Select Treaties and Other Instruments
League of Nations Instruments
Arrangements Related to the Issue of Identity Certificates to Russian and Armenian Refugees, 12 May 1926 84 League of Nations Treaty Series No. 2004.
Convention of 28 October, 1933 Relating to the International Status of Refugees League of Nations, Treaty Series Vol. CLIX No. 3663.
Provisional Arrangements Concerning the Status of Refugees coming from Germany 1936 171 League of Nations Treaty Series No. 3952.
Treaties
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1948
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (adopted 28 July 1951, entered into force 22 April 1954) 189 UNTS 137
Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (adopted 31 January 1967, entered into force 4 October 1967) 606 UNTS 267
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (22 May 1969) UNTS 331
OAU Convention Regulating The Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa 1969 UNTS 1469
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (adopted Montego Bay, 10 December 1982 and entered into force 16 November 1994) 1833 UNTS 397.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) (Adopted in 16 December 1966, entered into force 3 January 1976) UNTS Vol 993.
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Decision of 28 November 1979 (L/4903) Differential and More Favourable Treatment, Reciprocity and Fuller Participation of Developing Countries’
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) UNTSE 1465, 85
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (adopted 16 September 1987, entered into force 1 January 1989) UNTS 1522
Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer (adopted 22 March 1985, entered into force 22 September 1988) UNTS 1513
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, (adopted in 1989 and it came into force in 1992) UNTS 1673
Convention on Biological Diversity (5 June 1992, entered into force 29 December 1993) UNTS 1760 69
GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations (the Uruguay Round) Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the Multilateral Trade Organization (World Trade Organization) 15 December 1993
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (adopted May 1992, entered into force March 1994) UNTS 1771 107
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (adopted 11 December 1997, entered into force 16 February 2005) UNTS 2303 162
Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (18 December 2002, entered into force 22 June 2006) UNTS 2375 237
Select UN Documents
UN General Assembly Resolutions and Declarations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948
Refugees and Stateless Persons, UN GA Resolution 319 A (IV) of 3 December 1949
UN Secretary General: Ad Hoc Committee on Statelessness and Related Problems, ‘Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons: Memorandum by the Secretary-General, 3 January 1950, UN Doc E/AC.32/2.
UNGA Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (1970)
UNGA Declaration on the Establishment of New International Economic Order (S-VI) A/Res/S-63201 (May 1974)
UNGA Resolution Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order 3202 (S-VI). (May 1974)
UNGA Resolution Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States A/Res/29/3281 (December 1974)
UNGA Meeting on Refugees and Displaced Persons in South-East Asia, Convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations at Geneva, on 20 and 21 July 1979, and subsequent developments: Report of the Secretary-General, A/34/627 7 (November 1979)
UNGA Procedure for the Establishment of a Firm and Lasting Peace in Central America (Esquipulas II) A/42/521 Annex (31 August 1987)
UNGA Resolution International Conference on Indo-Chinese Refugees A/RES/44/138 (December 1989)
UNGA Resolution Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development A/RES/70/1(21 October 2015)
UNGA New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants A/RES/71/1 (October 2016)
UNGA Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to the UNGA (73 Session No 12) Part II Global Compact on Refugees A/73/12 (August 2018)
Other UN Documents (Reports and Conferences)
Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment A/CONF48./14/Rev.1(Stockholm 5-16 June 1972)
United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and
Stateless Persons, Final Act of the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons, A/CONF.2/108/Rev.1 (July 1951)
UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights CESCR General Comment No. 3 The Nature of States Parties’ Obligations (Art. 2, Para. 9, of the Covenant) Document E/1991/23 (4 December 1990)
UNGA Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. Méndez – Addendum – Observations on communications transmitted to Governments and replies received by Juan E. Méndez Twenty-eighth session A/HRC/28/68/Add.1 (March 2015)
International Maritime Organisation
IMO Resolution MSC.167(78) (adopted on 20 May 2004) MSC 78/26/Add.2 Guidelines on the Treatment of Persons Rescued at Sea.
