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Quick Search Treaties
Quick Search Arrangements
New Zealand Treaties Online
New Zealand enters both legally binding and non-legally binding commitments with international partners. Instruments that contain legally binding commitments are generally known as ‘treaties’; instruments that contain political commitments that are not legally binding are generally known as ‘arrangements’.
New Zealand Treaties Online (NZTO) provides an official record of all of New Zealand’s binding treaty obligations at international law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), as the New Zealand repository of all treaties, is responsible for maintaining records of treaties to which New Zealand is party or to which New Zealand is in the process of becoming party.
In addition, the international arrangements section of NZTO provides a record of some of New Zealand’s non-legally binding arrangements. The database is not a comprehensive source for all such arrangements. Minor or technical arrangements and financial or commercially sensitive arrangements are not available online. Similarly, where international partners have not consented to publication, arrangements are not accessible on NZTO.
Note regarding certain Instruments on NZTO
United Nations/League of Nations Treaty Series
Sometimes NZ Treaties Online cites certain treaty series and papers instead of attaching an instrument. Where cited, you can browse the UNTS (United Nations Treaty Series) and the LNTS (League of Nations Treaty Series) at the United Nations Treaty Collection website.
You can search by volume, and our treaties online service has the volume and page number, which can be used to search the UN Treaty website. For example, M2010/01 cites the text as 2899 UNTS 211 – that is, volume 2899 of the United Nations Treaty Series, page 211.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) holds a database of OECD legal instruments, which bind New Zealand and other nations. You can find the database on the OECD website.
Searching the Website
The website provides information about treaties that New Zealand is party to, as well as ‘treaties in progress’ which are currently under negotiation or awaiting ratification.
The quick search bar on the homepage allows you to search concluded treaties and treaties in progress by title. For a more advanced search the ‘Search’ page allows you to access information about parties to treaties, New Zealand’s adherence status and the particular treaty status. Search results can be ordered by title, type, date concluded or NZ’s adherence status to find specific results.
Arrangements can be searched in a similar manner under the ‘Search Arrangements’ tab.
Collate and Download PDF Reports
You are able to collate and download a tailored PDF list of treaty records by selecting the box on the left hand side of a treaty entry or entries and then selecting ‘Download PDF Report’ at the top of the right hand side of the page. To download a larger list of treaty records select ‘show all’ when displaying search results and then select the box in the search header.