Intercountry

Intercountry is an adjective describing relations, interactions, or processes that occur between different countries. It is used across contexts such as trade, migration, diplomacy, culture, law, and development to distinguish international from domestic or intra-national activities.

Intercountry adoption is a formal process whereby a child in one country becomes the legal child of parents in another country. It is governed by international and domestic law, notably the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The goal is to protect the welfare of the child and prevent abduction, trafficking, or exploitation, and it involves adoption authorities, prospective adoptive parents, and birth families.

Intercountry trade refers to the exchange of goods and services across borders and is governed by international trade rules under organizations like the World Trade Organization and various regional agreements. Intercountry migration includes movement of people between countries, influenced by asylum policies, labor markets, and demographic trends, and it involves governments, international organizations, and civil society.

In policy and practice, intercountry activities require cooperation, harmonization of standards, and respect for human rights. Legal instruments, bilateral and multilateral agreements, and international institutions play key roles in facilitating or regulating intercountry interactions.