Rules of Procedure Concerning Languages

UN General Assembly, Rules of Procedure Concerning Languages, A/RES/2, UN General Assembly, 1 February 1946, https://www.refworld.org/legal/resolution/unga/1946/en/7796 [accessed 16 March 2025]
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VIII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE
2. Rules of Procedure Concerning Languages

Resolved that the General Assembly:

(a) adopts rules of procedure concerning languages in conformity with the rules herewith presented (annex) ;

(b) recommends to the other organs of the United Nations the adoption of language rules in conformity with the rules herewith presented;

(c) recommends that the Secretary-General makes a thorough enquiry into the question of the installation of telephonic systems of interpretation and, if possible, arranges for the establishment of such a system for the second part of the first session.

Twenty-first plenary meeting,
1 February 1946.

ANNEX

1. In all the organs of the United Nations, other than the International Court of justice, Chinese, French, English, Russian and Spanish shall be the official languages, and English and French the working languages.

2. Speeches made in either of the working languages shall be interpreted into the other working language.

3. Speeches made in any of the other three official languages shall be interpreted into both working languages.

4. Any representative may make a speech in a language other than the official languages. In this case he shall himself provide for interpretation into one of the working languages. Interpretation into the other working language by an interpreter of the Secretariat may be based on the interpretation given in the first working language.

5. Verbatim records shall be drawn up in the working languages. A translation of the whole or part of any verbatim record into any of the other official languages shall be furnished if requested by any delegation.

6. Summary records shall be drawn up as soon as possible in the official languages.

7. The Journals of the organs of the United Nations shall be issued in the working languages.

8. All resolutions and other important documents shall be made available in the official languages. Upon the request of any representative, any other document shall be made available in any or all of the official languages.

9. Documents of the organs of the United Nations shall, if those organs so decide, be published in any languages other than the official languages.

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