Weblecture 3

Weblecture 3 – Introduction to International and European Union Law

 The use of force:
 Distinction jus ad bellum and jus in bello:
 Jus ad bellum: regime on the threat or use of force (focus of this lecture).
 Jus in bello: regime on the law of armed conflict / international humanitarian law.
 International criminal law:
 Violation of the use of force -> crime of aggression (article 8bis of the ICC Statute).
 Violation of international humanitarian law -> war crime (article 8 of the ICC Statute).
 General rule in international law: prohibition against the threat or use of force:
 UN Charter:
 Article 2(4) UN Charter: “All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat
or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any
other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations”.
 Read in conjunction with:
 Purposes of the UN (article 1 UN Charter).
 Maintain international peace and security.
 Principles of the UN (article 2 UN Charter).
 Sovereign equality of all member state.
 Relationship with international dispute settlement – article 2(3) UN Charter.
 Use of armed force: below this threshold: violation of the principle of non-intervention and exercise of
physical power as violation of sovereignty.
 Also customary international law:
 Both sets of rules co-exist parallelly, without one rule superseding the other: Nicaragua ICJ.
 Only two legally valid exceptions to the general rule:
 General prohibition: art. 2(4) UN Charter.
 Exception 1: UN Security Council Authorization: art. 42 UN Charter (actions involving force).
 Exception 2: Individual or Collective self-defence: art. 51 UN Charter.
 UN Security Council and the maintenance of international peace and security:
 UNSC: 15 Member States: 10 rotating States (every two years) + 5 permanent members (China, Russia,
US, UK and France) with power of veto -> article 27(3) of the UN Charter: Decisions of the UNSC shall
be made with 9 affirmative votes, including the concurring votes of the permanent members.
However, abstention does not amount to veto (Namibia advisory opinion ICJ).
 Articles 24-26 UN Charter – UNSC functions and powers:
 Art. 24: UNSC has a primary responsibility to maintain international peace & security. Note:
primary does not mean exclusive -> complementary role UNGA.
 Art. 25: decisions made by the UNSC may be binding on UN Member States.
 Chapter VII UN Charter allows the UNSC to adopt decisions to authorize use of force that are binding.
 Chapter VI (actions not involving use of force) allows the UNSC to adopt non coercive and non-binding
measures.
 Authorization UNSC under Chapter VII: sequence / chronological order and context of decision making is
important:
 Article 39 UN Charter: first, the UNSC determines the existence of a threat to peace -> practice
incredibly varied (for example: internal armed conflict, acts terrorism, piracy, pandemics, etc.).
 Article 40 UN Charter: provisional measures (like ceasefire or withdrawal of troops from foreign
territory).
 Article 41 UN Charter = legally binding measures not involving the use of force:
 E.g. establishing a court -> ICTY and ICTR tribunals.
 Economic sanctions -> arms embargo.
 Smart sanctions against entities and individuals -> office of the Ombudsman for delisting.
 Peacekeeping operations -> currently 12: in theory requires the consent of the parties;
impartiality; non-use of force: except in self-defence of the mandate -> in practice significant
development of the mandate.
 Article 42 UN Charter: measures of force -> decides, authorizes, all measures necessary (although
language can be ambiguous); coalition of the willing or regional organizations (like NATO).
 Article 43: UN army never established.
 Self-Defence: balance between inherent right and collective security: