INTERNATIONAL LAW
HC’S & OG’S
Inhoudsopgave
HC 1: The structure and sources of international law.................................................................................................. 3
The changing structure of international law......................................................................................................................3
The modern international system......................................................................................................................................3
Sources of international law...............................................................................................................................................4
Customary law....................................................................................................................................................................5
Objective element...........................................................................................................................................................5
Subjective element.........................................................................................................................................................5
Relationship between conventional and customary law...................................................................................................6
OG 1: The structure and sources of international law.................................................................................................. 7
HC 2: Law of Treaties.................................................................................................................................................. 8
Sources of the law of Treaties............................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion of Treaties.........................................................................................................................................................8
Consent to be bound...........................................................................................................................................................9
Entry into force...................................................................................................................................................................9
Reservations.......................................................................................................................................................................9
acceptance of reservations.............................................................................................................................................9
Legal effects of reservations.........................................................................................................................................10
Observance of treaties......................................................................................................................................................10
Interpretation of treaties..................................................................................................................................................10
OG 2: Law of Treaties............................................................................................................................................... 11
HC 3: Peaceful settlement of international disputes.................................................................................................. 12
Principles...........................................................................................................................................................................12
Article 33 UNC..................................................................................................................................................................12
Types of legal methods.....................................................................................................................................................13
International court of justice............................................................................................................................................14
Access to the Court in contentious cases..........................................................................................................................14
1
, Advisory opinions..............................................................................................................................................................15
ICJ proceedings: applicable law........................................................................................................................................15
A plethora of international judicial bodies.......................................................................................................................15
OG 3: The peaceful settlement of disputes................................................................................................................ 16
HC 4: International law, collective security and the use of force................................................................................17
The system of collective security under the UN Charter..................................................................................................17
General prohibition on the threat or use of force............................................................................................................17
UNSC’s actions with respect to threats to or breaches of the peace and acts of aggression (art. 39-47 UNC)...............18
Determination of a threat.............................................................................................................................................18
Provisional measures....................................................................................................................................................18
Measures not involving Use of Force...........................................................................................................................18
Measures involving the use of force.............................................................................................................................19
Limits on the Security Council’s authority....................................................................................................................19
The right to self-defence...................................................................................................................................................19
Collective self-defence..................................................................................................................................................20
Is there a right to use force under other circumstances?.................................................................................................20
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................................................21
OG 4: International law and the use of force............................................................................................................. 21
HC 5:........................................................................................................................................................................ 22
OG 5: International Humanitarian law...................................................................................................................... 22
2
, HC 1: THE STRUCTURE AND SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
THE CHANGING STRUCTURE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
System of international law started with the Peace of Westphalia (Europe); before that, the concept of
‘state’ was non-existing
Order in the continent of Europe: creation of a decentralised system of sovereign States
Equality of all states that participate in it + territorial sovereignty + non-intervention between states +
state consent in legal negotiations…
Created system continues to exist classic international system which is used to have one actor as it
subject (the State)
lack of central government in that system and not a lot of legal rules (no judiciary, no court, no
parliament) (states resolve their problems through self-help (you attack me, I attack you…)
That structure is decentralised & risky, but evolution international institutions will give us more strict
rules (f.e. prohibition of the use of force)
THE MODERN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM
Modern international system:
- State remains the main central actor, but new actors start to recognize rights and obligations of
international law:
o Individuals: can be held responsible for crimes under international law (genocide, crimes
against humanity…)
o International organizations
o Transnational corporations
o Ngo’s: participate in law-making rules
Reflection of new structure of international system: coexistence & cooperation
But: there is still a hierarchy between certain legal rules of international law
Purpose of international law: serves as a supplement to national law – as a residual system content =
concrete answers to questions that cannot be answered in national law
2 main areas: international law of coexistence & international law of cooperation
- Coexistence: states can coexist (rules on territorial boundaries…)
o Primarily horizontal: concerned with the manner in which sovereign states interact with each
other
- Cooperation: environmental law (all states need to cooperate so that the environment stays healthy
if 1 does not participate, then it is useless)
o Human rights: how the state treats the people that are in its jurisdiction doesn’t affect
other states in how they exist, but yet it is important to assist each other in ensuring the
human rights
o = optional: states are free to turn a matter into a matter of international law (consensual
character)
o international law through the adoption of a treaty (& organizations…)
