PIL POSSIBLE ANSWERS!
INHOUDSOPGAVE
Sources of international law ....................................................................................................................... 2
United nation general assembly resolutions ........................................................................................................ 2
United nations security counsel ........................................................................................................................... 3
Ius cogens ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
erga omnes vs jus cogens ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Statehood and self-determination............................................................................................................... 4
Statehood and self-determination ....................................................................................................................... 4
non-acceptance of independence ........................................................................................................................ 7
the law of treaties ...................................................................................................................................... 7
responsibility for the bad execution of the treaty ................................................................................................ 7
effect of ius cogens on treaties ............................................................................................................................ 8
state succession .................................................................................................................................................... 8
reservations ............................................................................................................................................... 9
Validity of reservations......................................................................................................................................... 9
consequences of reservations on treaty relations .............................................................................................. 10
effects of reservation.......................................................................................................................................... 11
Jurisdiction............................................................................................................................................... 11
Jurisdiction to prosecute (f.ex. russian spy)........................................................................................................ 11
extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction .............................................................................................................. 11
extraterritorial enforcement jurisdiction ...................................................................................................... 12
Diplomatic relations and immunities ......................................................................................................... 13
how to still bypass immunity? ............................................................................................................................ 13
consular law ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
State responsibility ................................................................................................................................... 14
does the actions entail state responsibility? ...................................................................................................... 14
exception of non-performance of a treaty obligation ................................................................................... 16
measures: countermeasures and retorsions ...................................................................................................... 16
International dispute settlement and the ICJ ............................................................................................. 17
peaceful settlement of disputes ......................................................................................................................... 17
Provisional measures.......................................................................................................................................... 18
1
,Measures short of force ............................................................................................................................ 19
Reprisals: punitive countermeasures (replaced by countermeasures) .............................................................. 19
Countermeasures ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Retorsions: .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Economic coercion:............................................................................................................................................. 20
exception of non-performance of a treaty obligation ........................................................................................ 21
Use of force.............................................................................................................................................. 21
the law of armed conflict .......................................................................................................................... 22
the law of the sea ..................................................................................................................................... 26
EEZ claims ........................................................................................................................................................... 26
Drilling (for oil and gas) in territorial sea and continental shelf ........................................................................ 27
warship navigating ............................................................................................................................................. 27
international human rights and refugee .................................................................................................... 27
Asylum ................................................................................................................................................................ 27
CLimate change law .................................................................................................................................. 28
environmental standards ............................................................................................................................... 29
SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
UNITED NATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS
Binding? => In principle NOT:
1) Soft law: they are only recommendations
2) Exception: budget/internal affairs (procedural stuff) (Art. 11 UN Charter)
3) General functions of UNGA: discussing and making recommendations (Art 12 UN Charter)
4) Voting arrangements:
a. Important matters: 2/3 majority – Art. 18.2 UN Charter
b. In general: ½ majority – Art. 18.3 UN Charter
Application?
1) Resolution adopted by certain percent (indication of support).
a. Not binding, but authoritative:
1) As a tool of interpretation.
2) Contribute to the development of CIL. (see also ICJ, Nuclear Weapons AO,
Nicaragua case, Wall AO).
2
, a. Acception rate, content, uniformity and persistency OI and SP (=
opinio juris and state practice) => in short, these are all factors that help
determine whether a non-binding resolution can nonetheless carry
authority or even legal relevance – with an emphasis on the formation of
customary international law (CIL).
b. must be a resolution representing a general expression of will and
formulating general rules of conduct, addressed to the whole of the
Members and intended to regulate an indefinite number of cases.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNSEL
1) The binding force of Security Council resolutions derives from the UN Charter, which is an
international treaty.
a. Under Article 24, UN member states confer on the Security Council primary
responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
b. Article 25 further obliges members to accept and carry out the Council's decisions.
Therefore, although Security Council resolutions are not treaties themselves, they
are binding on UN members because the Charter — a treaty — gives them that
effect.
c. ICJ, Namibia Advisory Opinion (1971): The International Court of Justice confirmed
that certain resolutions of the UN Security Council can constitute binding
decisions. In this case, South Africa was obligated to terminate its presence in
Namibia based on a binding Security Council resolution.
i. Criteria: Wording / Debates / Provisions Invoked / Other circumstances.
d. Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions require 9 affirmative
votes, including no veto from any permanent member.
Subsequent practice shows that an abstention by a permanent member does not
constitute a veto.
This was confirmed in the ICJ Namibia Advisory Opinion, where the resolution
passed despite abstentions by France and the UK.
IUS COGENS
Ius Cogens
1) Always define it:
a. peremptory rule of international law from which no derogation is permitted.
i. Art. 53 VCLT + Art. 64 VCLT:
1. A peremptory norm of general international law is a norm accepted
and recognized by the international community of states as a whole
as a norm from which no derogation is permitted and which can be
modified only by a subsequent norm of general international law
having the same charachter.
