Part 13 Final Clauses: Clauses Finales, Art.125 Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession/Signature, ratification, acceptation, approbation ou adhésion

Subject(s):

Elements of crimes — International criminal law, conduct of proceedings — Evidence

This chapter comments on Article 125 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Article 125 governs the mechanisms by which States become parties to the Rome Statute. While a signature of a treaty may, under certain circumstances, constitute a means of indicating a State's acceptance to be bound by the treaty's provisions, in the context of the Rome Statute signature is only a preliminary act — ‘a first step to participation’. It must be followed by deposit of an instrument of ratification, approval, or accession for the State to become a party to the Statute. The article also establishes, although somewhat implicitly, that the Secretary-General of the United Nations is the depositary of the Statute.