SWF Statement – UN COPUOS LSC, Agenda Item 6: Status and Application of the UN Space Treaties (March–April 2022)

Secure World Foundation addresses the implications of growing COPUOS membership for the universalization and application of the five UN treaties on outer space, particularly the Outer Space Treaty and the Registration Convention. The statement provides a data-driven analysis of current treaty participation and offers reflections on possible future developments under international law.

Key highlights include:

• Outer Space Treaty Participation:
  Of the 100 COPUOS member states, 58 are Parties and 10 are signatories to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, leaving 32 member states without current legal obligations under the treaty.
• Registration Convention Momentum:
  With the recent accessions of Oman and Bahrain, there are now 72 States Parties and 3 signatories.
  • 64 COPUOS members are Parties
  • 2 more are signatories
  • Only 8 Parties to the Registration Convention are not COPUOS members
    This makes the Registration Convention the treaty with the closest overlap between COPUOS membership and participation.
• Legal Significance of Full Participation:
  SWF notes that full participation by all Parties of the Registration Convention in COPUOS could have historic legal significance, especially under provisions in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, Articles IX and X:
  • Article IX allows amendments to the Convention.
  • Article X enables convening a review conference to address technological developments such as space object identification.
• Call to Action:
  Delegates are encouraged to reflect on whether emerging issues in space governance could be addressed through the amendment and review mechanisms already embedded in the treaties.