The U.S. Government participates in international organizations. Numerous publications of these organizations are published simultaneously by the United States and other countries. The U.S. portions of these organizations may also publish separate publications.
- Bilateral organizations are those in which the U. S. Government participates with either Mexico or Canada.
- Multilateral organizations are those governed by more than one nation, country, or government to work together for a common goal. Examples include the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN).
Refer to the sections of the U.S. Government Manual on Bilateral and International Organizations for descriptions of the organizations with which the United States participates.
Separately published publications of these international organizations are classed under the U.S. Department of State, since participation in these organizations is in the realm of foreign relations.
S 3.25: Joint annual report (International Boundary Commission)
The International Boundary Commission is a bilateral organization between the United States and Canada.
Partnerships between a U.S. Government agency and an international organization are classified under the U.S. issuing body.
I 19.174:146 The water cycle for kids
Issued by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. (FAO)
If United States membership in an international organization is implemented through an act of Congress, the organization’s publications are classed in the Y 3. class. See Congressional and Legislative Branch Publications, ‘Y 3. - Boards, Commissions, and Independent or Temporary Committees’ for instruction on classification in the Y 3. class.
Y 3.EN 8:2 G 76 North American Grasslands Alliance (Commission for Environmental Cooperation)
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation is a multilateral organization with Canada, Mexico and the United States as members.
Only publications of the U.S. delegations or commissions are assigned SuDocs classification numbers. Publications issued by the international organization as a whole are not considered U.S. Government publications; they are not within scope of the FDLP and are not assigned SuDocs numbers.