Public International Law
Tentamen 1
Week 1
/ Understand the history of the development of international law.
pre-greek civilisations: first treaty of settlement of disputes through arbitration.
ancient roman times: origin of certain principles and customs.
colonialism: acquisition of territories, sovereignty, freedom of high seas etc.
catholic church: international institutions, first court trial in 1474.
end of the 16th century: pope’s gradual loss of power.
17th century: birth of the modern international community.
19th century: emergence of formal institutions.
interwar period: emergence of the league of nations.
after the first and second world war: emergence of the UN charter, ICL.
decolonisation period: self-determination.
globalisation 1989: multiplication of actors, global governance.
/ Understand the structure and nature of international law.
The purpose of international law mainly lies in the inadequacy of national law and the dependency of
international communities that is becoming more and more relevant. The main point is to create a
certain environment that will allow coexistence and cooperation between different states.
International law works because of sovereignty and consent. States have supreme power over their
territory and may not be subject to the jurisdiction of other states. Each state has one formal vote
which counts equally. States must consent to be bound by international rules, they can withdraw
from it at any moment in time if or when they find themselves thinking differently than before when
they agreed to certain treaties or any kind of international agreement.
International law is not the same as law. International law can’t be enforced, states will and are
allowed to act in their best interests regardless of the rules. International law is just a collection of
principles and values, not of binding rules. There is no control when it comes to following stated rules
and some even say that it is ineffective because it is violated all the time. Even though rules do not
bind states, they do obey those rules most of the time. Mainly from a desire for order and
predictability over chaos, to create sovereign equality of states, to create credibility among other
states and because of certain enforcement mechanisms.
/ Understand in what respects international law is different from national law, and how it is similar.
International law focuses on relationships between state, national law holds the relationships
between the state and their nationals. National law is therefore binding for they who live in the
nation, international law on the other hand is based on the consent of the state.
/ Understand the difference between monist and dualist systems.
In case of monism, a state has a single and coherent legal system in which international law is directly
applicable in their national legal system. In case of dualism. there are two separate legal systems that
operate independently after which national legislation is needed to give effect to international law.
, Week 2
/ Know the primary sources of international law.
The classical attempt at listing the sources of international law is found in article 38 of the ICJ statute.
a international conventions, whether general or particular, establishing rules expressly recognized by
the contesting states;
b international custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted as law;
c the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations;
d judicial decisions and the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, as
subsidiary means for the determination of rules of law.
/ Able to explain how the consent to be bound is reflected in each of the sources of international law.
As for treaties as well as for customary law, consent of a state is necessary for it to be binding for that
state. Only when it comes to a peremptory norm, jus cogens rule, no consent is needed for it to be a
breach of international obligations if a state does not obey to the rule.
/ Understand the hierarchy of sources of international law.
The international legal system is defined by a large and horizontal legal order. Usually, conflicts
between sources are therefore not resolved by granting one of the sources a higher normative value
than the other but by determining which of the conflicting norms prevails in the particular case.
In practice however, all legal systems have norms of greater importance. The first relates to jus
cogens, a norm that is accepted and reorganized by the international community of states as a whole
as a norm from which no derogation is permitted. The second exemption concerns obligations erga
omnes, which are normatively superior in the sense that they are owed to the international
community as a whole. The final category is obligations under the UN character. After that, all the
other rules will apply of the same importance.
/ Understand the legal nature of customary international law.
The absence of an international law-maker has made custom a particularly important source of
international law and many well-known legal principles are derived from common usage and
interstate practice. International customary law arises when a particular way of behaving is followed
as a general practice among states and accepted by those states as legally binding. A customary rule
binds all states, including those who have not taken part in the formation of the practice. Customary
international law is being recognized when state practice, doing or saying certain things which imply
that you find it law, and opinio juris, believe that practice is required by legal obligation, exist.
Conceptually, state practice can be divided into three elements, consistency, duration and generality.
The element of consistency requires that practice is reasonably uniform. As for duration, practice
generally evolves slowly and gradually over time, often through years of repeated behaviour. As for
generality, practice should include the majority of relevant states. However, state practice only
creates legally binding custom when it is accepted as law.
/ Understand the legal nature of treaty law.
A treaty is an international agreement governed by international law concluded by two or more
international subjects with treaty-making capacity. The adoption of a treaty reflects a will to apply
Tentamen 1
Week 1
/ Understand the history of the development of international law.
pre-greek civilisations: first treaty of settlement of disputes through arbitration.
ancient roman times: origin of certain principles and customs.
colonialism: acquisition of territories, sovereignty, freedom of high seas etc.
catholic church: international institutions, first court trial in 1474.
end of the 16th century: pope’s gradual loss of power.
17th century: birth of the modern international community.
19th century: emergence of formal institutions.
interwar period: emergence of the league of nations.
after the first and second world war: emergence of the UN charter, ICL.
decolonisation period: self-determination.
globalisation 1989: multiplication of actors, global governance.
/ Understand the structure and nature of international law.
The purpose of international law mainly lies in the inadequacy of national law and the dependency of
international communities that is becoming more and more relevant. The main point is to create a
certain environment that will allow coexistence and cooperation between different states.
International law works because of sovereignty and consent. States have supreme power over their
territory and may not be subject to the jurisdiction of other states. Each state has one formal vote
which counts equally. States must consent to be bound by international rules, they can withdraw
from it at any moment in time if or when they find themselves thinking differently than before when
they agreed to certain treaties or any kind of international agreement.
International law is not the same as law. International law can’t be enforced, states will and are
allowed to act in their best interests regardless of the rules. International law is just a collection of
principles and values, not of binding rules. There is no control when it comes to following stated rules
and some even say that it is ineffective because it is violated all the time. Even though rules do not
bind states, they do obey those rules most of the time. Mainly from a desire for order and
predictability over chaos, to create sovereign equality of states, to create credibility among other
states and because of certain enforcement mechanisms.
/ Understand in what respects international law is different from national law, and how it is similar.
International law focuses on relationships between state, national law holds the relationships
between the state and their nationals. National law is therefore binding for they who live in the
nation, international law on the other hand is based on the consent of the state.
/ Understand the difference between monist and dualist systems.
In case of monism, a state has a single and coherent legal system in which international law is directly
applicable in their national legal system. In case of dualism. there are two separate legal systems that
operate independently after which national legislation is needed to give effect to international law.
, Week 2
/ Know the primary sources of international law.
The classical attempt at listing the sources of international law is found in article 38 of the ICJ statute.
a international conventions, whether general or particular, establishing rules expressly recognized by
the contesting states;
b international custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted as law;
c the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations;
d judicial decisions and the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, as
subsidiary means for the determination of rules of law.
/ Able to explain how the consent to be bound is reflected in each of the sources of international law.
As for treaties as well as for customary law, consent of a state is necessary for it to be binding for that
state. Only when it comes to a peremptory norm, jus cogens rule, no consent is needed for it to be a
breach of international obligations if a state does not obey to the rule.
/ Understand the hierarchy of sources of international law.
The international legal system is defined by a large and horizontal legal order. Usually, conflicts
between sources are therefore not resolved by granting one of the sources a higher normative value
than the other but by determining which of the conflicting norms prevails in the particular case.
In practice however, all legal systems have norms of greater importance. The first relates to jus
cogens, a norm that is accepted and reorganized by the international community of states as a whole
as a norm from which no derogation is permitted. The second exemption concerns obligations erga
omnes, which are normatively superior in the sense that they are owed to the international
community as a whole. The final category is obligations under the UN character. After that, all the
other rules will apply of the same importance.
/ Understand the legal nature of customary international law.
The absence of an international law-maker has made custom a particularly important source of
international law and many well-known legal principles are derived from common usage and
interstate practice. International customary law arises when a particular way of behaving is followed
as a general practice among states and accepted by those states as legally binding. A customary rule
binds all states, including those who have not taken part in the formation of the practice. Customary
international law is being recognized when state practice, doing or saying certain things which imply
that you find it law, and opinio juris, believe that practice is required by legal obligation, exist.
Conceptually, state practice can be divided into three elements, consistency, duration and generality.
The element of consistency requires that practice is reasonably uniform. As for duration, practice
generally evolves slowly and gradually over time, often through years of repeated behaviour. As for
generality, practice should include the majority of relevant states. However, state practice only
creates legally binding custom when it is accepted as law.
/ Understand the legal nature of treaty law.
A treaty is an international agreement governed by international law concluded by two or more
international subjects with treaty-making capacity. The adoption of a treaty reflects a will to apply
