___ = articles/convention
___ = Jurisprudence/cases
International Law Literatuur Samenvatting
WEEK 1
Chapter 1
Public international law: deals with legal issues of concern to more than one state. System
of law that regulates the interrelationship of sovereign states and their rights and duties to
one another. Also other actors, like international organizations and obligations of individuals
- Reflects the society to which it applies
- Consequence of expanding: gradual development of sub-disciplines. Legal issues are
dealt with in multiple sub-disciplines
History of international law
- Early modern international law
Europe late middle ages, 15th and 16th century: multiple levels of different
allegiances and rights and obligations, universal political and religious forces
like the Roman Empire and Catholic Church
Natural law: set of ideas about natural and social life in the universe,
focused on individuals and their relations to the world, applied to
states by that rulers were individuals and therefore subject to it.
Positivism: jus gentium, belief that law were what written rules are,
legal obligations, agreements and contracts were written, etc.
Colonialism, 15th century
Acquisition of territories, sovereignty, freedom of high seas
Important scholars from SP, FR, UK, NL
17th and 18th century: start modern international legal system
Important scholars: Hugo Grotius, Suárez, Emmerich de Vattel
Clearer distinction between natural law and positivism
- Peace of Westphalia 1648
Reduces power of transnational forces like empire and religion,
compartmentalize territory and individuals into sovereign states
Over time established state as primary source of authority, start of increasing
sense of allegiance among citizens to their respective states of nationality
Concept of sovereignty by first Bodin, later Hobbes and Locke
- 19th century: positivism
Consent: State gives consent to what laws/rules apply to them (written)
Emergence of more formal rules and international institutions, decolonisation
- 20th and 21st century
Interwar period: league of nations, treaty of Paris
After war: UN, IOs, ILC,
Also IMF, GATT WTO, NATO
EEC EU, also ECHR and ECtHR
OAS and IACHR
- Present
Liberal international legal order shows signs of break-up because of global
transformation/globalisation (from 1989)
Multiplication of actors, global governance
, ___ = articles/convention
___ = Jurisprudence/cases
Structures of international law
- The international law of coexistence
Contains the legal answers to questions that are inherently of interest to
more than one state and required to separate the powers of sovereign states
and thereby uphold peaceful coexistence
Territory, statehood, jurisdiction and immunity, use of force, etc.
Horizontal: sovereign states contact on same level, no higher authority
- The international law of cooperation
Issues that are not inherently of interest to two or more states but which
have nevertheless been turned into matters of international concern through
the adaption of a treaty
International agreements governed by international law
Optional, consensual theory important
International obligation
- Why not/critique:
Can’t be enforced
States will act in their own best interests
Just principles/values
Ineffective because it’s violated all the time
But Louis Henkin: ‘almost all nations observe almost all principles of
international law and almost all of their obligations almost all the time’
- Why do
Desire for order and predictability over chaos
James Brierly 1963
Consent and obedience: sovereign equality of states
Legitimacy: credibility, reputation
Enforcement mechanics: retorsions (diplomatic), contract tit-for-tat
Relationship between international and national law
- International law asserts its own supremacy over national law. 3 ways how:
Monism: single and coherent legal system of international and national law. IL
directly applicable in national legal system (NL)
Dualism: two separate legal systems, operate independently. National
legislation adaption of IL needed to give effect to it (UK)
Pluralism: combination of 2 systems
Issue of enforcement international law
- Done by international organisations, courts and tribunals (human rights, etc.)
- Done by countermeasures (enforcement of breaches international laws, ex. UN
security court can only take counter-measures)
Alleged inadequacy of international law in 21st century
- Existing state-centric configuration of international legal system is outdated and at
times counterproductive to creating a fairer world. Eradication of poverty, etc. is hard
to achieve.