2. Treaties that conflict with these norms become null and void.
ii. Recognized by ICJ in Armed activities in the territory of congo + obligation to
prosecute or extradite
2) Categories of ius cogens (pagina 20 samenvatting):
a. Agression/ agressive use of force (nicaragua case)
3
INHOUDSOPGAVE
Sources of international law ....................................................................................................................... 2
United nation general assembly resolutions ........................................................................................................ 2
United nations security counsel ........................................................................................................................... 3
Ius cogens ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
erga omnes vs jus cogens ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Statehood and self-determination............................................................................................................... 4
Statehood and self-determination ....................................................................................................................... 4
non-acceptance of independence ........................................................................................................................ 7
the law of treaties ...................................................................................................................................... 7
responsibility for the bad execution of the treaty ................................................................................................ 7
effect of ius cogens on treaties ............................................................................................................................ 8
state succession .................................................................................................................................................... 8
reservations ............................................................................................................................................... 9
Validity of reservations......................................................................................................................................... 9
consequences of reservations on treaty relations .............................................................................................. 10
effects of reservation.......................................................................................................................................... 11
Jurisdiction............................................................................................................................................... 11
Jurisdiction to prosecute (f.ex. russian spy)........................................................................................................ 11
extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction .............................................................................................................. 11
extraterritorial enforcement jurisdiction ...................................................................................................... 12
Diplomatic relations and immunities ......................................................................................................... 13
how to still bypass immunity? ............................................................................................................................ 13
consular law ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
State responsibility ................................................................................................................................... 14
does the actions entail state responsibility? ...................................................................................................... 14
exception of non-performance of a treaty obligation ................................................................................... 16
measures: countermeasures and retorsions ...................................................................................................... 16
International dispute settlement and the ICJ ............................................................................................. 17
peaceful settlement of disputes ......................................................................................................................... 17
Provisional measures.......................................................................................................................................... 18
1
,Measures short of force ............................................................................................................................ 19
Reprisals: punitive countermeasures (replaced by countermeasures) .............................................................. 19
Countermeasures ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Retorsions: .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Economic coercion:............................................................................................................................................. 20
exception of non-performance of a treaty obligation ........................................................................................ 21
Use of force.............................................................................................................................................. 21
the law of armed conflict .......................................................................................................................... 22
the law of the sea ..................................................................................................................................... 26
EEZ claims ........................................................................................................................................................... 26
Drilling (for oil and gas) in territorial sea and continental shelf ........................................................................ 27
warship navigating ............................................................................................................................................. 27
international human rights and refugee .................................................................................................... 27
Asylum ................................................................................................................................................................ 27
CLimate change law .................................................................................................................................. 28
environmental standards ............................................................................................................................... 29
SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
UNITED NATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS
Binding? => In principle NOT:
1) Soft law: they are only recommendations
2) Exception: budget/internal affairs (procedural stuff) (Art. 11 UN Charter)
3) General functions of UNGA: discussing and making recommendations (Art 12 UN Charter)
4) Voting arrangements:
a. Important matters: 2/3 majority – Art. 18.2 UN Charter
b. In general: ½ majority – Art. 18.3 UN Charter
Application?
1) Resolution adopted by certain percent (indication of support).
a. Not binding, but authoritative:
1) As a tool of interpretation.
2) Contribute to the development of CIL. (see also ICJ, Nuclear Weapons AO,
Nicaragua case, Wall AO).
2
, a. Acception rate, content, uniformity and persistency OI and SP (=
opinio juris and state practice) => in short, these are all factors that help
determine whether a non-binding resolution can nonetheless carry
authority or even legal relevance – with an emphasis on the formation of
customary international law (CIL).
b. must be a resolution representing a general expression of will and
formulating general rules of conduct, addressed to the whole of the
Members and intended to regulate an indefinite number of cases.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNSEL
1) The binding force of Security Council resolutions derives from the UN Charter, which is an
international treaty.
a. Under Article 24, UN member states confer on the Security Council primary
responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
b. Article 25 further obliges members to accept and carry out the Council's decisions.
Therefore, although Security Council resolutions are not treaties themselves, they
are binding on UN members because the Charter — a treaty — gives them that
effect.
c. ICJ, Namibia Advisory Opinion (1971): The International Court of Justice confirmed
that certain resolutions of the UN Security Council can constitute binding
decisions. In this case, South Africa was obligated to terminate its presence in
Namibia based on a binding Security Council resolution.
i. Criteria: Wording / Debates / Provisions Invoked / Other circumstances.
d. Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions require 9 affirmative
votes, including no veto from any permanent member.
Subsequent practice shows that an abstention by a permanent member does not
constitute a veto.
This was confirmed in the ICJ Namibia Advisory Opinion, where the resolution
passed despite abstentions by France and the UK.
IUS COGENS
Ius Cogens
1) Always define it:
a. peremptory rule of international law from which no derogation is permitted.
i. Art. 53 VCLT + Art. 64 VCLT:
1. A peremptory norm of general international law is a norm accepted
and recognized by the international community of states as a whole
as a norm from which no derogation is permitted and which can be
modified only by a subsequent norm of general international law
having the same charachter.
2. Treaties that conflict with these norms become null and void.
ii. Recognized by ICJ in Armed activities in the territory of congo + obligation to
prosecute or extradite
2) Categories of ius cogens (pagina 20 samenvatting):
a. Agression/ agressive use of force (nicaragua case)
3
