised as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for states across a broad range of domains, including war and diplomacy, economic relations, and human rights. International law differs from state-based domestic legal systems in that it is primarily, though not exclusively, applicable to states, rather than to individuals, and operates largely through consent, since there is no universally accepted authority to enforce it upon sovereign states.

Pacta sunt servanda

Pacta sunt servanda, Latin for "agreements must be kept", is a brocard and a fundamental principle of law. According to Hans Wehberg, a professor of international law, "few rules for the ordering of Society have such a deep moral and religious influence" as this principle. In its most common sense, the principle refers to private contracts and prescribes that the provisions, i.e. clauses, of a contract are law between the parties to the contract, and therefore implies that neglect of their respective obligations is a violation of the contract.

Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties