Travaux préparatoires

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The travaux préparatoires (French: "preparatory work", in the plural) is the official record of a negotiation. Sometimes published, the "travaux" are often useful in clarifying the intentions of a treaty or other instrument, reflected in VCLT Art 34.

When interpreting treaties, The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties places this form of interpretation as secondary or less important then looking to the ordinary meaning. (See article 31 & 32)

The travaux are often available to the public on the websites created for a specific treaty (such as the Rome Statute) or on the United Nations website.