3
HC’S & OG’S
Inhoudsopgave
HC 1: The structure and sources of international law.................................................................................................. 3
The changing structure of international law......................................................................................................................3
The modern international system......................................................................................................................................3
Sources of international law...............................................................................................................................................4
Customary law....................................................................................................................................................................5
Objective element...........................................................................................................................................................5
Subjective element.........................................................................................................................................................5
Relationship between conventional and customary law...................................................................................................6
OG 1: The structure and sources of international law.................................................................................................. 7
HC 2: Law of Treaties.................................................................................................................................................. 8
Sources of the law of Treaties............................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion of Treaties.........................................................................................................................................................8
Consent to be bound...........................................................................................................................................................9
Entry into force...................................................................................................................................................................9
Reservations.......................................................................................................................................................................9
acceptance of reservations.............................................................................................................................................9
Legal effects of reservations.........................................................................................................................................10
Observance of treaties......................................................................................................................................................10
Interpretation of treaties..................................................................................................................................................10
OG 2: Law of Treaties............................................................................................................................................... 11
HC 3: Peaceful settlement of international disputes.................................................................................................. 12
Principles...........................................................................................................................................................................12
Article 33 UNC..................................................................................................................................................................12
Types of legal methods.....................................................................................................................................................13
International court of justice............................................................................................................................................14
Access to the Court in contentious cases..........................................................................................................................14
1
, Advisory opinions..............................................................................................................................................................15
ICJ proceedings: applicable law........................................................................................................................................15
A plethora of international judicial bodies.......................................................................................................................15
OG 3: The peaceful settlement of disputes................................................................................................................ 16
HC 4: International law, collective security and the use of force................................................................................17
The system of collective security under the UN Charter..................................................................................................17
General prohibition on the threat or use of force............................................................................................................17
UNSC’s actions with respect to threats to or breaches of the peace and acts of aggression (art. 39-47 UNC)...............18
Determination of a threat.............................................................................................................................................18
Provisional measures....................................................................................................................................................18
Measures not involving Use of Force...........................................................................................................................18
Measures involving the use of force.............................................................................................................................19
Limits on the Security Council’s authority....................................................................................................................19
The right to self-defence...................................................................................................................................................19
Collective self-defence..................................................................................................................................................20
Is there a right to use force under other circumstances?.................................................................................................20
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................................................21
OG 4: International law and the use of force............................................................................................................. 21
HC 5:........................................................................................................................................................................ 22
OG 5: International Humanitarian law...................................................................................................................... 22
2
, HC 1: THE STRUCTURE AND SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
THE CHANGING STRUCTURE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
System of international law started with the Peace of Westphalia (Europe); before that, the concept of
‘state’ was non-existing
Order in the continent of Europe: creation of a decentralised system of sovereign States
Equality of all states that participate in it + territorial sovereignty + non-intervention between states +
state consent in legal negotiations…
Created system continues to exist classic international system which is used to have one actor as it
subject (the State)
lack of central government in that system and not a lot of legal rules (no judiciary, no court, no
parliament) (states resolve their problems through self-help (you attack me, I attack you…)
That structure is decentralised & risky, but evolution international institutions will give us more strict
rules (f.e. prohibition of the use of force)
THE MODERN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM
Modern international system:
- State remains the main central actor, but new actors start to recognize rights and obligations of
international law:
o Individuals: can be held responsible for crimes under international law (genocide, crimes
against humanity…)
o International organizations
o Transnational corporations
o Ngo’s: participate in law-making rules
Reflection of new structure of international system: coexistence & cooperation
But: there is still a hierarchy between certain legal rules of international law
Purpose of international law: serves as a supplement to national law – as a residual system content =
concrete answers to questions that cannot be answered in national law
2 main areas: international law of coexistence & international law of cooperation
- Coexistence: states can coexist (rules on territorial boundaries…)
o Primarily horizontal: concerned with the manner in which sovereign states interact with each
other
- Cooperation: environmental law (all states need to cooperate so that the environment stays healthy
if 1 does not participate, then it is useless)
o Human rights: how the state treats the people that are in its jurisdiction doesn’t affect
other states in how they exist, but yet it is important to assist each other in ensuring the
human rights
o = optional: states are free to turn a matter into a matter of international law (consensual
character)
o international law through the adoption of a treaty (& organizations…)
3
