Accord
The Framework Behind Every Binding Commitment
4,812 active multilateral instruments. 193 member states. One authoritative registry for ratification status, depositary notifications, and treaty text.
Updated 26 February 2026 · Depository Circular C.N.041.2026
The questions that arrive before the documents do.
Each treaty in the Accord database carries a live ratification table listing all signatory and party states, the date of signature, the date of ratification or accession, and any reservations or declarations filed at the time of deposit.
Status is updated within 48 hours of receipt of a depositary notification. For instruments with multiple depositaries, Accord consolidates the authoritative record from each designated depositary organ.
Depositary notifications are indexed chronologically and by treaty chapter. Each notification is assigned a Circular Note reference (e.g., C.N.041.2026.TREATIES-I.1) and is available in all six working languages of Accord.
Notifications include instruments of ratification, accession, withdrawal, entry into force dates, and territorial extensions. The archive extends to 1948 and is fully searchable by state, treaty, and date range.
The treaty database contains ratification tables, depositary notifications, and authenticated texts for all 4,812 active instruments — searchable by state, subject matter, or treaty chapter.
Access the Treaty DatabaseNon-governmental organizations may apply for observer status by submitting a formal application to the Secretariat no fewer than 90 days before the next plenary session. Applications must include the organization's founding instrument, governance documentation, and a statement of relevance to the treaty subject matter.
The Credentials Committee reviews applications against the criteria established in Article 71 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and Accord's own Rules of Procedure (Rule 24(b)). Decisions are communicated in writing within 30 days of the Committee's review session.
Authenticated treaty texts in all working languages are available directly from the treaty record page. Where the original was concluded in fewer languages than Accord's working languages, the page indicates which texts are authoritative and which are certified translations.
For treaties concluded before 1970, digitization quality varies. High-resolution scans of the original signature pages are available on request through the Document Retrieval Service. Processing time is five working days.
Observer status applications, authenticated treaty texts, and document retrieval requests are all initiated from within the treaty database.
Access the Treaty DatabaseReservations, interpretive declarations, and objections to reservations are recorded as sub-entries within the ratification table for each state party. The full text of each reservation is reproduced verbatim from the deposited instrument.
A state may withdraw a reservation at any time by notifying the depositary in writing. The withdrawal takes effect upon receipt of the notification unless a later date is specified. Accord publishes withdrawal notifications as depositary circulars within 48 hours of receipt.
Entry into force is determined automatically by the treaty's own provisions once the threshold conditions are met (typically a minimum number of ratifications or accessions). Accord's system calculates and publishes the entry into force date and issues a depositary notification to all signatories and parties.
For bilateral treaties, both parties must have deposited their instruments before the entry into force date is confirmed. Accord does not require a separate notification from member states; the deposit itself constitutes the triggering act.
Observer accreditation opens the record — and the room.
Accredited observer organizations receive advance copies of all draft treaty texts, may submit written statements to plenary sessions, and are listed in the official record alongside state delegations.
74 organizations currently hold observer status. The next accreditation review session convenes 12 May 2026. Applications close 11 February 2026.
Application Requirements
- Founding instrument or charter demonstrating legal personality
- Governance documentation (board composition, decision-making procedures)
- Statement of relevance to treaty subject matter (max. 800 words)
- List of principal activities in the preceding 24 months
- Confirmation of independence from governmental direction
Applications submitted after the deadline will be held for the November 2026 session.