Ratifiziert

Ratifiziert is the past participle of the verb ratifizieren and is used to describe that a state has formally approved an international treaty or a constitutional amendment, thereby binding itself to its terms. In international law, ratification is typically the final step after negotiation and signature, and the treaty enters into force for the ratifying state according to the treaty’s provisions, often after the exchange of instruments of ratification.

The act of ratification, and the noun ratifikation, derive from a process by which a state consents to be bound by a treaty. Distinctions are made to other forms of participation, such as acceding (beitritt) to a treaty after its conclusion or signing without binding commitment in some cases. A state may sign a treaty and later ratify it; some treaties, however, require no further ratification and become binding upon signature or upon another specified condition.

Domestic procedure varies by country. Ratification may require parliamentary approval, a referendum, or an executive act, and many states pass a ratifikierungsgesetz or similar statute to authorize and implement the treaty domestically. In some legal systems, ratification brings obligations into force only after implementing legislation is enacted.

Effects and scope: once ratified, a state is legally obliged to honor the treaty and to implement its provisions, possibly with reservations or interpretive declarations allowed under the treaty. The term is widely used for international treaties, trade agreements, environmental accords, and constitutional changes, with procedures and requirements differing by jurisdiction and treaty.