Samenvatting International Law II

LawstudentatVUB 2024-2025



Notes: International Law II
Inhoud
Intro, set-up & methodology of International Law ...................................................................................... 6
I. Methodology: in general ........................................................................................................................ 6
II. Research questions ................................................................................................................................ 7
III. Primary and secondary sources of international law ........................................................................... 7
IV. Mandatory readings ............................................................................................................................. 8
Wouters et al. – International Law. A European Perspective (C1) ......................................................... 8
Lieblich – How to do research in International law, a basic guide for beginners .................................. 9
Module 2: Sources of International Law (General) .................................................................................... 10
I. Introductory remarks............................................................................................................................ 10
Horizontal structure of international society and the problem of sources .......................................... 10
II. Sources of International Law ............................................................................................................... 11
Formal sources: ICJ Statute.................................................................................................................. 12
Formal (primary?) sources ................................................................................................................... 13
III. Treaties ............................................................................................................................................... 30
Interpreting treaty ............................................................................................................................... 31
Methods of interpretation ................................................................................................................... 33
Rules of interpretation ......................................................................................................................... 34
IV. Other sources of International law (subsidiary sources) .................................................................... 35
General principles of Law .................................................................................................................... 35
Judicial Decisions ................................................................................................................................. 36
V. Mandatory readings ............................................................................................................................ 36
Thirlway – The sources of International law........................................................................................ 36
Draft conclusions on Identification of Customary international law, with commentaries .................. 37
Module 2: Sources of International law (Case studies, based on the presentations) .............................. 38
I. Case (Colombia vs. Peru) Haya de la Torre. 1951 ................................................................................. 38
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 38
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 38
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 38
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 38
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 39

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Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 39
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 40
II. Case (Portugal vs. India) Right of passage over Indian territory. 1960 ................................................ 40
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 40
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 40
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 41
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 41
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 41
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 42
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 43
III. Case (United Kingdom vs. Norway) Fisheries case. 1951 ................................................................... 44
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 44
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 44
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 44
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 44
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 45
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 45
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 45
IV. Case (Botswana vs. Namibia) Kasikili/Sedu Island. 1999 .................................................................... 46
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 46
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 46
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 46
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 46
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 47
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 47
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 48
Module 4: Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (General) ..................................... 49
I. The Notion of Responsibility in International Law ............................................................................... 49
II. The objective element of the intentionally wrongful act .................................................................... 50
The breach of an international obligation ........................................................................................... 50
Responsibility without breach?............................................................................................................ 52
Accountability and collective responsibility ......................................................................................... 53
III. The subjective element of the internationally wrongful act .............................................................. 53

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ARSIWA ................................................................................................................................................ 53
Attribution of an international wrongful act ....................................................................................... 54
Attribution of private acts.................................................................................................................... 57
Effective control upheld ....................................................................................................................... 67
IV. The new obligation arising from international responsibility ............................................................. 67
Cessation ............................................................................................................................................. 67
Reparation ........................................................................................................................................... 70
V. Serious breach of obligation under jus cogens norms......................................................................... 73
Module 4: Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (Case studies) .............................. 74
I. Nicaragua case (Nicaragua v. USA) concerning military and paramilitary activities in and against
Nicaragua. 1986 ....................................................................................................................................... 74
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 74
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 74
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 75
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 75
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 75
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 76
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 77
II. Appeal judgement (Prosecutor v. Dusko Tadic). 1999 ......................................................................... 77
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 77
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 77
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 78
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 78
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 78
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 79
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 80
III. Case (Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro) concerning application of the convention
on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. 2007 ...................................................... 80
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 80
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 80
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 81
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 81
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 81
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 83

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Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 83
IV. Case (Republic of Guinea v. Democratic Republic of the Congo). 2012 .............................................. 84
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 84
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 84
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 84
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 84
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 85
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 86
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 86
V. Case (DRC v. Uganda) concerning the armed activities on the territory of Congo. 2022 ................... 86
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 86
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 87
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 87
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 87
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 87
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 88
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 89
VI. Case (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Belgium). 2000 ............................................................... 89
Background .......................................................................................................................................... 89
Identification of the jurisdiction........................................................................................................... 89
Name of the case and the parties........................................................................................................ 90
Facts..................................................................................................................................................... 90
Legal issues .......................................................................................................................................... 90
Critical assessment .............................................................................................................................. 91
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 92
Module 5: Enforcement of International Law (General) ........................................................................... 92
I. Invoking responsibility (exam question) ............................................................................................... 92
Responsibility invoked by the injured State (article 42): in general ..................................................... 92
Responsibility invoked by the injured State: Procedural and Substantive requirements ..................... 94
Responsibility invoked by a State other than an injured State (article 48): in general ...................... 102
II. Obligations erga omnes (partes) ....................................................................................................... 103
III. Countermeasures (not relevant for the exam) ................................................................................. 107
IV. Seeking Justice: International Court and Tribunals........................................................................... 107