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Multilateral Agreements & DOCUMENTS

The below collection contains multilateral treaties regulating different aspects of the exploration and use of outer space. 

It also includes legal instruments - both legally binding and non-binding - which are indirectly connected with outer space (e.g. when some particular aspects of outer space are noted or when other, directly related conventions, are recalled in the preamble or in the text. 

1963

 

 

1967​

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1968

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1971

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1972

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1974

 

 

 

1975

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1976

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1977

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1978

 

1979

 

 

 

 

 

 

1981

 

 

1985

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1986

 

 

1992

 

1996

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1998

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2000

 

 

 

2001

 

 

 

 

 

2002

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2011

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2014

  • The "Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty": Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, done 05 August 1963, entered into force 10 October 1963, 480 UNTS 43. Available in English, Russian and French

  • The "Outer Space Treaty": Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 2222 (XXI), opened for signature on 27 January 1967, entered into force on 10 October 1967, 634 UNTS 205. Available in six UN languages

  • The "Treaty of Tlatelolco": Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, done 14 February 1967, entered into force 22 April 1968, 634 UNTS 325. Available in English and Spanish

  • The "Rescue Agreement": Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 2345 (XXII), opened for signature on 22 April 1968, entered into force on 3 December 1968, 672 UNTS 119. Available in six UN languages

  • The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done 01 July 1968, entered int force 05 March 1970, 729 UNTS 168. Available in six UN languages.

  • The "Intelsat Agreement": Agreement relating to the International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (Intelsat), signed at Washington on 22 and 23 November 1971, entered into force 24 November 1971. Available in English and in Japanese.

  • The "Intersputnik Agreement": Agreement on the Establishment of the INTERSPUTNIK International System and Organisation of Space Communications, open to signature on 15 December 1971, entered into force 12 July 1972, 862 UNTS 3. Available in English and Japanese.

  • The "ITSO Agreement": Agreement Relating to the International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (ITSO) with annexes, opened for signature on 20 August 1971, entered into force on 12 February 1973, TIAS 7532. Available in English, French and Spanish.

  • The "Liability Convention": Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 2777 (XXVI), opened for signature on 29 March 1972, entered into force on 1 September 1972, 961 UNTS 187. Available in six UN languages

  • The 'UNESCO Declaration': Declaration of Guiding Principles on the Use of Satellite Broadcasting for the Free Flow of Information, the Spread of Education and Greater Cultural Exchange, adopted on 15 November 1972. Available in five UN languages and in Japanese.

  • The "Brussels/Satellite Convention": Brussels Convention Relating to the Distribution of Programme-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite, opened for signature 21 May 1974, entered into force 25 August 1979, 1144 UNTS 3. Available in English, French, Russian, Spanish and Japanese.

  • The "Registration Convention": Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 3235 (XXIX), opened for signature on 14 January 1975, entered into force on 15 September 1976. 1023 UNTS 15. Available in six UN languages

  • Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the International System and Organization of Space Communications (INTERSPUTNIK), 20 September 1976. Available in English.

  • The "Bogota Declaration": Declaration of the First Meeting of Equatorial Countries, adopted on 03 December 1976. Available in English and Japanese.  

  • The "IMSO Convention": Convention on the International Mobile Satellite Organisation, opened for signature 02 September 1976, entered into force 16 July 1979 (amended in April 1998 and in October 2008), TIAS 9605. Available in English, French, Russian and Spanish.

  • The "Inmarsat Convention": Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organization, enacted on 03 September 1976, entered into force on 16 July 1979. Available in English and in Japanese.

  • The "Interkosmos Agreement"Agreement on Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes, opened for signature on 13 July 1976, entered into force 25 March 1977, 16 ILM 1. Available in English, Russian, French and Japanese

  • The ITU (Additional) Radio Regulations. Available in English

  • The "Environmental Modification Convention": Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, opened for signature on 18 May 1977, entered into force 05 October 1978, 1108 UNTS 151. Available in English.

  • Protocol on INTELSAT Privileges, Exemptions and Immunities, 19 May 1978. Available in English.

  • The "Remote Sensing Convention": Convention on the Transfer and Use of Data of Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space, opened for signature at Moscow on 19 May 1978, entered into force on 21 August 1979. Available in English and Japanese.

  • The "Moon Agreement": Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 34/68, opened for signature on 18 December 1979, entered into force on 11 July 1984, 1363 UNTS 3. Available in six UN languages.

  • Protocol On The Privileges And Immunities Of The International Mobile Satellite Organization, done on 01 December 1981, entered into force on 30 July 1983 (amended 15 April 1999). Available in English French, Russian and Spanish.

  • The "Treaty of Rarotonga": South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, done 06 August 1985, entered into force 11 December 1986, 1445 UNTS 177. Available in English.

  • Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident with revisions and addendums, opened for signature at Vienna on 26 September 1986, entered into force 27 October 1986, 1457 UNTS 133. Available in six UN languages.

  • The "ITU Collection of Texts": Constitution, Convention, Protocols, Decisions, Resolutions and Recommendations of the International Telecommunication Union. Available in English.

  • The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, signed on 10 September 1996, 35 ILM 1439. Available in English. See also UNODA website.

  • The "ISS Intergovernmental Agreement": Agreement Among the Government of Canada, the Government of Member States of the European Space Agency, the Government of Japan, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the United States Concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station, done 29 January 1998, TIAS 12927. Available in English

  • Final Draft Convention on the Settlement of Disputes related to Space Activities, first printed in the Report of the Sixty-Eighth Conference of the International Law Association on the Settlement of Disputes related to Space Activities, 1998, pp. 239-277. Available in English

  • Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations, opened for signature 18 June 1998, entered into force 08 January 2005, 1439 UNTS 275. Available in English, French and Spanish.

  • The ISS Code of Conduct: Code of Conduct for the International Space Station Crew, done on 15 September 2000. Available in English

  • The ISS Disciplinary Policy: Disciplinary Policy for the International Space Station (ISS) Crew, done on 15 September 2000. Available in English

  • The "Cape Town Convention": Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment, adopted 16 November 2001, entered into force 01 March 2006, 2307 UNTS 285. Available in English.

  • The "Principles on the ISS Crew-members": Principles Regarding Processes and Criteria for Selection, Assignment, Training and Certification of ISS (Expedition and Visiting) Crewmembers, November 2001, Revision A. Available in English.

  • The "IADC Space Debris Guidelines": Inter Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, IADC-02-01 (15 October 2002). Available in English

  • The "Intersputnik Amendments Protocol": Protocol on the Amendments to the Agreement on the Establishment of the “INTERSPUTNIK” International System and Organization of Space Communications, 01 November 2002. Available in English.

  • The "Intersputnik Operating Agreement": Operating Agreement of the “INTERSPUTNIK” International Organization of Space Communications, as amended on 15 November 2011. Available in English.

  • Draft of the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities, version 31 March 2014. Available in English.

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If you think that we missed a convention that should be added to this collection, please feel free to contact us.

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