Depositary
The UK is the legal depositary for 36 multilateral treaties, on a wide range of subjects (see links below).
As part of this function, Treaty Section is responsible for co-ordinating the UK's response to formal instruments of ratification or accession to these treaties which are deposited with the FCO by foreign governments.
In most cases, treaties take effect for a new State Party either on the day an instrument is deposited with the FCO, or after a pre-determined period of time has elapsed. The exact date the instrument is received within the FCO is therefore crucial, as it determines exactly when a State is bound by international law to exercise the rights and obligations that the treaty concerned provides.
Those Governments wishing to deposit an instrument of ratification or accession with the FCO by post should ensure that it is sent to the following address, and clearly marked:
Treaty Section
(Legal Advisers)
Room G62
Old Admiralty Building
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London
SW1A 2PA
Requests for Heads of Mission (in London) to deposit instruments of ratification or accession with the FCO personally should be addressed to the Head of Treaty Section at the above address.
It should be noted that while Treaty Section can provide publication references to treaties and links to texts of treaties for which the UK is depositary, it is unable to supply treaty texts. Texts can be purchased from
The Stationery Office [opens a new website]
, or consulted in Library Reference collections. Photocopies of out-of-print items can be purchased from the
British Library
[opens a new website].
Full texts and status lists of the 36 international agreements can also be found through the following links [all links open a new website]:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office London is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked websites, and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing shall not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.
Agreement for the Prosecution and Punishment of the Major War Criminals of the European Axis
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: 8 August 1945
Agreement establishing an International Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 26 June 1985
Status List (PDF)
Agreement on CAB International
Status List: CAB International
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 8 July 1986
Status List: Conservation Bats
- with Amendment (1995)
Status List: Conservation Bats, amendment 1995
- with Amendment (2000)
Status List: Conservation Bats, amendment 2000
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, Moscow and Washington, 22 April 1968
Status list [pdf]
Agreement terminating the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Financial Agreement, 1973
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 30 March 1983
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Financial Agreement, 1983
Status list [pdf]
Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 16 November 1945
Status List: UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation
Convention for the Regulation of Meshes of Fishing Nets and the Size Limits of Fish
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 5 April 1946
Status list [pdf]
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 1 June 1972
Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: Montreal, 23 September 1971
Status List [pdf]
Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Act of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: Montreal, 24 February 1988
Status list [pdf
Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: The Hague, 16 December 1970
Status List [pdf]
Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage resulting from Exploration for and Exploitation of Seabed Mineral Resources
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 1 May 1977
Status list [pdf]
Convention on Future Multilateral Co-operation in North-East Atlantic Fisheries
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 18 November 1980
Status List [pdf]
Convention on International Liability for Damage caused by Space Objects
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, Moscow and Washington, 29 March 1972
Convention on the Conduct of Fishing Operations in the North Atlantic
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 1 June 1967
Status list [pdf]
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matter
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, Moscow, Mexico City and Washington, 29 December 1972
Status List
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, Moscow and Washington, 10 March 1972
Status List [pdf]
Framework Agreement between France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom concerning Measures to Facilitate the Restructuring and Operation of the European Defence Industry
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: Farnborough, 27 July 2000
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Convention
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 24 January 1959
Status list [pdf]
International Convention relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in their Natural State
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 8 November 1933
Agreement concerning the Shipwrecked Vessel RMS Titanic (English)
Agreement concerning the Shipwrecked Vessel RMS Titanic (French)
Read the press release about the Agreement concerning RMS Titanic
Treaty banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: Moscow, 5 August 1963
Status list [pdf]
Treaty on Principles governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, Moscow and Washington, 27 January 1967
Status list [pdf]
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, Moscow and Washington, 1 July 1968
Status list [pdf]
Declarations [pdf]
Agreement (with France) Concerning the European Air Group, with Amending Protocol (PDF, 957K)
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: Agreement – London, 6 July 1998
Amending Protocol – London, 16 June 1999
Status List [PDF, 7K]
The following do not yet have full texts available on the website:
Agreement on German External Debts
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 27 February 1953
Status List [PDF, 9K]
International Agreement regarding the Maintenance of Certain Lights in the Red Sea
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 20 February 1962
Status List [PDF, 10K]
International Convention for Permanent Control of Outbreak Areas of the Red Locust
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 22 February 1949
Status List [PDF, 6K]
Protocol Modifying the International Convention of 22 February 1949 for the Permanent Control of Outbreak Areas of the Red Locust
Place and Date of Signature or Acceptance: London, 29 October 1953
Status List [PDF, 5K]
See Also
Useful Links