FAQ

Organization
Homepage

NATOA-Z
eLibrary

Newsroom

e-Library

Officialtexts

C ontactus

Search

Lastupdated:09Dec200813:01

04Apr.1949

TheNorthAtlanticTreaty
WashingtonD.C.4April1949
ThePartiestothisTreatyreaffirmtheirfaithinthepurposesandprinciplesoftheCharteroftheUnited
Nationsandtheirdesiretoliveinpeacewithallpeoplesandallgovernments.
Theyaredeterminedtosafeguardthefreedom,commonheritageandcivilisationoftheirpeoples,
foundedontheprinciplesofdemocracy,individuallibertyandtheruleoflaw.Theyseektopromote
stabilityandwell-beingintheNorthAtlanticarea.
Theyareresolvedtounitetheireffortsforcollectivedefenceandforthepreservationofpeaceand
security.TheythereforeagreetothisNorthAtlanticTreaty:

Article1
ThePartiesundertake,assetforthintheC harteroftheUnitedNations,tosettleanyinternational
disputeinwhichtheymaybeinvolvedbypeacefulmeansinsuchamannerthatinternationalpeaceand
securityandjusticearenotendangered,andtorefrainintheirinternationalrelationsfromthethreator
useofforceinanymannerinconsistentwiththepurposesoftheUnitedNations.

Article2
ThePartieswillcontributetowardthefurtherdevelopmentofpeacefulandfriendlyinternationalrelations
bystrengtheningtheirfreeinstitutions,bybringingaboutabetterunderstandingoftheprinciplesupon
whichtheseinstitutionsarefounded,andbypromotingconditionsofstabilityandwellbeing.Theywill
seektoeliminateconflictintheirinternationaleconomicpoliciesandwillencourageeconomic
collaborationbetweenanyorallofthem.

Article3
InordermoreeffectivelytoachievetheobjectivesofthisTreaty,theParties,separatelyandjointly,by
meansofcontinuousandeffectiveselfhelpandmutualaid,willmaintainanddeveloptheirindividualand
collectivecapacitytoresistarmedattack.

open in browser customize

free license

OFFICIALTEXTS
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheRepublicofC roatia
01Apr.2009
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheRepublicofAlbania
01Apr.2009
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
accessionoftheRepublicofSlovenia
26Mar.2003
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
accessionoftheSlovakRepublic
26Mar.2003
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
accessionofRomania
26Mar.2003
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
accessionoftheRepublicofLithuania
26Mar.2003
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
accessionoftheRepublicofLatvia
26Mar.2003
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheRepublicofEstonia
26Mar.2003

pdfcrowd.com

collectivecapacitytoresistarmedattack.

Article4

ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheRepublicofBulgaria
26Mar.2003

ThePartieswillconsulttogetherwhenever,intheopinionofanyofthem,theterritorialintegrity,political
independenceorsecurityofanyofthePartiesisthreatened.

ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheRepublicofPoland
16Dec.1997

Article5

ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheRepublicofHungary
16Dec.1997

ThePartiesagreethatanarmedattackagainstoneormoreoftheminEuropeorNorthAmericashallbe
consideredanattackagainstthemallandconsequentlytheyagreethat,ifsuchanarmedattackoccurs,
eachofthem,inexerciseoftherightofindividualorcollectiveselfdefencerecognisedbyArticle51of
theC harteroftheUnitedNations,willassistthePartyorPartiessoattackedbytakingforthwith,
individuallyandinconcertwiththeotherParties,suchactionasitdeemsnecessary,includingtheuseof
armedforce,torestoreandmaintainthesecurityoftheNorthAtlanticarea.
Anysucharmedattackandallmeasurestakenasaresultthereofshallimmediatelybereportedtothe
SecurityC ouncil.SuchmeasuresshallbeterminatedwhentheSecurityC ouncilhastakenthemeasures
necessarytorestoreandmaintaininternationalpeaceandsecurity.

Article6(1)
ForthepurposeofArticle5,anarmedattackononeormoreofthePartiesisdeemedtoincludean
armedattack:
ontheterritoryofanyofthePartiesinEuropeorNorthAmerica,ontheAlgerianDepartmentsof
France(2),ontheterritoryoforontheIslandsunderthejurisdictionofanyofthePartiesinthe
NorthAtlanticareanorthoftheTropicofC ancer;
ontheforces,vessels,oraircraftofanyoftheParties,wheninorovertheseterritoriesorany
otherareainEuropeinwhichoccupationforcesofanyofthePartieswerestationedonthedate
whentheTreatyenteredintoforceortheMediterraneanSeaortheNorthAtlanticareanorthof
theTropicofC ancer.

ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheC zechRepublic
16Dec.1997
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionofSpain
10Dec.1981
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionoftheFederalRepublicof
Germany
23Oct.1954
ProtocoltotheNorthAtlanticTreatyonthe
AccessionofGreeceandTurkey
22Oct.1951

SHARE

Article7
ThisTreatydoesnotaffect,andshallnotbeinterpretedasaffectinginanywaytherightsandobligations
undertheC harterofthePartieswhicharemembersoftheUnitedNations,ortheprimaryresponsibility
oftheSecurityC ouncilforthemaintenanceofinternationalpeaceandsecurity.

Article8
EachPartydeclaresthatnoneoftheinternationalengagementsnowinforcebetweenitandanyotherof
thePartiesoranythirdStateisinconflictwiththeprovisionsofthisTreaty,andundertakesnottoenter
intoanyinternationalengagementinconflictwiththisTreaty.

Article9

open in browser customize

free license

pdfcrowd.com

ThePartiesherebyestablishaC ouncil,onwhicheachofthemshallberepresented,toconsidermatters
concerningtheimplementationofthisTreaty.TheC ouncilshallbesoorganisedastobeabletomeet
promptlyatanytime.TheC ouncilshallsetupsuchsubsidiarybodiesasmaybenecessary;inparticular
itshallestablishimmediatelyadefencecommitteewhichshallrecommendmeasuresforthe
implementationofArticles3and5.

Article10
ThePartiesmay,byunanimousagreement,inviteanyotherEuropeanStateinapositiontofurtherthe
principlesofthisTreatyandtocontributetothesecurityoftheNorthAtlanticareatoaccedetothis
Treaty.AnyStatesoinvitedmaybecomeaPartytotheTreatybydepositingitsinstrumentofaccession
withtheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.TheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica
willinformeachofthePartiesofthedepositofeachsuchinstrumentofaccession.

Article11
ThisTreatyshallberatifiedanditsprovisionscarriedoutbythePartiesinaccordancewiththeir
respectiveconstitutionalprocesses.Theinstrumentsofratificationshallbedepositedassoonaspossible
withtheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,whichwillnotifyalltheothersignatoriesofeach
deposit.TheTreatyshallenterintoforcebetweentheStateswhichhaveratifieditassoonasthe
ratificationsofthemajorityofthesignatories,includingtheratificationsofBelgium,C anada,France,
Luxembourg,theNetherlands,theUnitedKingdomandtheUnitedStates,havebeendepositedandshall
comeintoeffectwithrespecttootherStatesonthedateofthedepositoftheirratifications.(3 )

Article12
AftertheTreatyhasbeeninforcefortenyears,oratanytimethereafter,thePartiesshall,ifanyof
themsorequests,consulttogetherforthepurposeofreviewingtheTreaty,havingregardforthefactors
thenaffectingpeaceandsecurityintheNorthAtlanticarea,includingthedevelopmentofuniversalas
wellasregionalarrangementsundertheC harteroftheUnitedNationsforthemaintenanceof
internationalpeaceandsecurity.

Article13
AftertheTreatyhasbeeninforcefortwentyyears,anyPartymayceasetobeaPartyoneyearafterits
noticeofdenunciationhasbeengiventotheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,whichwill
informtheGovernmentsoftheotherPartiesofthedepositofeachnoticeofdenunciation.

Article14
ThisTreaty,ofwhichtheEnglishandFrenchtextsareequallyauthentic,shallbedepositedinthe
archivesoftheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Dulycertifiedcopieswillbetransmittedby
thatGovernmenttotheGovernmentsofothersignatories.
1 . T hedefinitionoftheterritories towhic hA rtic le5 applies was revis edbyA rtic le2 oftheP rotoc oltotheN orth
A tlantic T reatyontheac c es s ionofG reec eandT urkeys ignedon2 2 O c tober1 9 5 1 .
2 . O nJ anuary1 6 ,1 9 6 3 ,theN orthA tlantic C ounc ilnotedthatins ofaras theformerA lgerianD epartments of

open in browser customize

free license

pdfcrowd.com

Franc ewerec onc erned,therelevantc laus es ofthis T reatyhadbec omeinapplic ableas fromJ uly3 ,1 9 6 2 .
3 . T heT reatyc ameintoforc eon2 4 A ugus t1 9 4 9 ,afterthedepos itionoftheratific ations ofalls ignatorys tates .

Organization
WhatisNATO?
Membercountries
Partnercountries
Who'swho?
Structure
Employment
Procurement
FAQ

NATOA-Z
Alphabeticalindex
Thematicindex
NATOinAfghanistan
NATOandLibya

Newsroom
Pressreleases
Speeches&transcripts
News
Events
Photos
Audio
Video
NewsroomArchive(pre
2008)
Useofcontent
Pressreleasesviae
mail

e-Library
eBookshop
Officialtexts
(C hronological)
Officialtexts(Thematic)
STANAGs
NATOArchives
NATOMultimedia
Library
StayEinformed!

QUICKLINKS MilitaryC ommittee AC O AC T ISAF KFOR IstanbulC ooperationInitiative(IC I) NATO'sMediterraneanDialogue Science

open in browser customize

free license

pdfcrowd.com