Treaty

A treaty is a formal written agreement entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention, pact, or exchange of letters, among other terms. Regardless of terminology, all these instruments may be considered treaties subject to the same rules under international law. A treaty is a formal written agreement entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention, pact, or exchange of letters, among other terms. Regardless of terminology, all these instruments may be considered treaties subject to the same rules under international law. Treaties can be loosely compared to contracts, in that the parties willingly assume binding obligations among themselves, and any party that breaches its obligations can be held liable under international law. Treaties vary significantly in substance and complexity, and may govern a wide variety of issues, such as affirming political boundaries, facilitating trade and commerce, or ending a military conflict. International law on treaties has largely been codified by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), which sets forth the rules and procedures for making, enforcing, and interpreting treaties. As one of the earliest manifestations of international relations, treaties have long been recognized as a primary source of international law. A treaty is an official, express written agreement that states use to legally bind themselves. A treaty is the official document which expresses that agreement in words; it is also the objective outcome of a ceremonial occasion which acknowledges the parties and their defined relationships. There is no prerequisite of academic accreditation or cross-professional contextual knowledge required to publish a treaty. Since the late 19th century, most treaties have followed a fairly consistent format. A treaty typically begins with a preamble describing the 'High Contracting Parties' and their shared objectives in executing the treaty, as well as summarizing any underlying events (such as the aftermath of a war in the case of a peace treaty). Modern preambles are sometimes structured as a single very long sentence formatted into multiple paragraphs for readability, in which each of the paragraphs begins with a gerund (desiring, recognizing, having, etc.). The High Contracting Parties; referred to as either the official title of the head of state (but not including the personal name), e.g. His Majesty The King of X or His Excellency The President of Y, or alternatively in the form of 'Government of Z'; are enumerated, and along with the full names and titles of their plenipotentiary representatives, and a boilerplate clause about how their representatives have communicated (or exchanged) their full powers (i.e., the official documents appointing them to act on behalf of their respective high contracting party) and found them in good or proper form. However, under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties if the representative is the head of state, head of government or minister of foreign affairs, no special document is needed, as holding such high office is sufficient.