View source for UNASUR Constitutive Treaty

{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Short description|South American intergovernmental treaty}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox Treaty
|name            = Constitutive Treaty
|long_name       = Treaty establishing the [[Union of South American Nations]]
|image           = 
|image_width     = 
|type            = 
|date_draft      = 
|date_signed     = May 23, 2008
|location_signed = [[Brasília]], [[Brazil]]
|date_sealed     = 
|date_effective  =March 11, 2011
|condition_effective = Ratified by 12 Member States
|parties={{Collapsible list |title=[[Union of South American Nations#Participating nation states|12]] |{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Argentina]]|{{flagicon|Bolivia}} [[Bolivia]] |{{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Brazil]] |{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Chile]] |{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Colombia]] |{{flagicon|Ecuador}} [[Ecuador]] |{{flagicon|Guyana}} [[Guyana]] |{{flagicon|Paraguay}} [[Paraguay]] |{{flagicon|Peru}} [[Peru]] |{{flagicon|Suriname}} [[Suriname]] |{{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Uruguay]] |{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Venezuela]]}}
|date_expiration = 
|signatories     = 12
|depositor       = Government of Ecuador
|language        = 
|languages       = [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[English language|English]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
|wikisource      = Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations
}}

The '''UNASUR Constitutive Treaty''', officially the '''Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations''', was signed on May 23, 2008 during the extraordinary summit of heads of state and government of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) held in [[Brasília]], [[Brazil]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7417896.stm South America nations found union] ''[[BBC]]'', accessed on May 23, 2008.</ref> It officially established the [[Union of South American Nations]], an [[intergovernmental organization|intergovernmental]] [[continental union]] of all twelve [[South American]] nations.

== Signatories ==
[[File:UNASUR ratification map.png|thumb|309px|The twelve signatory states of the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty.]]

{| style="background:transparent;" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
!width="115px"| On behalf of !!width="250px"| Signed by || Ratified || Date of ratification
|- valign="top"
| {{ARG}} || [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner|Cristina Kirchner]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 2 August 2010<ref>[http://www.cdsunasur.org/en/press/news/332-argentina-ratifico-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur Argentina ratified UNASUR Constitutive Treaty] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009055307/http://www.cdsunasur.org/en/press/news/332-argentina-ratifico-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur |date=2011-10-09 }} Unasur. Retrieved on 2010-11-25.</ref>
|-
| {{BOL}} || [[Evo Morales]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 11 March 2009<ref>[http://www.elciudadano.gob.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=877:bolivia-ratifica-el-tratado-constitutivo-de-la-unasur-&catid=1:actualidad&Itemid=42 Bolivia ratifica el tratado constitutivo de la UNASUR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719134005/http://www.elciudadano.gob.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=877:bolivia-ratifica-el-tratado-constitutivo-de-la-unasur-&catid=1:actualidad&Itemid=42 |date=2011-07-19 }} El Ciudadano. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{BRA}} || [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 14 July 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://correiodobrasil.com.br/brasil-promulga-aprovacao-do-tratado-da-unasul-e-vira-membro-pleno/268979/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321031109/http://correiodobrasil.com.br/brasil-promulga-aprovacao-do-tratado-da-unasul-e-vira-membro-pleno/268979/|archive-date=2012-03-21|publisher=Correio do Brasil|title=Brasil promulga aprovação do tratado da Unasul e vira membro pleno|language=pt|access-date=2011-07-14}}</ref>
|-
| {{CHI}} || [[Michelle Bachelet]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 22 November 2010<ref>[http://mx.news.yahoo.com/s/22112010/91/n-world-santiago-ratifico-tratado-constitutivo-unasur.html Santiago ratifico el tratado constitutivo de la unasur] Yahoo! Noticias. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{COL}} || [[Álvaro Uribe]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 28 January 2011<ref name="COL">{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/745206.html|title=Colombia se integra al Unasur|publisher=El Universal|access-date=2011-02-17|language=es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{ECU}} || [[Rafael Correa]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 15 July 2009<ref>[http://www.flacso.org/programas-y-proyectos/observatorio-integracion-regional-latinoamericana-oirla/noticias-de-integracion-regional/noticia-integracion/ecuador-segundo-pais-en-ratificar-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur/cooperacion/pag7/ Ecuador segundo país en ratificar Tratado Constitutivo de UNASUR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309151051/http://www.flacso.org/programas-y-proyectos/observatorio-integracion-regional-latinoamericana-oirla/noticias-de-integracion-regional/noticia-integracion/ecuador-segundo-pais-en-ratificar-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur/cooperacion/pag7/ |date=2012-03-09 }} Flacso. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{GUY}} || [[Bharrat Jagdeo]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 12 February 2010<ref>[http://www.comotuquieras.com.ve/guyana-ratifico-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur/ Guyana ratificó tratado constitutivo de Unasur]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} Como tu quieras. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{PAR}} || [[Nicanor Duarte]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 9 June 2011<ref>[http://www.cdsunasur.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=393%3A-paraguay-aprueba-tratado-constitutivo-de-la-unasur&catid=65%3Anoticias-generales&Itemid=257&lang=en Paraguay approved UNASUR Constitutive Treaty] on 6-9-2011. {{in lang|es}}.</ref> </tr>
| {{PER}} || [[Alan García]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 11 May 2010<ref>[http://www.flacso.org/programas-y-proyectos/observatorio-integracion-regional-latinoamericana-oirla/noticias-de-integracion-regional/noticia-integracion/peru-ratifica-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur/pag5/ Perú ratifica Tratado Constitutivo de UNASUR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720070422/http://www.flacso.org/programas-y-proyectos/observatorio-integracion-regional-latinoamericana-oirla/noticias-de-integracion-regional/noticia-integracion/peru-ratifica-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur/pag5/ |date=2011-07-20 }} Flacso. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{SUR}} || [[Ronald Venetiaan]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 5 November 2010<ref>[https://www.elciudadano.gov.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18364:surinam-ratifica-el-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur&catid=1:actualidad&Itemid=42 Surinam ratifica el Tratado Constitutivo de Unasur] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719134319/https://www.elciudadano.gov.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18364%3Asurinam-ratifica-el-tratado-constitutivo-de-unasur&catid=1%3Aactualidad&Itemid=42 |date=2011-07-19 }} El Ciudadano. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|-
| {{URU}} || [[Rodolfo Nin Novoa]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 9 February 2011<ref>[http://www.itamaraty.gov.br/sala-de-imprensa/notas-a-imprensa/entrada-em-vigor-do-tratado-constitutivo-da-unasul Entrada em vigor do Tratado Constitutivo da UNASUL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201145605/http://www.itamaraty.gov.br/sala-de-imprensa/notas-a-imprensa/entrada-em-vigor-do-tratado-constitutivo-da-unasul |date=2012-02-01 }} Brazilian Foreign Ministry. Retrieved on 2011-02-14. {{in lang|pt}}.</ref>
|-
| {{VEN}} || [[Hugo Chávez]] || [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]&nbsp;Yes || 13 March 2010<ref>[http://www.eluniversal.com/2010/03/13/pol_ava_venezuela-ratifico-e_13A3581213.shtml Venezuela ratificó el Tratado Constitutivo de Unasur] El Universal. Retrieved on 2010-11-25. {{in lang|es}}.</ref>
|}

