Conventions, treaties, protocols, codes and projects

Use maximal capitals for the full formal (unique) names of conventions, treaties, protocols, legally enforceable codes, projects and similar entities.

The names of these entities may be shortened after their first use in the text. Whether to use capitals on shortened forms depends on whether they consist only of the generic component (eg the program) or retain some significant part of the descriptor (eg the Bowel Screening Program). Do not capitalise the generic component when used as an adjective (eg program results) or as a plural. 

Examples to illustrate these conventions are set out in the table.

Full formal title Informal, generic and plural use, and shortened forms
  • Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat
  • Ramsar Convention
  • the convention
  • Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
  • Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
  • the treaty
  • Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
  • the Food Standards Code
  • the food standards
  • the code
  • code violation
  • National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
  • Bowel Screening Program
  • the program
  • program results

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