International Law Commission
Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, Report of the ILC on the Work of its 53rd Session, A/56/10 (2001)
UNHCR Documents
Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of 14 December 1950
UNHCR, Global Consultations on International Protection/Third Track: Asylum Processes (Fair and Efficient Asylum Procedures), EC/GC/01/12 (31 May 2001)
UNHCR, Global Consultations on International Protection ‘Mechanisms of International Cooperation to Share Responsibilities and Burdens in Mass Influx Situations’, 1st Meeting, EC/GC/01/7 (19 February 2001)
Challenges to the 1951 Convention in its 50th Anniversary Year: Statement by Ms. Erika Feller, Director, Department of International Protection, UNHCR, at the Seminar on “International Protection within one single asylum procedure”, Norrkoping, Sweden, 23–24 April 2001
UNHCR (2002), Summary Conclusions on the Concept of the ‘Effective Protection’ in the Context of Secondary Movements of Refugees and Asylum Seekers (Lisbon Expert Roundtable, 9–10 December 2002)
UNHCR Bilateral and/or Multilateral Arrangements for Processing Claims for
International Protection and Finding Durable Solutions for Refugees (Position paper, 20 April 2016)
UNHCR Conclusions adopted by the Executive Committee on the International Protection of Refugees, 1975–2009 (Conclusions No 1–109), December 2009
UNHCR Intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in the Case of Hirsi and Others v. Italy Application No. 27765/09 (March 2010)
UNHCR Expert Meeting on International Cooperation to Share Burdens and
Responsibilities: Summary Conclusions (Amman, 28 June, 2011)
UNHCR Handbook and Guidelines on Procedures and Criteria for Determining
Refugee Status under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, HCR/1P/4/ENG/REV.3 (December 2011)
UNHCR Resettlement Handbook (2011)
UNHCR, UNHCR monitoring visit to the Republic of Nauru 7 to 9 October 2013 (November 2013)
UNHCR, Guidance Note on bilateral and/or multilateral transfer arrangements of asylum-seekers (May 2013)
UNHCR Guterres A, ‘Closing Remarks at the Session of the 66th Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme’ speech delivered on the 5th October 2015
66th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme, Agenda item 2: International Protection Statement by Volker Türk, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection (21-24 June 2016)
Zero Draft of the Global Compact on Responsibility Sharing for Refugees, (UNHCR 30 June 2016)
UNHCR Position on Returns to Libya (Update II) September 2018
UNHCR Global Trends Forced Displacement 2024
UNHCR Position on the Designations of Libya as a Safe Third Country and as a Place of Safety for the Purpose of Disembarkation Following Rescue at Sea (September 2020)
UNHCR Global Appeal 2020-2021
UNHCR Executive Committee Conclusions
ExCom No. 15 ‘Refugees Without an Asylum Country’ (1979)
ExCom No. 11 (XXX) ‘General Conclusion on the International Protection’ (1978)
ExCom No. 15 (XXX) ‘Refugees Without an Asylum Country’ (1979)
ExCom No. 22 (XXXII) ‘Protection of Asylum -Seekers in Situations of Large -Scale Influx’ (1981)
ExCom No. 23 (XXXII) ‘Problems Related to the Rescue of Asylum-Seekers in Distress at Sea’ (1981)
ExCom No. 58 (XL) ‘Problem of Refugees and Asylum- Seekers Who Move in an Irregular Manner from a Country in Which They Had Already Found Protection’ (1989)
ExCom No. 99 (LV) ‘General Conclusion on International Protection’ (2004)
ExCom No. 100 (LV) ‘General Conclusion on International Cooperation and Burden and Responsibility Sharing in Mass Influx Situations’ (2004)
ExCom No. 108 (LIX) ‘General Conclusion on International Protection’ (2008)
ExCom No. 109 (LXI) ‘Conclusion on Protracted Refugee Situations’ (2009)
ExCom No. 11, 22, 52, 77, 79, 80, 85, 89, 100, 102. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ‘A Thematic Compilation of Executive Committee Conclusions’, 7th edition (June 2014)
Decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP Decisions)
Decision 1/CP.1 ‘The Berlin Mandate: Review of the Adequacy of Article 4, paragraph 2 (a) and (b), of the Convention, including proposals related to a protocol and decisions on follow-up’ (6 June 1995) FCCC/CP/1995/7 Add. 1, 4 Berlin Mandate
Decision 2/CP.1 ‘Review of First Communications from the Parties Included in Annex I to the Convention’ (6 June 1995) Add.1,7
Decision 2/CP.3, ‘Methodological Issues Related to the Kyoto Protocol’ (25 March 1998) FCCC/CP/1997/7/Add. 1, 31
Decision 24/CP.7, ‘Procedures and Mechanisms Relating to Compliance under the Kyoto Protocol; (21 January 2002) FCCC/CP//2001/12 Add.3
Decision 1/CP.1, ‘Bali Action Plan’ (14 March 2008) FCCC/CP/2007/6 Add.1,3
Decision 2/CP.15, ‘Copenhagen Accord’ (30 March 2010) FCCC/CP/2009/11 Add. 1
Decision 1/CP.16, ‘The Cancun Agreements: Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (15 March 2011) FCCC/CP/2010/7/Add.1 2
Decision 1/CP.17 ‘Establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action’ (11 December 2011) FCCC/CP/2011/9/ Add. 1, 2
Decision 1/CP.20, ‘Lima Call for Climate Action’ (2 February 2015) FCCC/CP/2014/10 Add.1, 2.
