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DOCUMENTS PAGE

Here on the Documents Page we have provided some of the most basic treaties and other documents in public and private international law. For far more expansive access to other documents and information sources, we have provided links to some of the other excellent international law resources on the Internet. We hope this information is useful to you and invite you to contact us if you cannot find what you need or if we can be of any other assistance.

Because we have had numerous requests since September 11, 2001, for the major ANTI-TERRORISM CONVENTIONS and UN DECLARATIONS, we are pleased to offer direct links to a collection of those documents on the UN Website. 1. Click here for a link to the major ANTI-TERRORISM CONVENTIONS on the UN Website. 2. Click here for a link to the major ANTI-TERRORISM DECLARATIONS on the UN Website.

Table of Contents of the Documents Page

I. United Nations System

II. Human Rights

III. Treaty Law

IV. Diplomatic and Consular Relations

V. Law of the Sea

VII. Environment and Wildlife

VIII. Use of Force/ Non-Proliferation

IX. Trade and Commerce

X. Regional

XI. Extradition

XII. Admiralty and Maritime Law

XIII. International Civil Litigation

      A. U.S. Law

      B. International Law

XIV. Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

       A. Public International Law

       B. Private International Law  

XV. Intellectual Property

   MAJOR DOCUMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW

I. United Nations System

bulletUnited Nations Charter (Via Link to United Nations Web Site)
bulletStatute of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) (Via Link to ICJ Web Site)  *(Note the Statute of the ICJ is an integral part of the UN Charter)

II. Human Rights

bulletUniversal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
bulletInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) (Via Link to the Web Site of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
bulletOptional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1967) (Via Link to the Web Site of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
bulletInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) (Via Link to the Web Site of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
bulletVienna Declaration and Programme of Action, World Conference on Human Rights (1993) (Via Link to the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletConvention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) (Via Link to the Web Site of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
bulletConvention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)
bulletSlavery Convention (1926) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletProtocol Amending the Slavery Convention (1953) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletSupplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery (1957) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletUnited Nations General Assembly Declaration on the Rights of the Child (1959) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletConvention on the Rights of the Child (1990) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library) 
bulletOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Prostitution, and Child Pornography (2000) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts (2000) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1981) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (2000) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)
bulletConvention on the Political Rights of Women (1954) (Via Link to University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)

III. Treaty Law

bulletVienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969)
bulletVienna Convention on Succession of States in Respect of Treaties (1978) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)
bulletVienna Convention on the Law of Treaties Between States and International Organizations or Between International Organizations (1986) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)

IV. Diplomatic and Consular Relations

bulletVienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)
bulletVienna Convention on Consular Relations and Optional Protocols (1963)

V. Law of the Sea

bulletUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) "UNCLOS" (Via Link to United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea Web Site)
bulletAgreement Relating to the Deep Sea-Bed (1994) "Part XI Fix" (link as above)
bulletAgreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (1995) "Fish Stocks Treaty"
bulletConvention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (1958) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)
bulletConvention on the High Seas (1958) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)
bulletConvention on Fishing and Conservation of the Resources of the High Seas (1958) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)
bulletConvention on the Continental Shelf (1958) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)

VII. Environment and Wildlife

bulletDeclaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (1972) ("Stockholm Declaration")
bulletInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil (1954)
bulletInternational Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas In Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties (1969)
bulletConvention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matter (1972) (Via Link to ENTRI Web Site)
bulletInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973) ("MARPOL") (Via Link to ENTRI Web Site)
bulletConvention for the Prevention of Pollution from Land-Based Sources (1974) ("Paris Convention") (Via Link to Multilaterals Project, Tufts University)
bulletInternational Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (1990)
bulletUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992) (Via Link to treaty Web Site) (See below, "Kyoto Protocol" to this treaty)
bulletAgenda 21 (1992) (Via Link to UN Website)
bulletKyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1997)
bulletThe Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992)
bulletConvention on Biological Diversity (1992) (Via Link to treaty Web Site)
bulletVienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985) (See below, "Montreal Protocol" to this treaty) 
bulletMontreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987/1990/1992)
bulletConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973) (and Appendices) "CITES" (Via Link to treaty Web Site)
bulletInternational Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946)
bulletConvention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1979) (and Appendices)
bulletGeneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundry Air Pollution (1979) (Via Link to ENTRI Web Site)
bulletBasel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (1989)
bulletAgreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (1991) "ASCOBANS" (Via Link to treaty Web Site)
bulletAgreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (1996) "ACCOBAMS" (Via Link to treaty Web Site)

VIII. Use of Force/ Non-Proliferation

bulletGeneva Convention (First) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field (1949)
bulletGeneva Convention (Second) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of the Armed Forces at Sea of August 12, 1949
bulletGeneva Convention (Third) Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949
bulletGeneva Convention (Fourth) Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949)
bulletProtocol I to the 1949 Geneva Conventions
bulletProtocol II to the 1949 Geneva Conventions
bulletTreaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, Outer Space and Under Water (1963)
bulletTreaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)
bulletConvention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (1972) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)
bulletConvention on the Prohibition, Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (1993) (Via Link to treaty Web Site)
bulletConvention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on Their Destruction (1997) (Via Link to the International Campaign to Ban Land Mines Web Site -- click on "The Treaty" icon)
bulletInternational Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (1998) (Via Link to Multilaterals Project)

IX. Trade and Commerce

bulletUruguay Round Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (1994) (and related documents) "WTO" (Via Link to the WTO Web Site)
bulletNorth American Free Trade Agreement (1994) "NAFTA" (Via Link to NAFTA Secretariat Web Site)
bulletUnited Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (1980) (CISG) (Via Link to Lex Mercatoria Web Site)
bulletIncoterms 2000 (Standard commercial terms of the International Chamber of Commerce "ICC" updated for the Millennium - Via Link to ICC Web site)
bulletCodes, Rules and Model Contracts of the ICC (Via Link to ICC Web Site)

