The inaugural FAO Treaty Ceremony was held at FAO headquarters during the 44th Session of the FAO Conference, on 30 June 2025, in the Plenary Hall. The event took place in the broader context of the celebrations for the 80th Anniversary of the Organization. https://www.flickr.com/photos/faonews/54624842665

No, the Treaty Ceremony is for the deposit of signed instruments, not the signature of instruments.

To date, 17 Treaties have been adopted by the Conference or Council, between 1948 and 2009, in accordance with article XIV of the FAO Constitution ("Article XIV Treaties"). All Article XIV Treaties have entered into force, between 1948 and 2016. These binding instruments establish legal regimes for many areas within the scope of FAO’s mandate, such as animal production and health, fisheries, plant protection and desert locust control. Collectively, they constitute one of the key contributions of FAO to the development and implementation of international law. While some of these instruments are global, others have a regional scope and thus not all Members may be eligible to adhere to them. In addition to the List of Article XIV Treaties, more detailed information on each of these Treaties can be found in the FAO Treaties Database.

Prior to the formal deposit at the Treaty Ceremony, to enable a review for conformity under the general principles of treaty law, Members are kindly requested to transmit an advance copy of the instruments of ratification, accession, acceptance, approval or adherence they intend to deposit on the day of the Treaty Ceremony, together with any reservations and declarations made thereto, along with a courtesy translation in English if the documents are not in an official language of the Organization. 

Since the Treaty Ceremony is not for the signature of instruments, there is no requirement for Members to submit instruments of full powers prior to the Ceremony, unless full powers were needed for the signature of the relevant instrument, as clarified in more detail in the Technical Note by the Legal Counsel.

The Treaty Ceremony is scheduled to be held during the Session of the FAO Conference. Accordingly, the standard arrangements for attendance at the Conference apply.

No. No action is needed or required from Members with respect to Article XIV Treaties to which they are already Contracting Parties. 

The Treaty Ceremony focuses on the deposit of new instruments. As such, it provides an opportunity for Members to deposit instruments of ratification, accession, acceptance, approval or adherence with the Director-General, in person, in relation to Article XIV Treaties to which they are not Contracting Parties yet and which they are eligible to, and wish to, join.

The Treaty Ceremony provides a unique occasion for Members who wish to deposit an instrument of ratification, accession, acceptance, approval or adherence to any of the Article XIV Treaties, as they are given the possibility to do so directly with the Director-General, in person, during the context of the Session of the Conference.

However, there is no legal difference between depositing an instrument at the Treaty Ceremony and doing so through the standard process for the deposit of instruments.

Members wishing to join any of the Article XIV Treaties are encouraged to begin their relevant internal process, regardless of whether such process will be completed in time for the Treaty Ceremony. Should the process not be completed on time for the Treaty Ceremony, the deposit will take place outside of the context of the Treaty Ceremony, through the standard process for the deposit of instruments.

The Legal Office stands ready to assist Members in that respect, both in the context of the Treaty Ceremony and beyond it.

Yes, the Ceremony is open to all Members. In addition, Members who have deposited an instrument during the intersessional period will be given recognition during the Ceremony.

Yes, the Treaty Ceremony provides an opportunity for Members to also deposit instruments of acceptance of amendments to Article XIV Treaties. For example, the Plant Protection Agreement for the Asia and Pacific Region (APPPC) and the Agreement for the Establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) have been subject, since their conclusion, to amendments, some of which are open for acceptance to those Contracting Parties who have not accepted them yet. Information on the status of Members as Contracting Parties to each of the Article XIV Treaties may be found on the FAO Treaties Database. Specific model instruments and certified true copies of the concerned sets of amendments are available via the following links: https://www.fao.org/treaties/certified-true-copies/en/ and https://www.fao.org/treaties/model-instruments/en/. 

Of course. All Members attending the Conference are welcome and encouraged to attend the Treaty Ceremony.