- Not focused on ‘justice’ or making a fairer world
, ___ = articles/convention
___ = Jurisprudence/cases
WEEK 2
Chapter 2
Article 38 ICJ statute
a. International conventions: general or particular
b. International custom law: evidence of general practice accepted as law
c. General principles: recognized by civilized nations
d. Judicial decisions and teaching: subsidiary means of rules of law
International conventions/treaties
- Vienna convention of the law of treaties, 1969
- Definition of treaties VCLT
Art. 2.1(a): any international agreement concluded between states in written
form and governed by IL, whether embodied in a single instrument or in two
or more related instruments and whatever its particular designation
Oral treaties not covered by VCLT
Written agreements not concluded by states, not covered by VCLT
ICJ perspective: not focussed on label, Qatar v. Bahrain ICJ 1994
- Formation of treaties
Negotiations
Adoption of text, who can adopt treaties:
Art. 7(1)(a)(b): a person with full powers or someone considered to
represent state
Art. 7(2): by virtue of function considered to represent state: heads of
state, heads of diplomatic missions, representatives to conferences or
organisations
Consent to be bound art. 11-12 VCLT
3 ways: Signature art. 12/14, Ratification art. 14/16, Accession art. 15
Interim obligation art. 18: state is obliged, to refrain from acts which
would defeat the object and purpose of the treaty
Depository registration of treaties: must be deposited to the UN
- Application of treaties
Application VCLT
Pacta sunt servanda art. 26: every treaty in force is binding upon the
parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith
Presumption of no retroactive application, art. 28
Treaties binding over entire territory of state, art. 29
Relationship between treaties VCLT: specified in treaty art. 30(2)
Lex posterior rule art. 30(3): same parties to both treaties later
treaty prevails in conflict
Lex specialis: art. 103 UN Charter, hierarchy
Interpretation treaty: textual, historical and/or teleological
Reservations to treaties art. 19-23 VCLT
Art. 21(d): unilateral statement … it purports to exclude or to modify
the legal effect of provisions
Art. 19: reservations are not always permitted
Prohibited, specified reservations, object, and purpose (title,
preamble, preparatory work, circumstances, subsequent
practice)
___ = Jurisprudence/cases
International Law Literatuur Samenvatting
WEEK 1
Chapter 1
Public international law: deals with legal issues of concern to more than one state. System
of law that regulates the interrelationship of sovereign states and their rights and duties to
one another. Also other actors, like international organizations and obligations of individuals
- Reflects the society to which it applies
- Consequence of expanding: gradual development of sub-disciplines. Legal issues are
dealt with in multiple sub-disciplines
History of international law
- Early modern international law
Europe late middle ages, 15th and 16th century: multiple levels of different
allegiances and rights and obligations, universal political and religious forces
like the Roman Empire and Catholic Church
Natural law: set of ideas about natural and social life in the universe,
focused on individuals and their relations to the world, applied to
states by that rulers were individuals and therefore subject to it.
Positivism: jus gentium, belief that law were what written rules are,
legal obligations, agreements and contracts were written, etc.
Colonialism, 15th century
Acquisition of territories, sovereignty, freedom of high seas
Important scholars from SP, FR, UK, NL
17th and 18th century: start modern international legal system
Important scholars: Hugo Grotius, Suárez, Emmerich de Vattel
Clearer distinction between natural law and positivism
- Peace of Westphalia 1648
Reduces power of transnational forces like empire and religion,
compartmentalize territory and individuals into sovereign states
Over time established state as primary source of authority, start of increasing
sense of allegiance among citizens to their respective states of nationality
Concept of sovereignty by first Bodin, later Hobbes and Locke
- 19th century: positivism
Consent: State gives consent to what laws/rules apply to them (written)
Emergence of more formal rules and international institutions, decolonisation
- 20th and 21st century
Interwar period: league of nations, treaty of Paris
After war: UN, IOs, ILC,
Also IMF, GATT WTO, NATO
EEC EU, also ECHR and ECtHR
OAS and IACHR
- Present
Liberal international legal order shows signs of break-up because of global
transformation/globalisation (from 1989)
Multiplication of actors, global governance
, ___ = articles/convention
___ = Jurisprudence/cases
Structures of international law
- The international law of coexistence
Contains the legal answers to questions that are inherently of interest to
more than one state and required to separate the powers of sovereign states
and thereby uphold peaceful coexistence
Territory, statehood, jurisdiction and immunity, use of force, etc.
