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How states withdraw from treaties, and how withdrawals are recorded

Last checked 7 November 2026 · 5 sources

Short answer

A state withdraws from a treaty by following the treaty's own withdrawal clause, or with the consent of all parties 1. Where a treaty has no such clause and withdrawal is permitted, the Vienna Convention requires at least twelve months' notice 1. The notice goes to the depositary, which for UN treaties is the Secretary-General, and is published as a depositary notification. Under the Paris Agreement, withdrawal takes effect one year after the depositary receives the notice 2.
Default notice period
Not less than twelve months, Vienna Convention Article 56 1
Paris Agreement
Possible three years after entry into force for a party, effective one year after notice 2
United States, Paris
Notified 27 January 2025, effective 27 January 2026 3
Rome Statute notices in 2026
Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Venezuela, Chad and Naoero 4
Rescinded Rome Statute notices
South Africa, The Gambia and Hungary 4

The legal rules

Article 54 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties says a party may withdraw in conformity with the treaty's provisions or at any time by consent of all parties after consulting the other contracting states 1. Article 56 covers treaties with no withdrawal clause. A party must give not less than twelve months' notice of its intention to withdraw under that article 1. Article 44 says a right to withdraw may be exercised only for the whole treaty, except where the treaty provides otherwise 1.

The Convention was done at Vienna on 23 May 1969 and entered into force on 27 January 1980 1.

Withdrawal clauses compared

TreatyWhen a party may withdrawWhen it takes effect
Paris Agreement 2At any time after three years from entry into force for that party, by written notice to the depositary 2One year after the depositary receives notice, or a later date in the notice 2
Kyoto Protocol 5Under its article 27 5Canada's notice of 15 December 2011 took effect on 15 December 2012 5
Rome Statute 4Under its article 127(1), by notice to the Secretary-General 4Listed dates of effect fall one year after each notice 4
Treaty with no clause 1Only if the parties intended it or the treaty's nature implies it 1At least twelve months' notice 1

The Paris Agreement record

The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016 3. The UN Treaty Collection footnote for the United States records its acceptance on 3 September 2016 3. It notified withdrawal on 4 November 2019, effective 4 November 2020 3. It deposited a new instrument of acceptance on 20 January 2021 3. On 27 January 2025 it notified withdrawal again, effective 27 January 2026 3. The status page shows 194 parties 3.

The Rome Statute record

The status page of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court lists each withdrawal notice with its depositary notification number 4.

StateNoticeEffect or outcome
South Africa 419 October 2016 4Revoked 7 March 2017 4
Burundi 427 October 2016 4Effective 27 October 2017 4
The Gambia 410 November 2016 4Rescinded 10 February 2017 4
Philippines 417 March 2018 4Effective 17 March 2019 4
Hungary 42 June 2025 4Notice withdrawn 29 May 2026 4
Niger 418 June 2026 4Scheduled 18 June 2027 4
Burkina Faso 424 June 2026 4Scheduled 24 June 2027 4
Mali 424 June 2026 4Scheduled 24 June 2027 4
Venezuela 424 July 2026 4Scheduled 24 July 2027 4
Chad 427 July 2026 4Scheduled 27 July 2027 4
Naoero 423 September 2026 4Scheduled 23 September 2027 4

Withdrawing a withdrawal

A notice can be taken back before it takes effect, and the depositary records that too. On 10 February 2017 The Gambia notified the Secretary-General that it rescinded its notice of 10 November 2016 4. On 7 March 2017 South Africa notified the revocation of its notice of 19 October 2016 4. On 29 May 2026 Hungary notified the withdrawal of its notice of 2 June 2025 4.

The Gambia's rescission was circulated as C.N.62.2017 of 16 February 2017, and South Africa's revocation as C.N.121.2017 of 7 March 2017 4. Hungary's was circulated as C.N.180.2026 of 29 May 2026 4. Each revocation in the Rome Statute record carries its own depositary notification number 4.

Reading a withdrawal record

  • Check the date of notification and the date of effect. They differ by the notice period 4,2
  • Check the footnotes for rescissions or revocations 4
  • Check whether the state later rejoined, as the United States did for the Paris Agreement in 2021 3
  • Read the depositary notification itself, cited by its C.N. number 3

Common questions

How much notice must a country give to leave a treaty?

Whatever the treaty says. If it is silent and withdrawal is allowed, at least twelve months under the Vienna Convention 1.

When did the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement take effect?

The notice of 27 January 2025 took effect on 27 January 2026 3.

Can a country cancel its withdrawal notice?

The record shows it can. The Gambia, South Africa and Hungary all withdrew their Rome Statute notices before they took effect 4.

Which countries gave notice to leave the Rome Statute in 2026?

Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Venezuela, Chad and Naoero, with effect dates in 2027 4.

When did Canada leave the Kyoto Protocol?

Its notice of 15 December 2011 took effect on 15 December 2012 5.

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Sources

  1. United Nations: Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (done at Vienna on 23 May 1969)
  2. UNFCCC: Paris Agreement (2015)
  3. United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter XXVII 7.d, Paris Agreement
  4. United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter XVIII 10, Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
  5. United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter XXVII 7.a, Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

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