1949
NATO Treaty
The North Atlantic Treaty
Washington DC, 4th April 1949
The Parties to this Treaty reaffirm their faith in the purposes and principles
of the Charter of the United Nations and their desire to live in peace with
all peoples and all governments.
They are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation
of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty
and the rule of law.
They seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area.
They are resolved to unite their efforts for collective defence and for
the preservation of peace and security.
They therefore agree to this North Atlantic Treaty:
ARTICLE 1
The Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations,
to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful
means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice
are not endangered, and to refrain in their international relations from
the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes
of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2
Parties will contribute toward the further development of peaceful and friendly
international relations by strengthening their free institutions, by bringing
about a better understanding of the principles upon which these institutions
are founded, and by promoting conditions of stability and well-being. They
will seek to eliminate conflict in their international economic policies
and will encourage economic collaboration between any or all of them.
ARTICLE 3
In order more effectively to achieve the objectives of this Treaty, theParties,
separately and jointly, by means of continuous and effective self-help and
mutual aid, will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity
to resist armed attack.
ARTICLE 4
The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them,
the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of
the Parties is threatened.
ARTICLE 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe
or North America shall be considered an attack against them all, and consequently
they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise
of the right of individual or collective selfdefence recognised by Article
51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties
so attacked by taking forthwith, individually, and in concert with the other
Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force,
to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately
be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when
the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain
international peace and security.
ARTICLE 6
For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties
is deemed to include an armed attack:
- (1) on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America,
on the Algerian Departments of France (2), on the territory of Turkey or
on the islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North
Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
- on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or
over these territories or any area in Europe in which occupation forces
of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered
into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of
the Tropic of Cancer.
ARTICLE 7
The Treaty does not effect, and shall not be interpreted as affecting, in
any way the rights and obligations under the Charter of the Parties which
are members of the United Nations, or the primary responsibility of the
Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security.
1 As amended by Article 2 of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on
the accesion of Greece and Turkey.
2 On 16th January 1963 the Council noted that insofar as the former Algerian
Departments of France were concerned the relevant clauses of this Treaty
had become inapplicable as from 3rd July 1962.
ARTICLE 8
Each Party declares that none of the international engagements now in force
between it and any other of the Parties or any third State is in conflict
with the provisions of this Treaty, and undertakes not to enter into any
international engagement in conflict with this Treaty.
ARTICLE 9
The Parties hereby establish a Council, on which each of them shall be represented
to consider matters concerning the implementation of this Treaty. The Council
shall be so organised as to be able to meet promptly at any time. The Council
shall set up such subsidiary bodies as may be necessary; in particular it
shall establish immediately a defence committee which shall recommend measures
for the implementation of Articles 3 and 5.
ARTICLE 10
The Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State
in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute
to the security of the North Atlantic area to accede to this Treaty. Any
State so invited may become a party to the Treaty by depositing its instrument
of accession with the Government of the United States of America. The Government
of the United States of America will inform each of the Parties of the deposit
of each such instrument of accession.
ARTICLE 11
This Treaty shall be ratified and its provisions carried out by the Parties
in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. The instruments
of ratification shall be deposited as soon as possible with the Government
of the United States of America, which will notify all the other signatories
of each deposit. The Treaty shall enter into force between the States which
have ratified it as soon as the ratification of the majority of the signatories,
including the ratifications of Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, have been deposited
and shall come into effect with respect to other States on the date of the
deposit of their ratifications.3
ARTICLE 12
After the Treaty has been in force for ten years, or at any time 3 The Treaty
came into force on 24 August 1949, after the deposition of the ratifications
of all signatory states.
Thereafter, the Parties shall, if any of them so requests, consult together
for the purpose of reviewing the Treaty, having regard for the factors then
affecting peace and security in the North Atlantic area including the development
of universal as well as regional arrangements under the Charter of the United
Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security.
ARTICLE 13
After the Treaty has been in force for twenty years, any Party may cease
to be a Party one year after its notice of denunciation has been given to
the Government of the United States of America, which will inform the Governments
of the other Parties of the deposit of each notice of denunciation.
ARTICLE 14
This Treaty, of which the English and French texts are equally authentic,
shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the United States
of America. Duly certified copies will be transmitted by that government
to the governments of the other signatories.