Horizontal: sovereign states contact on same level, no higher authority
- The international law of cooperation
Issues that are not inherently of interest to two or more states but which
have nevertheless been turned into matters of international concern through
the adaption of a treaty
International agreements governed by international law
Optional, consensual theory important
International obligation
- Why not/critique:
Can’t be enforced
States will act in their own best interests
Just principles/values
Ineffective because it’s violated all the time
But Louis Henkin: ‘almost all nations observe almost all principles of
international law and almost all of their obligations almost all the time’
- Why do
Desire for order and predictability over chaos
James Brierly 1963
Consent and obedience: sovereign equality of states
Legitimacy: credibility, reputation
Enforcement mechanics: retorsions (diplomatic), contract tit-for-tat
Relationship between international and national law
- International law asserts its own supremacy over national law. 3 ways how:
Monism: single and coherent legal system of international and national law. IL
directly applicable in national legal system (NL)
Dualism: two separate legal systems, operate independently. National
legislation adaption of IL needed to give effect to it (UK)
Pluralism: combination of 2 systems
Issue of enforcement international law
- Done by international organisations, courts and tribunals (human rights, etc.)
- Done by countermeasures (enforcement of breaches international laws, ex. UN
security court can only take counter-measures)
Alleged inadequacy of international law in 21st century
- Existing state-centric configuration of international legal system is outdated and at
times counterproductive to creating a fairer world. Eradication of poverty, etc. is hard
to achieve.
- Not focused on ‘justice’ or making a fairer world
, ___ = articles/convention
___ = Jurisprudence/cases
WEEK 2
Chapter 2
Article 38 ICJ statute
a. International conventions: general or particular
b. International custom law: evidence of general practice accepted as law
c. General principles: recognized by civilized nations
d. Judicial decisions and teaching: subsidiary means of rules of law
International conventions/treaties
- Vienna convention of the law of treaties, 1969
- Definition of treaties VCLT
Art. 2.1(a): any international agreement concluded between states in written
form and governed by IL, whether embodied in a single instrument or in two
or more related instruments and whatever its particular designation
Oral treaties not covered by VCLT
Written agreements not concluded by states, not covered by VCLT
ICJ perspective: not focussed on label, Qatar v. Bahrain ICJ 1994
- Formation of treaties
Negotiations
Adoption of text, who can adopt treaties:
Art. 7(1)(a)(b): a person with full powers or someone considered to
represent state
Art. 7(2): by virtue of function considered to represent state: heads of
state, heads of diplomatic missions, representatives to conferences or
organisations
Consent to be bound art. 11-12 VCLT
3 ways: Signature art. 12/14, Ratification art. 14/16, Accession art. 15
Interim obligation art. 18: state is obliged, to refrain from acts which
would defeat the object and purpose of the treaty
Depository registration of treaties: must be deposited to the UN
- Application of treaties
Application VCLT
Pacta sunt servanda art. 26: every treaty in force is binding upon the
parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith
Presumption of no retroactive application, art. 28
Treaties binding over entire territory of state, art. 29
Relationship between treaties VCLT: specified in treaty art. 30(2)
Lex posterior rule art. 30(3): same parties to both treaties later
treaty prevails in conflict
Lex specialis: art. 103 UN Charter, hierarchy
Interpretation treaty: textual, historical and/or teleological
Reservations to treaties art. 19-23 VCLT
Art. 21(d): unilateral statement … it purports to exclude or to modify
the legal effect of provisions
Art. 19: reservations are not always permitted
Prohibited, specified reservations, object, and purpose (title,
preamble, preparatory work, circumstances, subsequent
practice)
