The Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) was established with the approval of its constitution, on June 18, 1954.

In the years following the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949, organizations in NATO member countries emerged to help advance the public’s understanding of NATO’s increasingly important role in international affairs. These loosely-affiliated groups were eventually bound together under the auspices of the newly-created ATA.

From its formation, and until the late 1980s, the ATA played a key role in furthering public debate and discussion related to NATO’s Cold War activities. However, with the collapse of Soviet Union and subsequently the Warsaw Pact in the 1990s, the ATA’s role was ripe for change. This change brought about a rapid expansion of the ATA’s Membership and Associate Membership – building on an established base in North America, Western Europe, and Turkey towards the inclusion of partners from the former Warsaw Pact countries, the Balkans, and the South Caucasus.

NATO’s transformation gave a new-found importance to projects dealing with the issues of: Eastern Europe’s transition from communism, the role of the former Soviet states, and increased conflict in the Balkans. Through its work in NATO programmes such as the Partnership for Peace (PfP) and the Mediterranean Dialogue, the ATA remains a leading transatlantic NGO in the 21st century.

The ATA is fully engaged in supporting democracy and security through dialogue in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond.