international week 2

Question 1

Lotus principle, PCIJ (1927)

Answer 1

sovereign States may act in any way they wish so long as they do not contravene international law

Question 2

Primary rules

Answer 2

international legal rules that limit State conduct

Question 3

Secondary rules

Answer 3

international legal “rules about rules” - how to make, interpret, change, apply and enforce primary rules

Question 4

Elements of an internationally wrongful act of a State

Answer 4

There is an internationally wrongful act of a State when conduct consisting of an action or omission:
a. is attributable to the State under international law; and
b. constitutes a breach of an international obligation of the State.

Question 5

Breach of obligation

Answer 5

1. International obligation
2. Of a State
3. Act or omission
4. Breach of international obligation
5. Breach occurred when obligation existed

Question 6

Attribution

Answer 6

legal link between abstract State and individual conduct that breaches international law;
- act of any state organ
- act of any governmental authority

In both cases: individual must act in official capacity
attribution is possible even if ultra vires

Question 7

ultra vires

Answer 7

Als een overheidsorgaan een handeling verricht waartoe zij eigenlijk geen bevoegdheid heeft.

Question 8

De algemeen regel is dat Staten niet verantwoordelijk zijn voor private individuen. Wat zijn de uitzonderingen?

Answer 8

• Individual is instructed by the State, acts in official capacity and conduct not ultra vires
• Individual is under the State’s effective control, acts in official capacity and conduct is not ultra vires
• Individual acts as government where it is absent
• Individual opposes the government but then becomes the government
• State acknowledges and adopts conduct of the individual

Question 9

Effective Control

Answer 9

evidence of factual control over specific conduct Instructiebevoegdheid.(Nicaragua ICJ Case).

Question 10

Consequences of State responsibility

Answer 10

• Consequences are not punishment
• Duty of performance
• Duty to cease (stop) the internationally wrongful act
• Assure and guarantee non-repetition
• Duty of full reparation (with interest) for material and moral injury
• Countermeasures
  Can be combined

Question 11

Three forms of reparation

Answer 11

1. Restitution: “re-establish the situation which existed before the wrongful act was committed”
   - two exceptions: impossible or burden disproportionate to benefit
2. Compensation: “financially assessable damage” caused
3. Satisfaction: for injury that cannot be repaired by restitution or compensation
   - Two exceptions: cannot be disproportionate to injury or humiliating to responsible State

Question 12

Injured State

Answer 12

Injured State can invoke responsibility of another State;
1. Breached duty owed to individual State
2. Breached duty owed to a group of States, including that State (e.g. multilateral treaty)
3. Duty is owed to all States (erga omnes)

If duty owed to a group of States or all States (2 or 3), injured State invoking responsibility of another State must be specially affected by the breach or the breach radically changes the position of all States to which the duty is owed

Question 13

Serious breach + Three consequences for all States

Answer 13

gross or systematic failure” to respect or perform jus cogens duty;
1. Cooperate to lawfully end breach
2. Non-recognition
3. Duty not to aid or assist in maintaining the situation

Question 14

circumstances precluding wrongfulness

Answer 14

Consent
Self-defense;
- use of force
Lawful countermeasures
Force Majeure
Distress
Necessity
- not use of force

Question 15

Multilateral sanction

Answer 15

measure taken by an international organization to restore international legality (eg. sanctions by the UNSC)

Question 16

Unilateral sanction

Answer 16

any coercive measure taken by a single state in reaction to an unlawful act committed against it (form of self-help)

Question 17

consent

Answer 17

eg. disaster relief teams
- including use of force
Consider whether;
did the individual providing consent have the authority to do so and was it performed in good faith?

Question 18

self-defense

Answer 18

Always refers to an act which would otherwise be a breach of the prohibition of the use of force

Question 19

force majeure

Answer 19

• materially impossible in the circumstances to perform the obligation

The State must not have contributed to the emergence of this situation

Question 20

distress

Answer 20

• Always involves the possibility of a loss of life.
• The State must not have contributed to the emergence of this situation.
• The breach of an international obligation may not lead to comparable of greater peril than if it had not breached this obligation.

Question 21

necessity

Answer 21

• Any essential interest.
• The State must not have contributed to the emergence of this situation.
• The State must show that breaching the international obligation was the best means to protect this essential interest.

Question 22

Countermeasures

Answer 22

1. against a State which is responsible for an internationally wrongful act in order to induce that State to comply with its obligations
2. limited to the non-performance for the time being
3. permit the resumption of performance

Countermeasures kunnen alleen worden ingezet tegen een Staat die verantwoordelijk is voor een internationale OD om deze Staat te stimuleren om zijn internationale verplichtingen na te komen. Ook moeten Countermeasures altijd tijdelijk zijn en bij voorkeur moeten ze ook kunnen worden teruggedraaid. Er moet geen onherstelbare schade worden toegebracht aan de verantwoordelijke Staat.

Question 23

Countermeasures shall not affect:

Answer 23

1. treat or use of force
2. fundamental human rights
3. humanitarian character = aanvallen gericht op wraak
4. peremptory norms (jus cogens)

Question 24

countermeasures proportionality

Answer 24

Countermeasures must be commensurate with the injury suffered, taking into account the gravity of the internationally wrongful act and the rights in question. = Aan de hand van de Schade van de benadeelde Staat, al het toepasselijke recht en de zwaarte van de internationale OD moet de juiste Countermeasure worden gekozen.

Question 25

The State taking the countermeasure must:

Answer 25

Process;
1. first call upon the responsible State to fulfil its obligations,
2. notify the responsible State of any decision to take countermeasures,
3. and offer to negotiate with that State.

Question 26

Termination countermeasures

Answer 26

as soon as the responsible State has complied with its obligations under international law = Countermeasures mogen niet worden genomen als de internationale OD is gestopt

Question 27

Het International Court of Justice

Answer 27

hoofdtaak het oplossen van geschillen tussen Staten.

Het is een principieel (niet het enige) en permanent gerechtelijk orgaan van de UN.

Question 28

Contentious Cases

Answer 28

geschillen tussen Staten. States whose rights and duties form the basis of the dispute must consent to the ICJ deciding the case

Question 29

Before the dispute exists

Answer 29

1. Treaty provisions
2. Declaration of compulsory jurisdiction

Question 30

After the dispute exists

Answer 30

3. Special agreement; Staten stellen het geschil gezamenlijk op
4. Forum prorogatum; Staat keurt het goed dat een andere Staat de Staat heeft voorgebracht voor het ICJ.

Question 31

Advisory opinions

Answer 31

Not legally binding but carry legal weight and contribute to clarifying the law. Internationale organisaties kunnen geen partij zijn bij contentious cases, maar wel advies geven. Niet-betrokken Staten kunnen dit ook doen.

Question 32

provisional measures

Answer 32

legally binding