==Ratification==
The Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations came [[Force (law)|into force]] on March 11, 2011,<ref>[http://www.itamaraty.gov.br/sala-de-imprensa/notas-a-imprensa/entrada-em-vigor-do-tratado-constitutivo-da-unasul ''Entrada em vigor do Tratado Constitutivo da UNASUL'' ("Entry into force of the Unasur Constitutive Treaty")] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201145605/http://www.itamaraty.gov.br/sala-de-imprensa/notas-a-imprensa/entrada-em-vigor-do-tratado-constitutivo-da-unasul |date=2012-02-01 }} Ministry of External Relations of Brazil. Retrieved on 2011-02-15. {{in lang|pt}}.</ref> thirty days after the date of receipt<ref>[http://www.mre.gov.br/portugues/imprensa/nota_detalhe3.asp?ID_RELEASE=5466 Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206044736/http://www.mre.gov.br/portugues/imprensa/nota_detalhe3.asp?ID_RELEASE=5466 |date=2008-12-06 }} ''[[Ministry of External Relations (Brazil)|Ministry of External Relations]]'', accessed on May 25, 2008.</ref> of the ninth instrument of [[ratification]].<ref>[https://figshare.com/articles/The_Decline_of_UNASUR_and_the_Crisis_of_South_American_Regionalism/11921091/2 The Decline of UNASUR and the Crisis of South American Regionalism]</ref>

==Treaty content==
The treaty consists of 27 relatively short sections, and is the constitution of the new union. It outlines its structure and organs, and assumes that additional documents fill in the details.

===Summary===
The treaty declares the establishment and objects of the Union (in §§&nbsp;1-3), its organs (§§&nbsp;4-10 and 17), juridical foundation (§§&nbsp;11-13 and 22-27), and financial foundation (§&nbsp;16). It regulates the acceptance of new associate or full members and the right of cessation from the union in §§&nbsp;19, 20, 24, and 26, and the rules for adopting amendments to the treaty in §&nbsp;25. Finally, §§&nbsp;14, 15, 18, and 21 declare the intent to employ dialogue among the member states, with its citizens, with third parties, and as the means for conflict resolution.

