Lisaprotokollid

Lisaprotokollid is a term used in Estonian to refer to additional protocols—supplementary instruments that amend, extend, or clarify an existing international treaty. They are separate legal instruments that, for the states party to them, become part of the treaty regime to the extent specified in the protocol.

In international law, lisaprotokollid require the consent of the treaty’s parties, typically through signature, ratification, acceptance, or approval. They do not automatically apply to non-ratifying states. The entry into force of a lisaprotokoll follows the rules set out in the protocol itself or in the main treaty, and some provisions may apply only to states that have ratified the protocol.

Lisaprotokollid can expand protections, create new obligations, or clarify the interpretation of the original treaty. They may address new situations, adjust procedures, establish monitoring or dispute-resolution mechanisms, and, in some cases, allow for the accession of additional states to the protocol's provisions.

Common examples include Additional Protocols to humanitarian law instruments, such as the Geneva Conventions (AP I and AP II, with later additions) and various Optional Protocols to human rights treaties. In Estonia, the term lisaprotokollid is used in legal texts to describe these supplementary instruments and their role within international obligations. As with the main treaty, the legal effect of a lisaprotokoll depends on the states that have agreed to it.