Our legal status

United Kingdom

The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is an international organisation recognised by the United Kingdom under the International Organisations Act 1968.

The SKAO has a unique status that grants the organisation privileges and immunities, but this status also restricts the organisation's ability to obtain others; charitable status or formal company registration for example, despite fulfilling their requisite requirements. The SKAO is solely funded by its Members States and operates on a non-profit basis. All funds are directed to further the international scientific mission of the SKAO as described in the Convention Establishing the Square Kilometre Array. 

This status is granted through an Agreement (Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory) with the UK Government which outlines some privileges and immunities that are accorded to the organisation, this is enabled in law under The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (Immunities and Privileges) Order 2020.