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Free association and integration

Two recognised alternatives to independence for non-self-governing territories, and the conditions the UN attached to them.

1 min read · updated 15 September 2026

Three recognised outcomes

UN General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV) of 1960 recognises three ways a non-self-governing territory can reach a full measure of self-government: independence, free association with an independent state, or integration with one.[1] The 1970 Friendly Relations Declaration adds “any other political status freely determined by a people”.[2]

Free association

Free association should be a free, informed and democratic choice. The associated territory keeps the right to determine its own internal constitution and the freedom to change its status later by democratic means.[3]

Integration

Integration should give the peoples concerned equal status, citizenship and rights, and should follow an advanced stage of self-government and a freely expressed choice through impartial processes based on universal adult suffrage, which the UN may supervise.[4]

Greenland is an example: in 1954 the General Assembly accepted that Greenlanders had exercised self-determination by integrating with Denmark under a 1953 constitutional amendment.[5] Integration was not necessarily final there, since Greenland’s later Self-Government Act sets out a procedure for independence.[6]

In current disputes

The options also frame negotiations. In Western Sahara, the Frente POLISARIO proposed in 2007 a referendum offering independence, integration or self-governance, while Morocco proposed autonomy within its sovereignty.[7]

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: Under resolution 1541 (XV), a Non-Self-Governing Territory can be said to have reached a full measure of self-government by emergence as a sovereign independent State, free association with an independent State, or integration with an independent State.

    • United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV): Principles which should guide Members in determining whether or not an obligation exists to transmit the information called for under Article 73 e of the Charter (United Nations, 15 December 1960) link, annex, principle VI. Source record
  2. 2.

    Claim: The 1970 Friendly Relations Declaration lists the establishment of a sovereign and independent State, free association or integration with an independent State, or any other political status freely determined by a people as modes of implementing self-determination.

    • United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV): Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States (United Nations, 24 October 1970) link, annex, principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples. Source record
  3. 3.

    Claim: Free association should result from a free and voluntary choice through informed and democratic processes, and the associated territory keeps the freedom to modify its status by democratic means and the right to determine its internal constitution.

    • United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV): Principles which should guide Members in determining whether or not an obligation exists to transmit the information called for under Article 73 e of the Charter (United Nations, 15 December 1960) link, annex, principle VII. Source record
  4. 4.

    Claim: Integration should be on the basis of complete equality of status and rights between the peoples concerned, and should follow an advanced stage of self-government and the freely expressed wishes of the territory’s peoples through impartial processes based on universal adult suffrage, which the UN could supervise.

    • United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV): Principles which should guide Members in determining whether or not an obligation exists to transmit the information called for under Article 73 e of the Charter (United Nations, 15 December 1960) link, annex, principles VIII–IX. Source record
  5. 5.

    Claim: In 1954 the UN General Assembly accepted that Greenlanders had freely exercised self-determination by integrating with Denmark under a 1953 constitutional amendment, and that reporting on Greenland as non-self-governing should cease. Attributed to UN General Assembly (1954)

    • United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 849 (IX): Cessation of the transmission of information under Article 73 e of the Charter in respect of Greenland (United Nations, 22 November 1954) link, preamble and operative paras. 4, 5 and 8. Source record
  6. 6.

    Claim: Under section 21 of the Act, a decision on independence is taken by the people of Greenland, followed by negotiations and an agreement needing the consent of Greenland’s parliament, a referendum in Greenland and the consent of the Danish parliament.

    • Statsministeriet (Prime Minister’s Office, Denmark), Act no. 473 of 12 June 2009 on Greenland Self-Government (Statsministeriet, 12 June 2009) link, s. 21(1)–(3), PDF p. 5. Source record
  7. 7.

    Claim: In 2007 the Frente POLISARIO proposed a referendum offering independence, integration into Morocco or self-governance, while Morocco proposed autonomy for the region within its sovereignty. Attributed to Frente POLISARIO and Kingdom of Morocco (2007)

    • Frente POLISARIO, Proposal of the Frente Polisario for a mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara (United Nations, 16 April 2007) link, para. 7. Movement organisation perspective Source record
    • Kingdom of Morocco, Moroccan initiative for negotiating an autonomy statute for the Sahara region (United Nations, 13 April 2007) link, paras. 2 and 5–6. Government perspective or primary official source Source record

Source note

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