INTRODUCTION TO
INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN
LAW
PART I: INTERNATIONAL LAW
ISABELL GÖTTMANN
Y1 Q3
IEL `22
,Table of Contents
WEEK I: SUBJECTS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW / SOVEREIGNTY........................................................................3
LECTURE AND READING....................................................................................................................................3
WORKSHOP I...............................................................................................................................................16
ASSIGNMENT 1: RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO................................................................................................................16
ASSIGNMENT 2: ‘CYBERLAND’.................................................................................................................................17
WEEK II: SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW...............................................................................................19
LECTURE AND READING..................................................................................................................................19
WORKSHOP II..............................................................................................................................................31
SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW............................................................................................................................31
TREATY LAW MAKING............................................................................................................................................31
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.......................................................................................32
WEEK III – INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.............................................................................................34
WORKSHOP III.............................................................................................................................................44
MEANS OF DISPUTE SETTLEMENT.............................................................................................................................44
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE....................................................................................................................45
WEEK IV – JURISDICTION AND IMMUNITIES................................................................................................47
WORKSHOP IV.............................................................................................................................................53
IMMUNITY...........................................................................................................................................................53
IMMUNITY OF STATE..............................................................................................................................................53
IMMUNITIES OF HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS.................................................................................................................54
DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES.......................................................................................................................................54
DIPLOMATIC PREMISES...........................................................................................................................................55
WEEK V – STATE RESPONSIBILITY & INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW.........................................................57
WORKSHOP V..............................................................................................................................................67
RESPONSIBILITY OF STATES......................................................................................................................................67
RESPONSIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS IN ICL.....................................................................................................................69
WEEK VI – INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW......................................................................................71
WORKSHOP VI.............................................................................................................................................82
HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES.......................................................................................................................................82
1
,WEEK VII – RECAP.......................................................................................................................................84
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PERSONALITY.................................................................................................................84
THE MONTEVIDEO CRITERIA............................................................................................................................84
THE LOTUS PRINCIPLE.....................................................................................................................................85
STATUTE OF THE ICJ, ART. 38 (1).....................................................................................................................85
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES................................................................................................................................86
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS......................................................................................................................87
JURISDICTIONS..............................................................................................................................................87
IMMUNITY...................................................................................................................................................88
STATE RESPONSIBILITY....................................................................................................................................89
JURISDICTION OF THE ICC................................................................................................................................89
HUMAN RIGHTS............................................................................................................................................90
WORKSHOP VII: EXAM QUESTION EXAMPLES......................................................................................................91
2
, Week I: Subjects of International Law /
Sovereignty
International law governs relations between independent states. The rules of
law binding upon states therefore emanate from their own free will as
expressed in conventions or by usages generally accepted as expressing
principles of law and established to regulate the relations between these co-
existing independent communities or with a view to the achievement of
common aims. Restrictions upon the independence of states cannot therefore
be presumed.
Lecture and Reading
What is public international law?
Law made by states to regulate their interactions with each other
Public international law primarily regulates the conduct of states
International law is not centralised, horizontal legal order
Structure of equal states all states are equal no matter the difference no
hierarchy!
o BUT Security Council has the authority to issue binding regulations
o semi-governmental authority (use of this authority is rather
exceptional)
Neither a legislative nor executive branch in international legal system
No mandatory or well-established procedure for the settlement of legal disputes
decentralized system
primarily up to legal subjects to create, interpret and enforce the law
Historical development
‘Classical’ international law begins in the 15th century in the Medieval Europe
Characterised by multiple levels of different allegiances & rights & obligations
Discovery of the new world
o European legal structure was not like today
o Divided into multiple communities
Characterised by legal pluralism
3
INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN
LAW
PART I: INTERNATIONAL LAW
ISABELL GÖTTMANN
Y1 Q3
IEL `22
,Table of Contents
WEEK I: SUBJECTS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW / SOVEREIGNTY........................................................................3
LECTURE AND READING....................................................................................................................................3
WORKSHOP I...............................................................................................................................................16
ASSIGNMENT 1: RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO................................................................................................................16
ASSIGNMENT 2: ‘CYBERLAND’.................................................................................................................................17
WEEK II: SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW...............................................................................................19
LECTURE AND READING..................................................................................................................................19
WORKSHOP II..............................................................................................................................................31
SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW............................................................................................................................31
TREATY LAW MAKING............................................................................................................................................31
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.......................................................................................32
WEEK III – INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.............................................................................................34
WORKSHOP III.............................................................................................................................................44
MEANS OF DISPUTE SETTLEMENT.............................................................................................................................44
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE....................................................................................................................45
WEEK IV – JURISDICTION AND IMMUNITIES................................................................................................47
WORKSHOP IV.............................................................................................................................................53
IMMUNITY...........................................................................................................................................................53
IMMUNITY OF STATE..............................................................................................................................................53
IMMUNITIES OF HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS.................................................................................................................54
DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES.......................................................................................................................................54
DIPLOMATIC PREMISES...........................................................................................................................................55
WEEK V – STATE RESPONSIBILITY & INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW.........................................................57
WORKSHOP V..............................................................................................................................................67
RESPONSIBILITY OF STATES......................................................................................................................................67
RESPONSIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS IN ICL.....................................................................................................................69
WEEK VI – INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW......................................................................................71
WORKSHOP VI.............................................................................................................................................82
HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES.......................................................................................................................................82
1
,WEEK VII – RECAP.......................................................................................................................................84
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PERSONALITY.................................................................................................................84
THE MONTEVIDEO CRITERIA............................................................................................................................84
THE LOTUS PRINCIPLE.....................................................................................................................................85
STATUTE OF THE ICJ, ART. 38 (1).....................................................................................................................85
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES................................................................................................................................86
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS......................................................................................................................87
JURISDICTIONS..............................................................................................................................................87
IMMUNITY...................................................................................................................................................88
STATE RESPONSIBILITY....................................................................................................................................89
JURISDICTION OF THE ICC................................................................................................................................89
HUMAN RIGHTS............................................................................................................................................90
WORKSHOP VII: EXAM QUESTION EXAMPLES......................................................................................................91
2
, Week I: Subjects of International Law /
Sovereignty
International law governs relations between independent states. The rules of
law binding upon states therefore emanate from their own free will as
expressed in conventions or by usages generally accepted as expressing
principles of law and established to regulate the relations between these co-
existing independent communities or with a view to the achievement of
common aims. Restrictions upon the independence of states cannot therefore
be presumed.
Lecture and Reading
What is public international law?
Law made by states to regulate their interactions with each other
Public international law primarily regulates the conduct of states
International law is not centralised, horizontal legal order
Structure of equal states all states are equal no matter the difference no
hierarchy!
o BUT Security Council has the authority to issue binding regulations
o semi-governmental authority (use of this authority is rather
exceptional)
Neither a legislative nor executive branch in international legal system
No mandatory or well-established procedure for the settlement of legal disputes
decentralized system
primarily up to legal subjects to create, interpret and enforce the law
Historical development
‘Classical’ international law begins in the 15th century in the Medieval Europe
Characterised by multiple levels of different allegiances & rights & obligations
Discovery of the new world
o European legal structure was not like today
o Divided into multiple communities
Characterised by legal pluralism
3
