Practice & procedures

Treaty production and publications staff manage the production of a treaty that is to be signed in the UK – usually in London. This includes advising officials, both within FCO and in other Government Departments, on the form the treaty should take, and related matters such as the production of Full Powers and Instruments of Ratification .

Once the terms of the treaty have been agreed, the original document is produced by Treaty Section staff on special treaty paper, and is then bound and sealed into a binder.

Advice is also provided on the form that the treaty signing ceremony should take and, where possible, Treaty Section staff will attend the signing of a treaty within the UK.

Where the treaty is to be signed overseas, Treaty Section staff will still advise on its form and production, and on any procedures that should be followed for the signing ceremony. However, it would not be usual for a member of Treaty Section staff to attend.

After signing, Treaty Section publications staff arrange for the treaty to be printed and laid before Parliament. See Publication of UK Treaties.

Links to useful information

Note on the Ponsonby Rule [PDF 102kb, new window]
Background historical note on the operation of the Ponsonby Rule.

Treaties and MOUs: Guidance on Practice and Procedures [PDF 152K, new window]
FCO guidance for UK officials involved in treaties or informal international instruments (MoUs). Please note the Guidance is being updated and is currently unavailable.

Guidance for UK officials on extension of treaties to Overseas Territories [PDF 35K, new window]
For a listing of international Treaties applying to the current UK Overseas Territories, see our section on Overseas Territories .

Glossary of Treaty terms 
Intended as guidance only, and should not be considered authoritative.