Ratifungsurkunde

A Ratifungsurkunde, in English typically called an instrument of ratification, is a formal document through which a state or international organization expresses its consent to be bound by a treaty after signing it. It is the official instrument that completes domestic approval and makes the treaty legally binding for the ratifying party under international law.

The process usually involves domestic procedures, such as approval by a legislature or other constitutional steps. Once those procedures are completed, the state’s authorized representative signs the Ratifungsurkunde. The document is then deposited with the designated depositary of the treaty, which may be a state, an international organization, or another entity named in the treaty. The depositary records the receipt and notifies the parties. The treaty often provides the date on which the ratification takes effect for that state, which can be the date of deposition or a later date specified in the instrument.

The instrument of ratification signifies consent to be bound and, together with other possible instruments of consent (such as acceptance, approval, or accession), determines when the state becomes a party and when the treaty enters into force for that state. Not all treaties require ratification; some bind upon signature or upon provisional application.

In German-language contexts, the term Ratifungsurkunde is used interchangeably with Ratifizierungsurkunde. The practice and procedures surrounding the instrument are governed by the treaty’s text and applicable international law, including the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.