No. Signing does not always establish a country's consent to be bound by an international treaty. Some treaties require a further act, such as ratification, acceptance or approval.
The United Nations distinguishes signatures subject to ratification from definitive signatures, which can establish consent without ratification. The Dutch government separately explains the distinction between signing and ratifying treaties through its account of national approval procedures.
Signature subject to ratification is not legally meaningless: it carries an obligation to avoid defeating the treaty's object and purpose. Consent to be bound and entry into force are also distinct; the treaty's conditions determine when it takes effect.
Check the type of signature, any required ratification and the treaty's entry-into-force conditions.
United Nations Treaty Collection
The glossary distinguishes signatures subject to ratification from definitive signatures and separately describes entry into force.
Based on: United Nations Treaty Collection
Government of the Netherlands
The government explains that signing can precede domestic approval and the subsequent international act of ratification.
Based on: Government of the Netherlands
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