===Membership===
The 12 original signatories of the document have presented documentation of ratification to the Ecuadorian government. Other [[Latin America]]n and [[Caribbean]] states may be admitted as associated members. An associated member may apply for and be granted full membership, but only after having been associated for at least four years, and only after five years have elapsed since the treaty came into force. This implies that no new full members outside the original twelve can be admitted before March 11, 2016.

A full or associated member state may unilaterally withdraw from the union. To do so, the state must deposit their cessation documentation in a similar manner as the ratification, and the cessation will take effect six months after the deposition.  However, cessation of membership will not free states from any financial debts to the Union for unpaid membership fees or otherwise.

At the time the treaty came into force on March 11, 2011, it had been ratified by [[Argentina]], [[Bolivia]], [[Chile]], [[Colombia]], [[Ecuador]], [[Guyana]], [[Peru]], [[Suriname]], [[Uruguay]], and [[Venezuela]]. The two other original signatories, [[Brazil]] and [[Paraguay]], had not yet completed the ratification process by that date.  By December 14, 2011, when Colombia deposited its instruments of ratification of the Constitutive Treaty with the Government of the Republic of Ecuador, the process was complete.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticia/14178/11/Colombia-y-Ecuador-acordaron-mejorar-seguridad-y-transporte-en-la-frontera.html|title=Colombia y Ecuador acordaron mejorar seguridad y transporte en la frontera|date=2011-12-14|access-date=2012-01-14|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114165435/http://www.el-nacional.com/noticia/14178/11/Colombia-y-Ecuador-acordaron-mejorar-seguridad-y-transporte-en-la-frontera.html|archive-date=2012-01-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Amendments===
Any member state may suggest amendments to the constitutional treaty. In order to be adopted, an amendment must be approved by the Council of Heads of State and Government, and then ratified by at least nine member states.

==Additional Protocol==
{{wikisource|Additional Protocol to the Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations on Commitment to Democracy}}
On November 26, 2010, during the [[2010 South American Summit]], representatives introduced a democratic clause to the Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations. The [[amend (motion)|amend]]ment specifies measures to be taken against member-states whose political processes are not respected. The clause establishes sanctions, such as shutting down borders and the suspension of trade against the country that suffers an attempted coup.

The decision to include a democratic clause was made after the recent [[2010 Ecuador crisis|upheaval in Ecuador]] that briefly threatened the administration of President, [[Rafael Correa]].<ref>[http://english.telam.com.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10270:unasur-summit-condemned-attempt-of-coup-daetat-in-ecuador-and-reasserted-commitment-to-democratic-institutions&catid=42:politics UNASUR Summit condemned attempt of coup d´etat in Ecuador and reasserted commitment to democratic institutions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706082439/http://english.telam.com.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10270%3Aunasur-summit-condemned-attempt-of-coup-daetat-in-ecuador-and-reasserted-commitment-to-democratic-institutions&catid=42%3Apolitics |date=2011-07-06 }} Telam. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.</ref> The additional protocol was signed by all member-states of UNASUR.<ref>[http://www.gina.gov.gy/unasurdocs/protocol.html Additional Protocol to the Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations on Commitment to Democracy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716103257/http://www.gina.gov.gy/unasurdocs/protocol.html |date=2011-07-16 }} Guyana: Government Information Agency. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.</ref>

==Entering into force==
On March 11, 2011, when the Constitutive Treaty entered into legal force, establishing the [[Union of South American Nations]] as an international [[legal personality]], the Foreign Ministers of the [[Member State of the Union of South American Nations|UNASUR member states]] met at [[Ciudad Mitad del Mundo]], [[Ecuador]], to celebrate the event and lay the foundation stone of the UNASUR Secretariat headquarters.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

==See also==
* [[Cusco Declaration]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130807093918/http://unasursg.org/uploads/0c/c7/0cc721468628d65c3c510a577e54519d/Tratado-constitutivo-english-version.pdf South American Union of Nations Constitutive Treaty]

{{Member States of the Union of South American Nations}}

[[Category:Union of South American Nations]]
[[Category:Treaties concluded in 2008]]
[[Category:Treaties entered into force in 2011]]
[[Category:Treaties of Argentina]]
[[Category:Treaties of Bolivia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Brazil]]
[[Category:Treaties of Chile]]
[[Category:Treaties of Colombia]]
[[Category:Treaties of Ecuador]]
[[Category:Treaties of Guyana]]
[[Category:Treaties of Paraguay]]
[[Category:Treaties of Peru]]
[[Category:Treaties of Suriname]]
[[Category:Treaties of Uruguay]]
[[Category:Treaties of Venezuela]]
[[Category:Treaties establishing intergovernmental organizations]]