PARTNER Act

The PARTNER Act would expand the scope of the International Organizations Immunities Act (IOIA) to extend United States privileges and immunities to five additional international or regional bodies: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the Pacific Islands Forum, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and, for the African Union (AU), both its permanent observer mission to the United Nations in New York and its member states’ missions to the UN. The President would determine the terms and conditions under which these immunities apply, and these extensions would occur “in the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same conditions” as the United States participates with other public international organizations. In short, if enacted, the bill would legally shield these organizations (and, for the AU, some of its UN-related missions) from certain legal processes and afford them other immunities similar to those already extended to other international organizations, subject to presidential determination and applicable treaties or statutes. The bill has passed the House and been referred to the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, but, as introduced, it would require Senate action to become law.