The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, is an international agreement to ban landmines. Signed by 122 countries in 1997, it became binding law in 1999. The treaty requires signatories to never use, produce, acquire, or transfer landmines, destroy all mines in their stockpiles within four years, remove all mines from their […]
The Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24, 1814, ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. The war was declared due to British actions, including a blockade on neutral countries, impressment of US sailors, and control of US shipping. The treaty ended trade restrictions and impressment and also ended the […]
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-US War, with the US largely enforcing terms on Mexico. The treaty allowed for the purchase of large areas of former Mexican territory at a low price, including present-day California, Nevada, and Utah. The acquisition greatly influenced events leading up to the American Civil War. The war began […]
The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the 13 colonies, now known as the United States of America. It established the new nation’s rights and recognized its independence, while also returning land and property to loyalists and paying debts to private companies. Representatives from France, Spain, and the Dutch […]
The Outer Space Treaty, developed in 1967 by the US and the Soviet Union, aims to ensure peaceful use of space and prohibits claiming celestial bodies as national territory. It forms the basis of space law and bans the use of weapons of mass destruction in space. Astronauts cannot claim land for their home nations, […]
A peace treaty is a formal agreement between countries that have previously been at war, designed to cease hostilities and set conditions for surrender or reparations. Famous wars have ended in peace treaties, but modern conflicts often require more detailed resolution. Diplomacy can triumph where brute force fails, and the first recorded peace treaty was […]
The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) simplifies the process of applying for patents in multiple countries, but does not provide international patents. Inventors can file a PCT application to indicate their intention to file patents in multiple countries and an international authority will conduct a search. The decision to grant patents is at the discretion of […]
The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) makes it easier for inventors to apply for patents in multiple countries, but does not provide international patents. Inventors can file a PCT application to indicate an intention to file patents in multiple countries, and an international authority will conduct a search to determine patentability. The process of applying for […]
A treaty is a written document on a legal topic, often a secondary source book with primary source references. Legal professionals and students use them to familiarize themselves with a specific area of law and find more information on a particular topic. They are generally found in law libraries and can cover broad or specific […]
Bilateral treaties are official agreements between two nations or international organizations that require ratification by governmental bodies. They can be complex and may take years to be approved. Examples include the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and the Camp David Accords. Bilateral free trade agreements are even more complex, often involving a bloc of nations negotiating […]
Bilateral investment treaties are agreements between two countries that establish rules for cross-border investment by private companies. They aim to make it more attractive for companies to invest in another country and typically include measures to guarantee fair treatment and protect against asset seizure. They also allow companies to take complaints to an independent international […]
