2017
International and
European Law
YEAR 2 – COURSE PERIOD 1
ATTENTION: NO MEETING 6
,Table of Contents
PART 1: INTERNATIONAL LAW
Meeting 1. Sources of International Law p. 3 - 6
Meeting 2. International Persons p. 7 - 12
Meeting 3. Jurisdiction and Immunities p. 13 - 15
Meeting 4. Use of Force p. 16 - 17
Meeting 5. State Responsibility & Treatment of Non-Nationals p. 18 - 20
Meeting 6. International Dispute Settlement p. 21
PART 2: EUROPEAN LAW
Meeting 7. The European Union in the world p. 22 - 23
Meeting 8. Legislation and Legality p. 24 - 26
Meeting 9. Application and Interpretation of EU Law p. 27 - 31
Meeting 10. Free Movement of Goods and Services p. 32
Meeting 11. Free Movement of Persons p. 33 - 35
Meeting 12. Competition Law p. 36
Meeting 13. Evaluate p. 37
Meeting 14. Spare meeting; Question & Answers; Exam revision p. 37
2
,PART 1: INTERNATIONAL LAW
Meeting 1. Sources of International Law
Introduction – Pre-discuss task 1 and 2
Task 1 Fishing Issues
1. What are the legal effects of a unilateral statement?
A statement made by one State does nog bound the other States
2. What is the difference between a resolution and a treaty?
A treaty is binding to the party, but a resolution is not bounded. Unless intern.
3. What are the international sources?
a. Treaties and conventions: are only binding for the parties themselves
b. International custom: are in principle binding all the states
c. General principle of law: may be binding when a point is not settled either by
a treaty or custom (to fill the gaps in international law can never conflict
with treaties and customary law)
d. The subsidiary sources of juridical decisions and legal teachings
4. What is the hierarchy of the sources and how do we solve conflicts?
a. Jus cogens
b. Treaties and customary law
c. General principles of law
d. Jurisprudence and legal doctrine
5. How is customary law created and how does it change?
o State Practice
o Opinio Juris
State Practice
General Almost all States, but
Special weight given to the practice of those States specifically
affected (North Sea Continental Shelf Case)
Persistent objector is not bound (Anglo Norwegian Fisheries case)
Also local or regional customary law is possible (Asylum case)
Duration No set time period, but 3 years may be enough (NSCS Case)
Consistent and uniform Consistent consistency not necessary, rules can be broken.
Violation may confirm or even strengthen a rule of customary law if:
The perpetrator justifies its actions
Other states regard the action as a violation (Nicaragua case)
3
, Opinio Juris
It is the belief that the rule is binding. Determined by looking at national law and
jurisprudence, statement/ speeches, voting behaviour in the General Assembly A
psychological element
You can copy a customary law in a treaty, but the customary law will till exist as a back
up plan
6. What is ius cogens?
It is a norm form which no derogation is permitted and which can be amended only by
a new general norm of international law of the same value. The only references to
peremptory norms in positive law are found in the VCLT. Art. 53 VCLT, concerning
treaties between States, provides that a treaty will be void if at the time of its
conclusion, it conflicts with a peremptory norm of general international law. Such a
norm is defined by the VCLT as one ‘accepted and recognized by the international
community of states as a whole as a norm from which no derogation is permitted and
which can be modified only by a subsequent norm having the same character. (p. 142
Evans)
7. Can a state extend their fishing boarders without the permission of other States just
like that?
Yes, they can, unless it is against a treaty or customary law (= persistent objector)
Persistent objector: form the beginning they repeatedly objected against the new
customary law.
8. What can the UN Security Council do about it?
The UN Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of
force to maintain or restore international peace and security
9. What is a veto at the UN Security Council?
There a 5 permanent members, those 5 members all have the power of veto. It enables
them to prevent adoption of any resolutions
10. What does signing and ratifying a resolution mean? What happens when some
countries do and some don’t? How do treaties come to existence?
The rules of a treaty only apply when you talk about an agreement between States.
