The North Atlantic Treaty (1949)

The founding treaty of NATO — collective defense among North America and Europe

Signed in Washington, D.C. on April 4, 1949 by the United States, Canada, and ten European nations, the North Atlantic Treaty created NATO — the alliance built on the promise that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

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… 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

The 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.

Article 3

To more effectively achieve the objectives of this Treaty, the Parties, 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 collective defense clause

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… 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 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

Defines the geographic scope of Article 5 — the territory of any Party in Europe or North America, and forces, vessels or aircraft in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer. (The original 1949 text also named the Algerian departments of France, then part of metropolitan France; that clause ceased to apply after Algeria’s independence in 1962.)

Articles 7–9

The Treaty does not affect, and cannot be interpreted as affecting, the rights and obligations of members under the UN Charter, or the Security Council’s primary responsibility for international peace and security (Article 7). No Party will enter into any international engagement in conflict with the Treaty (Article 8). Article 9 establishes the North Atlantic Council, on which every member is represented, to consider matters concerning the Treaty’s implementation.

Article 10 — Accession

The Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European state in a position to further the principles of the Treaty to accede to it — the mechanism by which NATO has grown from its 12 founding members to more than 30 today.

Articles 11–14

The Treaty is ratified according to each Party’s constitutional processes, with instruments deposited with the Government of the United States (Article 11). After the Treaty has been in force for ten years, or at any time thereafter, the Parties may consult together for the purpose of reviewing it (Article 12). After it has been in force for twenty years, any Party may cease to be a Party one year after giving notice of denunciation (Article 13). The original Treaty is deposited in the archives of the Government of the United States, which furnishes certified copies to the other signatories (Article 14).

The founding signatories

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Primary source: North Atlantic Treaty Organization, official treaty text.

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