The Governorate of the Vatican City State is responsible for ensuring the independence of the Holy See, so that the Supreme Pontiff is free to fulfil his universal pastoral mission as Vicar of Christ. To do  this, the Governorate has executive power within the City State, and, where the Lateran Treaty provides, such as Castel Gondolfo, the summer residence of the Popes in the Alban Hills, southeast of Rome. 

The Palace of the Governorate, located behind St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican Gardens, is where many of the offices of government are located, in particular those of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State, and its President.

The basic law, or “constitution," of the Vatican City State was established by Pope Pius XI following the Lateran Treaty of 1929, and took effect on 7 June of that year. Pope John Paul II replaced that original version with a new one on 22 February 2001, and Pope Francis updated and modernized it effective 13 May 2023. In doing so, he took account of reforms in governance he had already made in financial, judicial and other areas of State law and function.

The Pontifical Commission of Vatican City State manages the many functions and activities, of the Vatican City government, from security and public order, public health and the environment, economic activities, postal and customs services, connectivity and network infrastructure, construction and maintenance, as well as the artistic complex of the Vatican Museums and their assets of an artistic, historical, archaeological and ethnographical value. All of these, and any others that are part of its mandate, the Commission does on behalf of the Supreme Pontiff.

President: Rev. Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE

The President of the Pontifical Commission of the Vatican City State exercises executive power, and serves as President of the Governorate. Assisted by a General Secretary and a Vice General Secretary, he ensures the governing of the State in keeping with the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State. In addition to the general secretaries, he is assisted by the Councilor General of the State, other Councilors, as well as the Directors of discrete areas, such as the Economy, Security, Health and Hygiene, and other functions. Greater matters are submitted to the judgment of the Pontiff.

The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict covers the territory of Vatican City State. Signed on 14 May 1954, in the wake of the destruction of the World Wars, it recognizes that “damage to cultural property belonging to any people whatsoever means damage to the cultural heritage of all mankind.” 

Similarly, in keeping with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of 16 November 1972, Vatican City was inscribed in UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1984.

Finally, by virtue of the 1921 Declaration of Barcelona on Navigitable Waterways, the Vatican City State has the right to its own ships and the use of navigitable waters under its own flag. It does not have such waters within or adjacent to the City State, however, so has never exercised this right.

The European Union came into existence in 1994 as a result of the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. It grew out of the economic union of a number of European countries and efforts to reduce the difficulty of travel and trade between them. To date it consists of 27 nations. 

Neither the Vatican City State nor the Holy See are signitories to Maastricht, and thus are not members of the EU. However, through other treaty arrangements with Italy and the EU, the Vatican uses the Euro as its currency, even printing its own euro-denominated coins and stamps. It also has an open border with the EU and the slightly larger Schengen (treaty) area, which in addition to EU nations includes other small non-EU states like Andorra, Monaco and San Marino.