The next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM) will be held in Milan, Italy, from 23 June to 3 July 2025.
The ATCM is attended by representatives from all Signatory States to the Antarctic Treaty, observers and invited experts. It takes place annually “for the purpose of exchanging information, consulting together on matters of common interest pertaining to Antarctica, and formulating and considering and recommending to their Governments measures in furtherance of the principles and objectives of the Treaty” (Art. IX). The meetings are hosted each year by decision-making states, the so-called “Consultative Parties”, which amount to 29 of the 58 Signatory States. Members are granted Consultative status by a Decision of the ATCM, based on consensus of the decision-making States.
The ATCM has a permanent Secretariat based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the task of supporting the annual Consultative Meeting and facilitating the achievement of the objectives of the Treaty. The ATCM is structured into a Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP) and three working groups, respectively dedicated to: 1) legal and institutional issues; 2) scientific cooperation; 3) Antarctic tourism.
Both the CEP and the three working groups mentioned above submit the different issues to be approved to the attention of the ATCM Plenary. In this regard, a fundamental role is played by the consensus rule, which is required for approval.
The ATCM operates using three different types of acts: Measures, which contain provisions that are intended to be legally binding once approved by all Consultative Parties to the Treaty according to their respective internal principles; Decisions, which become effective upon adoption or at times otherwise specified; and Resolutions, which are exhortatory in nature.
ATCM meetings will be held in 2025 at Fiera Milano Congressi (MI.CO.), one of the most prestigious congress centres in Italy and Europe, offering ample space and a variety of operational solutions for holding congress events.
