Law - Treaty Research

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Treaties are written international agreements between parties such as independent states and international organizations. They are governed by international law, and form the basis of relations between governments. These agreements may be made between two states (bilateral) or many states (multilateral).

Treaties may take various forms and titles, e.g., "convention", "agreement", "protocol", "executive agreement", "exchange of notes" or "exchange of letters." They usually consist of a title, a preamble, recitals, a series of numbered articles and a conclusion, immediately followed by signatures. A signing party (signatory) is obliged to observe the provisions of a treaty once it has consented to be bound by it, or from a specified date following that consent. Consent to be bound by a treaty may be indicated by a definitive signature, or via signature confirmed by a later step such as ratification or approval, or by accession (or acceptance or adhesion) of the treaty.

Treaties may be concluded on any subject where international co-operation or action is appropriate. Most of the law relating to treaties is set out in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969. Canada is a party to this Convention and consented to be bound by it.

This guide provides a selective list of electronic and print resources to assist you in doing treaty research.

(Since treaties must be considered in the context of international law, see also I nternational Resources guide.)

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Research Guides

ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law - Treaties

Treaties and Other International Agreements (University of Washington Law Library)

A Guide to Human Rights: Institutions, Standards, Procedures
LAW LIBRARY reference room & LAW LIBRARY level 3 & Koerner stacks: JC571 .G84 2001

Guide to International Legal Research
LAW LIBRARY reference room: KZ1234 .G85 1998

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Indexes, Encyclopedias, Other Starting Points

Indexes | Encyclopedias | Other Sources

Indexes

Canadian Treaty Calendar 1928-1978
LAW LIBRARY reference room: KZ355 .W553 1983

Index to International Treaties and Agreements
LAW LIBRARY reference room: JX171 .I52

Multilateral Treaties: Index and Current Status
LAW LIBRARY reference room: JX170 .B694 1984

United States Treaty Index 1776-2000
LAW LIBRARY level 3: JX231 .A345
continued by Kavass's Current Treaty Index
LAW LIBRARY level 3: JX231 .A346 | Online

United Nations Cumulative Treaty Index
LAW LIBRARY level 3: JX170 .U352 1999

World Treaty Index
LAW LIBRARY reference room: JX171 R63 | Online

Find more sources in the UBC catalogue and search using Subject Headings: "Treaties - Indexes" OR "Treaties - Collections - Indexes"

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia of Historical Treaties and Alliances, 2 volumes
LAW LIBRARY reference room & KOERNER LIBRARY reference: KZ1160 .P48 2001

Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law (Parry & Grant)
LAW LIBRARY reference room: KZ1161 .P37 2004

Encyclopedia of Public International Law (Bernhardt)
LAW LIBRARY reference room: JX1226 .E5 1992 or Online

Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements
KOERNER LIBRARY reference: KZ4968 .O84 2003

Other Sources

Blackstone's International Law Documents
LAW LIBRARY reference room: KZ64 .B59 2001

Yearbook of the United Nations
LAW LIBRARY level 4 & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage & KOERNER LIBRARY stacks: JX1977.A37 Y4 | Online

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Treaties by Jurisdiction

International

Consolidated Treaty Series 1648-1919
LAW LIBRARY level 3: JX120 .C657

Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL)
Primary materials, authoritative web sites and helpful research guides

International Legal Materials (ILM)
LAW LIBRARY level 4: JX68 .I597; online at HeinOnline (1962-date) ; LexisNexis Academic (Commonwealth and Foreign Nations' ILM Database) (1962-date) & Westlaw (ILM Database) (1980-date)
Bi-monthly journal and one of the best and most respected unofficial sources of selected treaty texts and international documents

Multilaterals Project (Fletcher School, Tufts University)

Multilateral Treaties deposited with the Secretary-General
I.K Barber & ASRS: JX4165 .U55 M85; online at United Nations Treaty Collection

Multilateral Treaty Calendar 1648-1995
LAW LIBRARY reference room: JX170 .W55 1998

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

United Nations Treaty Collection (UN Publications) includes:
United Nations Treaty Series 1946-date
I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX170 .U35 or online via HeinOnline
League of Nation's Treaty Series 1920-1946
I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX170 .L4 or online via HeinOnline

Europe

European Conventions and Agreements 1949-1994
LAW LIBRARY level 3: JX626 1971 C68

European Treaty Series
LAW LIBRARY level 3 & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX626 .E976; online at European Treaty Series (Council of Europe)

European Union Founding Treaties

Canada

Canada Treaty Information
(Dept. of Foreign Affairs & International Trade, Treaty Section)

Canada Treaty Series
LAW LIBRARY level 3 & KOERNER LIBRARY gov pubs journals & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX351 .A1

Treaties and Agreements Affecting Canada 1814-1925
LAW LIBRARY level 3 & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX356 1925

Treaties in Force for Canada 1988
LAW LIBRARY reference room & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX355 .T74 1988
continued by The Canadian Yearbook of International Law
LAW LIBRARY level 4 & other locations: JX21 .C3 & Online

United Kingdom

UK Treaties Online (Foreign & Commonwealth Office)

United States

Avalon Project (Yale Law School)
A good source of older treaties; coverage includes pre-18th Century through 21st Century documents

HeinOnline - Treaties and Agreements Library - UBC users only includes:

Guide to the United States Treaties in Force (1982-2005)
International Legal Materials (1962-2005, vols. 1-44)
KAV Agreements (KAV 1-7577)
Treaties and International Act Series (TIAS) (1982-1996, TIAS 11060-12734)
Treaties and Other International Acts of the United States of America (Miller) (1776-1863, vols. 1-8)
Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America 1776-1949 (Bevans) (vols. 1-13)
Treaties in Force (1929-2006)
Treaties, Conventions, International Acts, Protocols and Agreements (Malloy) (1776-1937, vols. 1-4)
United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (1950-1984, vols. 1-35)

Hein's United States Treaties & Other International Agreements in Force

Inter-American Treaties (Organization of American States)
Text of treaties, signatories and ratification

Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America 1776-1949
LAW LIBRARY level 3 & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX0231 .A339 Law Stacks; I.K. Barber & Online

Treaties in Force: A List of Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States in Force
LAW LIBRARY level 4 & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX235.9 .A3 or Online

U.S. Treaties (LexisNexis Academic's Commonwealth and Foreign Nations' U.S. Treaties Database) (1776 - current)

United States Treaties and Other International Agreements in Force 1950-1984
LAW LIBRARY level 3 & I.K Barber Learning Centre ASRS storage: JX231 .A34

Australia

Australian Treaties Library (AustLII)

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- limited to UBC Students, faculty & staff

- limited to UBC Law Faculty & students

Treaties by Subject

Environment

ENTRI: Environmental Treaties and Resource Indicators

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade

Human Rights

Human Rights Treaties (University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)

International Human Rights Instruments (United Nations)

The United Nations Human Rights Treaties (bayefsky.com)

UN Human Rights Treaty Information Portal

Intellectual Property

WIPO- Administered Treaties (World Intellectual Property Organization)

Maritime Law

IMO: International Maritime Organization

Oceans and Law of the Sea (United Nations)

Status of Ratifications to Maritime Conventions (Comite Maritime International)

Private International Law

Hague Conference on Private International Law

Trade

International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT)

Lex Mercatoria: international commercial law & rules (1800's -2000's)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG)
(Pace Law School)

World Trade Organization - Legal Texts

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Last Modified 9:28 am, Feb 16 2012

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Law - Treaty Research