Treaties & International Agreements
Browse 30 major treaties and international agreements. Filter by type and U.S. ratification status.
Showing 30 of 30 treaties
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Adopted 2018-11-30 · U.S. ratified 2020-01-29 · United States, Mexico, Canada
The USMCA replaced NAFTA as the governing trade agreement among the three North American nations. It modernized trade rules covering digital trade, intellectual property, labor standards, environmental protections, and automotive rules of origin. The agreement includes a 16-year sunset clause with a joint review every six years, and strengthened labor provisions requiring Mexico to implement labor reforms.
Paris Agreement on Climate Change
Adopted 2015-12-12 · U.S. ratified 2016-09-03 · United States, China + 4 more
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit to 1.5°C. Each party submits nationally determined contributions (NDCs) outlining emissions reduction targets. The U.S. withdrew under President Trump (effective November 2020), rejoined under President Biden (February 2021), and the status has continued to shift with subsequent administrations.
U.S.–U.K. Bilateral Investment Treaty (Model BIT Example)
Adopted 2012-04-20 · United States, Various partner countries
The United States has entered into approximately 40 bilateral investment treaties (BITs) based on a model BIT template. These treaties protect U.S. investors abroad and foreign investors in the U.S. by establishing standards for fair and equitable treatment, protection against expropriation without compensation, free transfer of investment-related funds, and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) through international arbitration.
New START Treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)
Adopted 2010-04-08 · U.S. ratified 2010-12-22 · United States, Russia
New START limits each party to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers. The treaty includes robust verification provisions with on-site inspections and data exchanges. It was extended for five years in 2021 but Russia suspended participation in 2023. The treaty represents the latest in a series of bilateral nuclear arms control agreements dating to SALT I (1972).
U.S.–U.K. Extradition Treaty (Model Extradition Treaty Example)
Adopted 2003-03-31 · U.S. ratified 2007-04-26 · United States, United Kingdom
The United States has extradition treaties with over 100 countries providing for the surrender of persons charged with or convicted of extraditable offenses. These treaties typically require dual criminality (the offense must be criminal in both countries), provide political offense exceptions, and prohibit extradition where the person would face the death penalty unless assurances are given. The U.S.–U.K. treaty is the most heavily utilized bilateral extradition agreement.
U.S.–U.K. Tax Treaty (Model Tax Convention Example)
Adopted 2001-07-24 · U.S. ratified 2003-03-31 · United States, United Kingdom
The United States has tax treaties with approximately 65 countries to prevent double taxation and fiscal evasion. These treaties generally reduce withholding taxes on dividends, interest, and royalties; establish rules for allocating taxing rights between countries; and provide mutual agreement procedures for resolving disputes. The U.S.–U.K. treaty is one of the most significant, given the volume of cross-border investment.
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Adopted 1998-07-17 · United Kingdom, France + 5 more
The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court (ICC) with jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The United States signed the statute in 2000 under President Clinton but 'unsigned' it in 2002 under President Bush. The U.S. has consistently opposed ICC jurisdiction over American nationals, enacting legislation to protect U.S. servicemembers from ICC prosecution.
Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization
Adopted 1994-04-15 · U.S. ratified 1994-12-08 · United States, 164 WTO Members
The WTO Agreement established the World Trade Organization and incorporated the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It created a binding dispute settlement mechanism and a framework for multilateral trade negotiations.
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
Adopted 1993-01-13 · U.S. ratified 1997-04-25 · 193 States Parties
The CWC prohibits the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer, and use of chemical weapons. It established the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to verify compliance through routine inspections and challenge inspections. The U.S. has destroyed its declared chemical weapons stockpile in compliance with the Convention.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Adopted 1992-06-05 · United Kingdom, France + 4 more
The CBD has three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. The United States signed the Convention in 1993 under President Clinton, but the Senate has never given its advice and consent to ratification, partly due to concerns about intellectual property and sovereignty over genetic resources.