1. First of all, you need full powers (art. 7 VCLT)
2. Common procedure;
Negotiation (government, they also sign it)
Signature (by someone with full powers)
Consent to be bound by a treaty (11+12+17 VCLT) + ratification
Entry into force
3. national law
1. Negotiation 2. signature 4. consent to be bound (ratification) 5. entry
4
, Signing a resolution happens at big conferences where the world leaders come
together. At the end there is a text for a treaty. This text is signed by someone with full
powers a signature indicates that the delegates have agreed upon the text and are
willing to accept it (Article 12 VCLT)
Before ratifying resolution, the State isn’t bound yet. Ratification is the formal act that
bounds the State. Example the parliament had to approve the treaty conforms to
the democratic principle that the government should consult public opinion either in
parliament or elsewhere before finally approving a treaty.
Ratification A formal, solemn act of the part of a Head of State through which
approval is given and commitment to fulfil its obligation is undertaken, although the
significance of the act at the international level has changed over time. Ratification is
unconditional and, unless the treaty in question provides otherwise, is not dependent
on the receipt or deposit of instrument or ratification by other States articles 19-
21 VCLT
CASE QUESTION
Taking into account the sources of international law, and ignoring any substantive
rights or obligations under the law of the sea not specified in problem, do States B,
C and G have a right, in 2007, fort heir vessels to fish between 12 and 200 miles from
State A’s coast? If not, when did they lose the right?
No. There has been a rule of customary law since 1999.
State B and C start already with objecting in the beginning. They don’t object towards
D E F and G, but maybe it is less important to them.
State B obtained in the General Assembly Resolution. He has signed it but not ratified
it (there is an intention to be bound in the future, but they are not bound yet). Its
position is becoming weaker (they have signed it).
State G started too late (Yes, they voted against the General Assembly Resolution but
they should have started in the beginning, in 1990)
State C is a persistent objector. This means they are not bound by the customary rule
and they are still allowed to fish in the fishery zone of State A.
Task 2 Cross-eyed Parrots
1. Definition of a treaty
Art. 2 (2) VCLT defines treaty as: “an international agreement concluded between
states in written form and governed by international law, whether embodied in a single
instrument or in two or more related instruments and whatever its particular
designation.”
2. How does a treaty end?
When States party to the treaty wants to end it
5
International and
European Law
YEAR 2 – COURSE PERIOD 1
ATTENTION: NO MEETING 6
,Table of Contents
PART 1: INTERNATIONAL LAW
Meeting 1. Sources of International Law p. 3 - 6
Meeting 2. International Persons p. 7 - 12
Meeting 3. Jurisdiction and Immunities p. 13 - 15
Meeting 4. Use of Force p. 16 - 17
Meeting 5. State Responsibility & Treatment of Non-Nationals p. 18 - 20
Meeting 6. International Dispute Settlement p. 21
PART 2: EUROPEAN LAW
Meeting 7. The European Union in the world p. 22 - 23
Meeting 8. Legislation and Legality p. 24 - 26
Meeting 9. Application and Interpretation of EU Law p. 27 - 31
Meeting 10. Free Movement of Goods and Services p. 32
Meeting 11. Free Movement of Persons p. 33 - 35
Meeting 12. Competition Law p. 36
Meeting 13. Evaluate p. 37
Meeting 14. Spare meeting; Question & Answers; Exam revision p. 37
2
,PART 1: INTERNATIONAL LAW
Meeting 1. Sources of International Law
Introduction – Pre-discuss task 1 and 2
Task 1 Fishing Issues
1. What are the legal effects of a unilateral statement?
A statement made by one State does nog bound the other States
2. What is the difference between a resolution and a treaty?
A treaty is binding to the party, but a resolution is not bounded. Unless intern.
3. What are the international sources?
a. Treaties and conventions: are only binding for the parties themselves
b. International custom: are in principle binding all the states
c. General principle of law: may be binding when a point is not settled either by
a treaty or custom (to fill the gaps in international law can never conflict
with treaties and customary law)
d. The subsidiary sources of juridical decisions and legal teachings
4. What is the hierarchy of the sources and how do we solve conflicts?
a. Jus cogens
b. Treaties and customary law
c. General principles of law
d. Jurisprudence and legal doctrine
5. How is customary law created and how does it change?
o State Practice
o Opinio Juris
State Practice
General Almost all States, but
Special weight given to the practice of those States specifically
affected (North Sea Continental Shelf Case)
Persistent objector is not bound (Anglo Norwegian Fisheries case)
Also local or regional customary law is possible (Asylum case)
Duration No set time period, but 3 years may be enough (NSCS Case)
Consistent and uniform Consistent consistency not necessary, rules can be broken.