Decision 1/CP/.21 ‘Adoption of the Paris Agreement’ (entered into force 29 January 2016) FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1, Annex. (Paris Agreement)
Decision 1/CP. 22 ‘Aggregate Effect of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions: an Update’ FCCC/CP/2016/2
Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement
Decision 18/CMA.1 ‘Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines for the Transparency Framework for Action and Support Referred to in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement’ FCCC/PA/CMA/2018/3/Add.2
Decision of decision 1/CP.21, 19/CMA.1 Matters Relating to Article 14 of the
Paris Agreement and paragraphs 99–101ʹ FCCC/PA/CMA/2018/3/Add.2
Decision 20/CMA.1 ‘Modalities and Procedures for the Effective Operation of the Committee to Facilitate Implementation and Promote Compliance Referred to in Article 15, paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement. FCCC/PA/CMA/2018/3/Add.2
Regional Instruments
EU
Legislation
Treaty on European Union (Consolidated version 2016)
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Consolidated version 2016)
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2012) OJ C 326/391
Regulations
Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 Establishing the Criteria and Mechanisms for Determining the Member State Responsible for Examining an Application for International Protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person (recast) 2013 L.180/31
Commission Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing the Criteria and Mechanisms for Determining the Member State responsible for Examining an Application for International Protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person (recast), COM (2016). Dublin IV.
Commission announces New Migration Partnership Framework: Reinforced Cooperation with Third Countries to Better Manage Migration, European Commission, Press Release, 7 June 2016. Migration Partnership Framework, A New Approach to Better Manage Migration.
Council of the European Union
Council Resolution of 30 November 1992 on a Harmonized Approach to Questions Concerning Host Third Countries (“London Resolution”), 30 November 1992
Council Decision (EU) 2015/1523 of 14 September 2015 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and of Greece L 239/80
Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 of 22 September 2015 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece L 248/80
Council of the European Union Press Release, “EU–Turkey statement, 18 March 2016.” (March 18, 2016)
Bilateral Agreements
Accordo tra la Repubblica Italiana e la Gran Giamahiria Araba Libica Popolare Socialista per la Collaborazione nella Lotta al Terrorismo, alla Criminalità Organizzata, al Traffico Illegale di Stupefacenti e Sostanze Psicotrope e All’Immigrazione Clandestina (Rome, 13 Dec 2000).
2017 Memorandum d’intesa sulla cooperazione nel campo dello sviluppo, del contrasto all’immigrazione illegale, al traffico di esseri umani, al contrabbando e sul rafforzamento della sicurezza delle frontiere tra Io Stato della Libia e la sul rafforzamento della sicurezza delle frontiere tra Io Stato della Libia e la Repubblica Italiana. (May 2 2017)
Italy–Albania
Australia and the Pacific
2012 Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Nauru and the Commonwealth of Australia, relating to the transfer to and assessment of persons in Nauru, and related issues
2012 Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and the Government of Australia, relating to the transfer to, and assessment and settlement in, Papua New Guinea of certain persons, and related issues
North America
Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada for Cooperation in the Examination of Refugee Status Claims from Nationals of Third Countries (December 5, 2002). (US -Canada Safe Third Country Agreement)
National Legislation
198A of the Migration Act, as inserted by the Migration Amendment (Excision from the Migration Zone) (Consequential Provisions) Act 2001
Migration Amendment Act (Urgent Medical Treatment) Bill 2018
US
US Senate Resolution 98, 25 July 1997 105th Cong., 143 Congress Records. S8138-39 (Byrd-Hagel Resolution).
Central America
1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees, adopted by the Colloquium on the International Protection of Refugees in Central America, Mexico and Panama, held at Cartagena, Colombia from 19–22 November 1984
CIREFCA, Declaration and Concerted Plan of Action in Favour of Central American Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons, (30 May 1989), CIREFCA 89/13/Rev.1,
Mexico Declaration and Plan of Action to Strengthen the International Protection of Refugees in Latin America Mexico City, (16 November 2004)
Brazil Declaration on “A Framework for Cooperation and Regional Solidarity to Strengthen the International Protection of Refugees, Displaced and Stateless Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean” (Brasilia, 3 December 2014)