rebus sic stantibus

law principle

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Rebus sic stantibus is a Latin phrase meaning "things continuing thus". In international law, it refers to a doctrine stating that treaties are binding only as long as conditions have not substantially changed. This principle implies that a treaty's obligations may cease to be valid if fundamental circumstances under which it was agreed upon have significantly altered. The term itself is derived from the Latin word res, meaning "thing".12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

international law
Treaties
The concept of rebus sic stantibus (Latin: “things standing thus”) stipulates that, where there has been a fundamental change of circumstances, a party may withdraw from or terminate the treaty in question. An obvious example would be one in which a relevant island has become submerged. A fundamental…
Read More
The concept of rebus sic stantibus (Latin: “things standing thus”) stipulates that, where there has been a fundamental change of circumstances, a party may withdraw from or terminate the treaty in question. An obvious example would be one in which a relevant island has become submerged. A fundamental…
Read More