Inhoudsopgave
CHAPTER 1. INTERNATIONAL SOURCES ..................................................................... 3
TREATIES ................................................................................................................................ 3
CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW ........................................................................................ 4
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF LAW ................................................................................................. 4
CASE LAW ............................................................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 2. THE LAW OF TREATIES ............................................................................ 6
TWO BASIS PRINCIPLES ........................................................................................................... 6
JUS COGENS NORM .................................................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER 3. SUBJECTS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW .................................................. 7
THE UN ORGANS .................................................................................................................... 8
LEGAL PERSONALITY/CAPACITY OF STATES UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW.............................. 9
RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ........................................................................... 9
CHAPTER 4. JURISDICTION, POWERS AND IMMUNITIES .................................... 10
JURISDICTION ON SEA ........................................................................................................... 11
DIFFERENCE SOVEREIGN RIGHTS BETWEEN INTERNAL WATERS AND TERRITORIAL SEA ........ 11
EXTRA-TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION ..................................................................................... 11
IMMUNITIES .......................................................................................................................... 12
CHAPTER 5. THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY ............................................................ 15
INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE SETTLEMENT................................................................................. 15
Mediation ......................................................................................................................... 16
Enquiry............................................................................................................................. 16
Conciliation...................................................................................................................... 16
Arbitration ....................................................................................................................... 16
Judicial settlement ........................................................................................................... 16
JURISDICTION BASED ON CONSENT ........................................................................................ 17
All cases which the parties refer to it............................................................................... 17
Compromissory clause ..................................................................................................... 17
Optional clause ................................................................................................................ 17
Forum prorogatum .......................................................................................................... 17
ADVISORY OPINIONS ............................................................................................................. 18
RETORSION AND REPRISALS .................................................................................................. 18
CHAPTER 6. UNITED NATIONS ...................................................................................... 19
THE SECURITY COUNCIL ....................................................................................................... 19
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY .................................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER 7. THE USE OF FORCE AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY ....................... 20
THE RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENCE ................................................................................................ 20
Pre-emptive self-defence .................................................................................................. 21
Preventive self-defence .................................................................................................... 21
COLLECTIVE SECURITY BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL ............................................................. 21
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION ........................................................................................... 21
UN PEACEKEEPING ............................................................................................................... 21
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,CHAPTER 8. INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AND INTERNATIONAL
CRIMINAL LAW .................................................................................................................. 22
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF IHL ...................................................................................... 22
APPLICATION OF IHL ............................................................................................................ 22
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AND
HUMAN RIGHT LAW .............................................................................................................. 23
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW ........................................................................................... 23
CHAPTER 9. PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE LAW OF THE
SEA .......................................................................................................................................... 25
LAW OF THE SEA ................................................................................................................... 25
Internal waters ................................................................................................................. 26
Territorial sea and contiguous zone ................................................................................ 26
Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ....................................................................................... 26
High seas.......................................................................................................................... 26
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ............................................................................... 27
PULP MILLS CASE ................................................................................................................. 27
CHAPTER 10. THE GLOBAL ECONOMY ...................................................................... 29
INTERNATIONAL FINANCE LAW ............................................................................................ 29
IMF .................................................................................................................................. 29
The World Bank ............................................................................................................... 29
INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW ................................................................................................ 29
INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT LAW....................................................................................... 31
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,Chapter 1. International sources1
International law governs relations between independent states.
Article 38 of the ICJ Statute gives an authoritative, yet not exhaustive list of sources of
international law:
- International conventions/treaties;
- Customary law;
- Legal principles;
- Judicial decisions and the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists
The first three sources are primary law, because they are made by states. Judicial decisions
and legal scholars are logically secondary law, see for example article 59 ICJ Statute. This
article makes clear that judicial decisions have no precedent effect in international law.
Decisions of the Court can only bind the parties to the dispute.
There exist also additional sources, which is also secondary law. These additional sources
called soft law, because its not legally binding. International organisations make soft law. So
all resolutions, decisions, agreements adopted by international organisations are soft law.
Secondary law is a helping source for the ICJ to interpreter the primary sources.
It is generally agreed that article 38 does not establish a rigid hierarchy of sources, in
particular when it comes to the relationship between customary law and treaties. These can
replace each other and also, as the Court confirmed in 1986 (Nicaragua case, paragraph
176), exist alongside each other.
Treaties
Treaties are agreements between two (bilateral) or more (multileral) states. Rules about
treaties have been codified in the 1980 Vienna Conventions on the law of Treaties (VCLT).
A treaty is only legally binding for states that have consented ‘to be bound’ by its terms
(Lotus case), unless this treaty becomes international customary law. This treaty is then still
only legally binding for the parties, but the rule within the treaty is binding for all states.
Article 2 of the Vienna Convention (VCLT) explains the term ‘treaty’. Elements are:
- International agreements à in written form;
- Between states à but see also article 5 VCLT: not only between states, but also
between a state and other subjects like international organisations;
- Governed by International Law;
- Whatever its designation à A treaty can also called a convention, charter, agreement.
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Chapter 2 of the textbook.
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, Customary International Law
For a rule to become customary International law, two elements need to be fulfilled:
- Firstly, the objective element is settled state practice. à The ICJ has stated/explained
in the North Sea Continental Shelf Cases that state practice must be extensive
(general) and virtually uniform (consistent) for a longer period (see paragraph 77).
In the Nicaragua case however, the ICJ has held that practice does not need to be
uniform, as long as the inconsistent state behaviour is considered a breach of the
standing norm (see paragraph 186).
- The subjective element is the opinio juris. à Meaning that states have accepted the
general practice as law. There is a sense of legal obligation.
If a state notices that a new rule of customary law is in the process of being created, and it
feels unable to accept it, it should make its opposition known. By objecting persistently, the
state can ensure that it does not become bound.
General principles of law
These are often, authoritatively, viewed as general notions that form part of the legal system
and can be applied in a variety of settings, and it is this characteristic that distinguishes them
from rules. In other words: principles recognized in the domestic law of nations worldwide,
which can be transposed into International law. General principles of law are sometimes
conceptualized as a sort of ‘custom lite’, as rules which are perhaps a bit more ‘necessary’
than other rules, and for which therefor there would apply less strict demands on state practice
and opinio juris.
Case law
Lotus case: for a rule of customary law to develop, the acts in question must amount to settled
practice and there must be evidence that states believe that they must act in accordance with
this practice, because a law prescribes such practice.
Nicaragua case: in order for behaviour of a state to become state practice, practice should be
extensive and virtually uniform. The Court decided in this case that practice does not have
to be absolutely uniform, as long as inconsistent practice by individual states is regarded as a
breach of the rule in question or if the state concerned claims that its inconsistent conduct
was justified by an applicable exception or justification (paragraph 186).
Nuclear Weapons Opinion: the ICJ discusses in this case the relationship between resolutions
of the UN General Assembly and International customary law. In the opinion of the Court,
opino juris determines if the content of a resolution reflects customary International law. The
Court finds that resolutions can provide evidence of opino juris and concludes that in this
case the lack of opinio juris leads to the conclusion that the UN General Assembly resolutions
in question are not customary International law.
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