A UN resolution is a formal expression of the opinion or will of a United Nations body. It is a text adopted at a meeting of the Security Council or General Assembly, with its adoption binding under Article 25 of the Charter. UN resolutions follow a common, relatively strict format. They consist of an operative part and a preamble, with the latter generally listing the considerations on which the opinion is based or the action to be taken (see sample).
Resolutions are often numbered in order of their adoption. In the case of resolutions of the Security Council, they appear in blue, with their number at the top right corner of the page. The title and an alphabetical list of countries that have contributed to the draft (sponsors) are listed below the operative part, which is followed by the date.
The operative part is often very short and states an opinion or directive, in the form of a single paragraph. The wording must be carefully crafted to ensure that it is legally sound and can stand the test of time. The resolution is signed by the monthly Council president and a copy is sent to all Member States.
Resolutions of the General Assembly and of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, while not legally binding against the State to which they are addressed, have considerable influence on the conduct of space activities by States. They are referred to in a large number of treaty texts and in a wide variety of policy documents by both Member States and international organizations.