X. Regional

bulletDocuments of the European Union (Including the Treaty of Rome and the Maastricht Treaty, via "Europa" Web Site)
bulletBasic Documents of NATO (Including the North Atlantic Treaty - Via Link to NATO Web Site)
bulletDocuments of the Organization of American States "OAS" (Via Link to OAS Web Site)
bulletDocuments of the African Union "AU" (Via Link to AU Web Site)
bulletBasic Documents of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations "ASEAN" (Via Link to ASEAN Web Site)
bulletThe Antarctic Treaty (1959) (Via Link to Web Site of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research)

XI. Extradition

bulletEuropean Convention on Extradition
bulletModel Treaty on Extradition (Via Link to United Nations Crime and Justice Information Network)

XII. Admiralty and Maritime Law

bulletCarriage of Goods by Sea Act "COGSA" (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletBill of Lading Act "Pomerene Act" (Via Link to Cornell Legal Information Institute)
bulletMerchant Seaman and Protective Relief Act "Jones Act" (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletLongshore and Harborworkers' Compensation Act (Via Link to Cornell Legal Information Institute)
bulletLimitation of Liability Act (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletDeath on the High Seas Act "DOHSA" (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletPublic Vessels Act (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website) 

XIII. International Civil Litigation

    A. U.S. Law

bulletForeign Sovereign Immunities Act (28 USC 1602-1611) (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletService of Process in Foreign and International Litigation (28 USC 1696) (Via Link to Cornell Legal Information Institute)
bulletLetters Rogatory; Evidence; Depositions; Foreign Tribunals (28 USC 1781-1784) (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletForeign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) (Via Link to US Dept. of Justice)
bulletAlien Tort Statute/Torture Victim Protective Act of 1991 (28 USC 1350) (Via Link to Gov't Printing Office Website)
bulletAnti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA) (Via Link to US Dept. of Treasury/pdf file)

    B. International Law

bulletConvention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air (1929) ("Warsaw Convention") (Via Link to LexMecatoria)
bulletHague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961) (Via link to Hague Conference on Private International Law Web Site) *(A document frequently invoked  in civil litigation)
bulletHague Convention on the Conflicts of Laws Relating to the Form of Testamentary Dispositions (1961) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention Concerning the Powers of Authorities and the Law Applicable in Respect of the Protection of Minors (1961) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (1965) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site) *(A document frequently invoked in civil litigation)
bulletHague Convention on the Choice of Court (1965) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law and Recognition of Decrees Relating to Adoptions (1965) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Law Applicable to Traffic Accidents (1971) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters (1971) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site) *(A document frequently invoked in civil litigation)
bulletSupplementary Protocol to the Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters (1971) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Recognition of Divorces and Legal Separations (1970) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (1970) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site) *(A document frequently invoked in civil litigation)
bulletHague Convention Concerning the International Administration of the Estates of Deceased Persons (1973) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Law Applicable to Products Liability (1973) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Law Applicable to Matrimonial Property Regimes (1978) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their Recognition (1985) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on the Law Applicable to Succession to the Estates of Deceased Persons (1989) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation In Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletHague Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children (1996) (Via Link to Hague Conference Web Site)
bulletLink to Additional Conventions on Hague Conference Web Site

XIV. Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

    A. Public International Law

bulletHague Convention (First) for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes (1899) (Via Link to the Avalon Project)
bulletHague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes (1907) (Via Link to the Avalon Project)

    B. Private International Law

bulletFederal Arbitration Act (9 USC 1-307) (Via Link to Cornell Legal Information Institute)
bulletConvention on the Recognition of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention) (Via Link to UNCITRAL -- click on "Adopted Texts") *(A document frequently invoked in international commercial arbitration)
bulletUS Enactment of the Convention on the Recognition of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention) (9 USC 201-208) (Via Link to Cornell Legal Information Institute)
bulletAlternative Dispute Resolution (Arbitration) authorized by US District Courts (28 USC 651-658) (Via Link to Cornell Legal Information Institute)
bulletEuropean Convention on International Commercial Arbitration (Via Link to T.M.C. Asser Institute)
bulletThe Inter-American Convention on International Commercial Arbitration (Via Link to O.A.S.)
bulletInternational Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Arbitration Rules (Via Link to Lex Mercatoria Web Site)
bulletUNCITRAL Arbitration Rules (Via Link to Lex Mercatoria Web Site)
bulletUNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (Via Link to Lex Mercatoria Web Site)
bulletArbitration Rules of the London Court of International Arbitration (Via Link to Lex Mercatoria Web Site)
bulletInternational Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) (Via Link to AAA Home Page)
bulletCommercial Arbitration and Mediation Center for the Americas (CAMCA) Mediation and Arbitration Rules (Via Link to Foreign Trade Information System)
bulletConvention on the Settlement of Investment Dispute Between States and Nationals of Other States ("ICSID Convention") (Via Link to ICSID Web Site) *(ICSID can be thought of as a hybrid between public and private international law)
bulletICSID Rules of Procedure for Arbitration Proceedings (Arbitration Rules) (Via Link to ICSID Web Site)
bulletArbitration Rules of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (Via Link to WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Web Site)

XV. Intellectual Property

bulletBerne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletBrussels Convention Relating to the Distribution of Programme-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletLisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletMadrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletMadrid Agreement for the Repression of False or Deceptive Indications of Source on Goods (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletNice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletParis Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletPatent Cooperation Treaty (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletRome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletTrademark Law Treaty (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)
bulletWIPO Copyright Treaty (Via Link to WIPO Web Site)