Their signatures are usually sealed and they normally require ratification. It also has acquired a special meaning in the law of regional economic integration. Although such oral agreements may be rare, they can have the same binding force as treaties, depending on the intention of the parties. An example of an oral agreement might be a promise made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of one State to his counterpart of another State. It is employed especially for instruments of a technical or administrative character, which are signed by the representatives of government departments, but are not subject to ratification.
Typical agreements deal with matters of economic, cultural, scientific and technical co-operation.
Agreements also frequently deal with financial matters, such as avoidance of double taxation, investment guarantees or financial assistance. The UN and other international organizations regularly conclude agreements with the host country to an international conference or to a session of a representative organ of the organization. Nowadays by far the majority of international instruments are designated as agreements. For example, whereas the Treaty of Rome of 1957 serves as a quasi-constitution of the European Community, treaties concluded by the EC with other nations are usually designated as agreements. Conventions are normally open for participation by the international community as a whole, or by a large number of states.