intergouvernementale

Intergouvernementale, or intergovernmental in English, describes cooperation among sovereign states conducted through their governments within international organizations or treaties. It emphasizes that authority remains with the member states and decisions are taken by states rather than by a central, non-state authority.

Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) are established by treaties and operate on the principle of state consent. Members participate through delegations to plenary meetings and governing bodies. Decisions may be made by consensus, qualified majority, or formal voting, with the treaty defining binding force, budget, and enforcement mechanisms. In some IGOs, decisions have direct legal effect on member states (binding), while in others they provide guidelines and standards.

Prominent examples include the United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). These bodies coordinate policies on peace and security, trade, finance, and development, with member states retaining ultimate sovereignty.

Intergovernmental cooperation contrasts with supranational integration, where a central authority can enforce rules directly on member states or individuals. Intergovernmental arrangements reflect negotiated compromises, with sovereignty preserved and exit or non-compliance sometimes possible, though they may expel or suspend members under treaty terms.

In the contemporary international system, intergovernmental cooperation remains essential for global governance, enabling diplomacy, collective security, and rulemaking in areas such as trade, climate, and health. Critics point to inefficiency, unequal influence, and slow decision-making as inherent limitations of intergovernmental mechanisms.