Vienna Treaty Law

CORE DEFINITION

The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties codifies the rules governing treaties between states: how they are concluded, when they enter into force, how their terms are interpreted, and the grounds and procedures for suspension or termination. Its foundational principle is pacta sunt servanda, that a treaty in force binds the parties and must be performed in good faith, and its interpretation rules require the terms to be read in context and in light of the treaty's purpose. The core proposition is that international obligations rest on a shared procedural framework rather than on goodwill alone. The key qualification is that the convention provides no centralized enforcement, so compliance still depends on reciprocity among states.