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Adopted 1989-11-20 · 196 States Parties (all UN members except the United States)
The CRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history, with every UN member state except the United States having ratified it. The Convention establishes comprehensive rights for children including the right to life, health, education, family life, protection from violence and exploitation, and the right to be heard in matters affecting them. The United States signed the Convention in 1995 but has not ratified it, citing concerns about federalism, parental rights, and potential conflicts with U.S. law on juvenile justice.
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Adopted 1987-09-16 · U.S. ratified 1988-04-21 · 198 States Parties (universal ratification)
The Montreal Protocol is widely considered the most successful international environmental agreement. It phases out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The 2016 Kigali Amendment extends the Protocol to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases.
Convention Against Torture (CAT)
Adopted 1984-12-10 · U.S. ratified 1994-10-21 · United States, United Kingdom + 4 more
The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment requires states to take effective measures to prevent torture, prohibits refoulement (deportation to countries where torture is likely), and establishes universal jurisdiction over acts of torture. The U.S. ratified with reservations limiting the definition of torture.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
Adopted 1982-12-10 · United Kingdom, France + 7 more
UNCLOS establishes a comprehensive legal framework governing the world's oceans, including territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, continental shelf rights, deep seabed mining, marine environmental protection, and dispute settlement. The United States has not ratified UNCLOS, though it considers most provisions to reflect customary international law and generally abides by them. Opposition in the Senate has focused on the deep seabed mining regime and compulsory dispute settlement provisions.
Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
Adopted 1980-10-25 · U.S. ratified 1988-04-29 · United States, United Kingdom + 6 more
The Hague Convention provides a civil mechanism for the prompt return of children wrongfully removed from or retained outside their country of habitual residence. It aims to protect children from international parental kidnapping by ensuring that custody rights under the law of the child's habitual residence are respected across borders.
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Adopted 1970-06-19 · U.S. ratified 1978-01-24 · 157 Contracting States
The PCT streamlines the process of filing patent applications in multiple countries by establishing a single international filing procedure. An applicant files one international application that has the effect of a national application in each designated country, gaining time to evaluate commercial potential before incurring the costs of individual national filings. The PCT does not grant international patents—national or regional offices retain authority over grant decisions.
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Adopted 1968-07-01 · U.S. ratified 1970-03-05 · United States, United Kingdom + 4 more
The NPT is the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. It establishes a bargain: nuclear-weapon states commit to disarmament negotiations, non-nuclear-weapon states commit not to acquire nuclear weapons, and all parties have the right to peaceful nuclear energy. The five recognized nuclear-weapon states (U.S., UK, France, Russia, China) correspond to the UN Security Council permanent members.
Treaty on Principles Governing Activities in Outer Space (Outer Space Treaty)
Adopted 1967-01-27 · U.S. ratified 1967-10-10 · United States, United Kingdom + 4 more
The Outer Space Treaty establishes that outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is free for exploration and use by all nations and cannot be appropriated by sovereignty claims. It prohibits placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies. The treaty has been tested by the growth of commercial space activities and the question of space resource utilization.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
Adopted 1966-12-16 · U.S. ratified 1992-06-08 · United States, United Kingdom + 4 more
The ICCPR is a key international human rights treaty that commits parties to respect civil and political rights including the right to life, freedom from torture, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, right to a fair trial, and electoral rights. The U.S. ratified with reservations, declarations, and understandings, declaring the Covenant non-self-executing.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
Adopted 1966-12-16 · United Kingdom, France + 4 more
The ICESCR commits parties to work toward granting economic, social, and cultural rights including labor rights, the right to health, the right to education, and the right to an adequate standard of living. The United States signed the Covenant in 1977 under President Carter but has never ratified it, citing concerns about the justiciability of economic and social rights.
Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents
Adopted 1965-11-15 · U.S. ratified 1969-02-10 · United States, United Kingdom + 5 more
The Hague Service Convention establishes procedures for serving judicial documents across international borders. It creates a system of Central Authorities in each contracting state responsible for receiving and executing requests for service. The Convention aims to ensure that defendants abroad receive actual and timely notice of proceedings while simplifying the process for litigants.
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
Adopted 1961-04-18 · U.S. ratified 1972-11-13 · 193 States Parties
The Vienna Convention codifies the rules of diplomatic law, including diplomatic immunity, the inviolability of diplomatic premises and correspondence, and the privileges and obligations of diplomatic missions. It establishes that diplomatic agents are immune from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving state and, with limited exceptions, from civil jurisdiction.
Antarctic Treaty
Adopted 1959-12-01 · U.S. ratified 1960-08-18 · United States, United Kingdom + 6 more
The Antarctic Treaty designates Antarctica as a scientific preserve, freezes territorial claims, prohibits military activity, and promotes international scientific cooperation. The Protocol on Environmental Protection (Madrid Protocol, 1991) designates Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science and prohibits mineral resource activities.
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees / 1967 Protocol
Adopted 1951-07-28 · U.S. ratified 1968-11-01 · United States (Protocol only), United Kingdom + 4 more
The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol define who is a refugee, establish the principle of non-refoulement (prohibition of returning refugees to persecution), and set minimum standards for treatment. The U.S. acceded to the 1967 Protocol (which incorporates the Convention's substantive provisions) but not to the 1951 Convention itself.
Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) — NATO SOFA Model
Adopted 1951-06-19 · U.S. ratified 1953-08-23 · NATO Member States, Japan + 2 more
Status of Forces Agreements govern the legal status of U.S. military personnel stationed in foreign countries, addressing jurisdiction over criminal offenses, civil liability, tax exemptions, customs privileges, and the use of facilities. The NATO SOFA provides the multilateral framework, supplemented by bilateral agreements with host nations. These agreements balance military operational needs with host nation sovereignty.
Geneva Conventions (I–IV)
Adopted 1949-08-12 · U.S. ratified 1955-08-02 · 196 States Parties (universal ratification)
The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 form the core of international humanitarian law governing the conduct of armed conflict. Convention I covers wounded and sick soldiers on land; Convention II covers wounded, sick, and shipwrecked military at sea; Convention III governs prisoners of war; Convention IV protects civilians in wartime. Common Article 3 applies minimum standards to non-international armed conflicts.
North Atlantic Treaty (NATO)
Adopted 1949-04-04 · U.S. ratified 1949-07-21 · United States, United Kingdom + 30 more
The North Atlantic Treaty established the NATO alliance for collective defense. Article 5 provides that an armed attack against one member shall be considered an attack against all members, triggering collective self-defense. The treaty has served as the cornerstone of Western security architecture since the Cold War and has expanded from 12 original members to 32.
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
Adopted 1948-12-09 · U.S. ratified 1988-11-25 · 153 States Parties
The Genocide Convention defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. It obligates parties to prevent and punish genocide, whether committed in peacetime or wartime. The U.S. signed the Convention in 1948 but did not ratify until 1988—a 40-year delay driven by concerns about sovereignty and the treaty's potential impact on domestic law.
Charter of the United Nations
Adopted 1945-06-26 · U.S. ratified 1945-08-08 · United States, United Kingdom + 4 more
The founding treaty of the United Nations, establishing the organization's structure, purposes, and principles. It created the General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice, and Secretariat. The Charter commits member states to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, and promoting social progress and human rights.
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
Adopted 1886-09-09 · U.S. ratified 1989-03-01 · 181 States Parties
The Berne Convention establishes minimum standards for copyright protection, including automatic protection without registration, minimum terms of protection (life plus 50 years), and the principle of national treatment. The U.S. was a late adherent, joining in 1989 after decades of relying on the Universal Copyright Convention, partly because Berne's prohibition of registration formalities conflicted with U.S. copyright registration requirements.