Violation may confirm or even strengthen a rule of customary law if:
The perpetrator justifies its actions
Other states regard the action as a violation (Nicaragua case)
3
, Opinio Juris
It is the belief that the rule is binding. Determined by looking at national law and
jurisprudence, statement/ speeches, voting behaviour in the General Assembly A
psychological element
You can copy a customary law in a treaty, but the customary law will till exist as a back
up plan
6. What is ius cogens?
It is a norm form which no derogation is permitted and which can be amended only by
a new general norm of international law of the same value. The only references to
peremptory norms in positive law are found in the VCLT. Art. 53 VCLT, concerning
treaties between States, provides that a treaty will be void if at the time of its
conclusion, it conflicts with a peremptory norm of general international law. Such a
norm is defined by the VCLT as one ‘accepted and recognized by the international
community of states as a whole as a norm from which no derogation is permitted and
which can be modified only by a subsequent norm having the same character. (p. 142
Evans)
7. Can a state extend their fishing boarders without the permission of other States just
like that?
Yes, they can, unless it is against a treaty or customary law (= persistent objector)
Persistent objector: form the beginning they repeatedly objected against the new
customary law.
8. What can the UN Security Council do about it?
The UN Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of
force to maintain or restore international peace and security
9. What is a veto at the UN Security Council?
There a 5 permanent members, those 5 members all have the power of veto. It enables
them to prevent adoption of any resolutions
10. What does signing and ratifying a resolution mean? What happens when some
countries do and some don’t? How do treaties come to existence?
The rules of a treaty only apply when you talk about an agreement between States.
1. First of all, you need full powers (art. 7 VCLT)
2. Common procedure;
Negotiation (government, they also sign it)
Signature (by someone with full powers)
Consent to be bound by a treaty (11+12+17 VCLT) + ratification
Entry into force
3. national law
1. Negotiation 2. signature 4. consent to be bound (ratification) 5. entry
4
, Signing a resolution happens at big conferences where the world leaders come
together. At the end there is a text for a treaty. This text is signed by someone with full
powers a signature indicates that the delegates have agreed upon the text and are
willing to accept it (Article 12 VCLT)
Before ratifying resolution, the State isn’t bound yet. Ratification is the formal act that
bounds the State. Example the parliament had to approve the treaty conforms to
the democratic principle that the government should consult public opinion either in
parliament or elsewhere before finally approving a treaty.
Ratification A formal, solemn act of the part of a Head of State through which
approval is given and commitment to fulfil its obligation is undertaken, although the
significance of the act at the international level has changed over time. Ratification is
unconditional and, unless the treaty in question provides otherwise, is not dependent
on the receipt or deposit of instrument or ratification by other States articles 19-
21 VCLT
CASE QUESTION
Taking into account the sources of international law, and ignoring any substantive
rights or obligations under the law of the sea not specified in problem, do States B,
C and G have a right, in 2007, fort heir vessels to fish between 12 and 200 miles from
State A’s coast? If not, when did they lose the right?
No. There has been a rule of customary law since 1999.
State B and C start already with objecting in the beginning. They don’t object towards
D E F and G, but maybe it is less important to them.
State B obtained in the General Assembly Resolution. He has signed it but not ratified
it (there is an intention to be bound in the future, but they are not bound yet). Its
position is becoming weaker (they have signed it).
State G started too late (Yes, they voted against the General Assembly Resolution but
they should have started in the beginning, in 1990)
State C is a persistent objector. This means they are not bound by the customary rule
and they are still allowed to fish in the fishery zone of State A.
Task 2 Cross-eyed Parrots
1. Definition of a treaty
Art. 2 (2) VCLT defines treaty as: “an international agreement concluded between
states in written form and governed by international law, whether embodied in a single
instrument or in two or more related instruments and whatever its particular
designation.”
2. How does a treaty end?
When States party to the treaty wants to end it
5
