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Samenvatting - Introduction to International and EU Law
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Uitwerkingen - Introduction to International and EU Law
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Samenvatting International and European Law (uitwerking problemen + hoorcolleges)
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09-03-2024Summary –
Introduction to
International
and EU Law
Erasmus School of Law
Erasmus University Rotterdam
0
,Table of Contents
Week 1..................................................................................... 2
Problem 1: Do the People’s Republics of Dontesk and Luhans have
a right to self-determination?....................................................2
What is (internal and external) self-determination and what are
conditions thereof?...................................................................2
Is a decleration of indepence lawful under international law?......3
In which way is succession of the rights and duties of the new
States arranged?......................................................................4
Problem 2: The use of cluster munition in armed conflict.............5
Lecture 1................................................................................11
Week 2................................................................................... 23
Problem 3: Responsible for what or whom?...............................23
Problem 4: Is the use of force allowed......................................28
Lecture 2................................................................................34
Week 3................................................................................... 36
Problem 5: Taking control of the EU institutions........................36
Problem 6: Law in action..........................................................52
Lecture 3................................................................................66
Week 4................................................................................... 79
Problem 7: Nitrogen Pollution..................................................79
Lecture 4................................................................................90
Problem 8: To ask or not to ask that is the (preliminary) question.
............................................................................................ 101
Lecture 5 - Public International Law & European Union Law.....113
1
,Week 1
Problem 1: Do the People’s Republics of Dontesk
and Luhans have a right to self-determination?
What is (internal and external) self-determination and
what are conditions thereof?
The principle of self-determination in International Law
Current definition
The right to self-determination1 refers to the right of an individual to determine their own
destiny. The right allows peoples to choose their own political status and to determine their
own form of economic, cultural, and social development.
The United Nations Charter came into force in 1945, referring to self-determination in
Article 1. This was the first time that self-determination was recognized in an official
international legal document, confirming that it was an existing right. Due to the lack of
definition and detail about what self-determination entailed, there were not many
opportunities to apply the right, particularly in relation to secession. However, the
International Treaties of 1966 changed this by providing a substantive definition of what is
covered by the right to self-determination: 'All people have the right to self-determination.
On the basis of that right, they shall freely determine their political status and freely pursue
their economic, social, and cultural development'. The main purpose of giving this right was
to provide a meaningful remedy for decolonization.
In The Supreme Court of Canada's ruling in the Quebec case brought a valuable new legal
definition of the principle of self-determination, as the Court legally made a distinction
between an 'internal' and an 'external' right to self-determination.
- Internal self-determination (autonomy).
Internal self-determination is the right of peoples to pursue political, economic,
social, and cultural development within the framework of an existing state.
For example, think of the different provinces of the Netherlands. All these sub state
entities enjoy a certain level of autonomy; they have their own subgovernment,
sub-parliament and they contribute to define the general directions of the
politics of the entire state. So, the people of the Netherlands can vote both for
their local representations and the national parliament, and the Netherlands
acknowledges a certain level of autonomy to these entities and guarantees that
these people are represented nationally.
- External self-determination (option of seceding).
External self-determination is the right of peoples to determine their own
political status and to be free from foreign domination, including the formation of
their own independent state.
1
Zelfbeschikking
2
, Is a decleration of indepence lawful under international
law?
In the history of the practice of declarations of independence until the first half of the
twentieth century, there is nothing that suggests that the act of proclaiming a declaration is
regarded as contrary to international law. On the contrary, State practice points to the
conclusion that international law contained no prohibition of declarations of independence:
During the second half of the twentieth century, the international law of self-determination
was developed to create a right to independence for the peoples of non-self-governing
territories and peoples subject to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation. The
practice of States thereafter does not point to the emergence in international law of a new
rule prohibiting the making of a declaration of independence in such cases. Accordingly, the
declaration of independence of 17 February 2008 did not violate general international law.
For the rest see the full Kosovo case law
Is secession lawful under international law?
The legality of secession under international law
The right to self-determination of a people is normally fulfilled by internal self-
determination, in which a people pursues its political, economic, social, and cultural
development within the framework of an existing state. However, a right to external self-
determination (option of seceding) arises only in the most extreme of cases. Colonial
peoples and others who are victims of foreign subjugation, domination, or exploitation
have the right to external self-determination that also can give them the right to establish
their own independent state.
However, it is extremely doubtful whether peoples that are neither colonized nor subject to
subjugation, domination, or exploitation by foreigners can claim any right to external self-
determination and thus be entitled to secede. Therefore, some argue for the existence of an
additional right to secede for people in cases of extreme oppression and the almost total
denial of meaningful internal self-determination, also known as remedial secession. This has
sought to apply the right to secessionist self-determination outside of colonial contexts, in
cases where territorial minority ethnic groups have faced structural discrimination and
severe violations of fundamental human rights. However, accepting such a right requires
exceptional circumstances. Indeed, international stability argues for keeping the territorial
integrity of a 'mother state' intact and requires people to pursue their right to self-
determination within the existing state. This is also reflected in the ‘safeguard clause’ in the
1970 General Assembly Declaration on Friendly Relations whereby there can be no question
of remedial secession in a state where the government represents the whole of the people
or peoples within its territory on a basis of equality and without discrimination.
However, there have been no actual judgements by the ICJ to provide definitive guidance on
self-determination in contexts outside of colonialism. The definition of 'exceptional'
circumstances is therefore still unclear.
Lastly, two final points must be made regarding the right to self-determination and
statehood. First, a confirmed right to external self-determination need not lead to a claim to
secession. A people with the right to an independent state may decide that their interests as
3
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