CHAPTER 19 INTERNATIONAL LAW

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1 C H A P T E R I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A W International Law consists of rules and principles which govern the relations and dealings of nations with each other. International Law includes the basic, classic concepts of law in national legal systems status, property, obligation and tort. It also includes substantive law, procedure, process and remedies. Public International Law concerns itself only with questions of rights between several nations or nations and the citizens or subjects of other nations, international organizations, and in some cases, movements of national liberation. It involves for instance the United Nations, maritime law, international criminal law and the Geneva conventions. Private International Law deals with controversies between private persons, natural or juridical, arising out of situations having significant relationship to more than one nation. Private International Law is in civil law jurisdictions often called Conflict of laws and it is less international than public international law. It is distinguished from public international law because it governs conflicts between private persons, rather than states (or other international bodies with standing). It concerns the questions of which jurisdiction should be permitted to hear a legal dispute between private parties, and which jurisdictions law should be applied, therefore raising issues of international law. Today corporations are increasingly capable of shifting capital and labor across borders, as well as trading with overseas corporations. This increases the number of disputes of an inter-state nature outside a unified legal framework and raises issues of the enforceability of standard practices. THE SOURCES OF PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW Customary law and conventional law are primary sources of international law. Customary international law results when states follow certain practices generally and consistently out of a sense of legal obligation. It refers to the Law of Nations or the legal norms that have developed through the customary exchanges between states over time, whether based on diplomacy or aggression. Conventional international law derives from international agreements and may take any form that the contracting parties agree upon. International agreements create law for the parties to the agreement. Treaties are agreements between two or more states or other persons with rights and powers equivalent to states. Treaties can be loosely compared to contracts: both are means of willing parties assuming obligations among themselves, and a party to either that fails to live up to their obligations can be held liable under international law for that breach. The central principle of treaty law is expressed in the maxim pacta sunt servanda "pacts must be respected". The U.S. Constitution specifically empowers the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided that two-thirds of the senators present concur. Treaties are classified as either self-executing or executory. An executory treaty requires the enactment of legislation before becoming law, i.e. a change in the domestic law of a state party that will direct or enable it to fulfill treaty obligations is needed. Self-executing treaties become operative without the aid of legislation. When a state becomes a party to a treaty, it immediately puts the treaty and all of its obligations in action. Conventions are agreements sponsored by international organizations. They are adopted by international bodies such as the International Labour Organization and the United Nations. Conventions so adopted usually apply only to countries that ratify them, and do not automatically apply to member states of such bodies. These conventions are generally seen as having the force of international treaties for the ratifying countries. The best known of these are perhaps the several Geneva Conventions. 1

2 Customary and conventional law have equal authority as international law. Parties may assign higher priority to one of the sources by agreement. However, some rules of international law are recognized by the international community as peremptory. A peremptory norm (also called jus cogens or ius cogens) is a fundamental principle of international law which is accepted by the international community of states as a norm from which no derogation is ever permitted. Such rules can be changed or modified only by a subsequent peremptory norm of international law. There is no clear agreement regarding precisely which norms are jus cogens or indeed how a norm reaches the status of jus cogens but it is generally accepted that jus cogens includes the prohibition of genocide, piracy, slaving in general (to include slavery as well as the slave trade), torture, wars of aggression and the prohibition on the use of force by states. General principles common to systems of national law are a secondary source of international law. There are situations where neither conventional nor customary international law can be applicable. In this case a general principle may be invoked as a rule of international law because it is a general principle common to the major legal systems of the world and not inappropriate for international claims. THE UNITED NATIONS (THE U.N.) The U.N., the most influential among international organizations, was created on June 26, The declared purposes of the U.N. are to maintain peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations, to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems, and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of the nations and attaining their common ends. The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, gender equality and the advancement of women, governance, economic and social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations. There are 193 member states, including every internationally recognised sovereign state in the world but Vatican City. The organization has six principal organs: The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 193 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. A reform of the Security Council, including its membership is under consideration. The Economic and Social Council is the principal organ to coordinate the economic, social and related work of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and institutions. 2

3 The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the Organization. It services the other principal organs and carries out tasks as varied as the issues dealt with by the UN: administering peacekeeping operations, surveying economic and social trends, preparing studies on human rights, among others. The United Nations Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories placed under the administration of 7 Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence. The Trusteeship Council suspended operation on 1 November 1994, with the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory, on 1 October By a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to drop the obligation to meet annually and agreed to meet as occasion required. The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in New York. The Court s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. Its official languages are English and French. It may not include more than one judge of any nationality. Elections are held every three years for one-third of the seats, and retiring judges may be re-elected. The Members of the Court do not represent their governments but are independent magistrates. When the Court does not include a judge possessing the nationality of a State party to a case, that State may appoint a person to sit as a judge ad hoc for the purpose of the case. Other prominent UN System agencies include the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The UN's most prominent position is Secretary-General which has been held by Ban Ki-moon of South Korea since VOCABULARY achieve advancement advisory opinion assign higher priority assume an obligation attain clear landmines common ends concur Conflict of laws dosáhnout (čeho) kariérní postup poradní názor připsat větší důležitost převzít závazek dosáhnout (čeho) likvidovat pozemní miny společné cíle souhlasit mezinárodní právo soukromé 3

4 contracting parties convention Conventional law corporation counter terrorism Customary law deliberative derive from derogation disarmament disaster relief domestic law empower enactment of legislation enforceability equal authority establish executory treaty fail to live up to the obligation fulfill gender equality general principles of law genocide harmonizing hold liable humanitarian assistance inappropriate invoke judge ad hoc juridical person jurisdiction law of nations legal framework magistrate maintain peace and security maintenance Maritime law movement of national liberation non-proliferation obligation operative pact peacekeeping peremptory rule/norm piracy Private international law promote property smluvní strany konvence, úmluva, dohoda (mezinárodní) smluvní právo společnost boj s terorismem zvykové/obyčejové právo poradní mít původ v, pramenit z odchýlení se odzbrojení pomoc při katastrofách vnitrostátní právo zmocnit, oprávnit přijetí právního předpisu vykonatelnost, vynutitelnost stejné postavení založit mezinárodní smlouva aplikovatelná prostřednictvím vnitrostátní normy nesplnit závazek splnit rovnost mužů a žen, rovnost pohlaví obecné právní zásady genocida koordinace, slaďování považovat za odpovědného humanitární pomoc nevhodný uplatnit, použít soudce pro tento případ právnická osoba soudní pravomoc, působnost mezinárodní právo právní rámec soudce nižšího soudu udržet mír a bezpečnost udržení námořní právo hnutí za národní osvobození nešíření (zbraní apod.) závazek platný, účinný úmluva, pakt dodržování míru kogentní norma pirátství Mezinárodní právo soukromé podporovat, prosazovat majetek, věc 4

5 Public international law ratify refugee resolution retiring seat Secretary-General self-executing treaty settle legal disputes shift capital and labour slave trade slavery sponsor standing status survey suspend operation sustainable development The Charter of the U.N. The Economic and Social Council The General Assembly The International Labour Organization The Secretariat The Security Council The United Nations The United Nations Trusteeship Council The World Food Programme The World Health Organization tort torture treaty trust territory United Nations Children s Fund willing mezinárodní právo veřejné ratifikovat uprchlík rezoluce odstupující sídlo generální tajemník mezinárodní smlouva, která automaticky a okamžitě vstupuje v platnost urovnat spory přesunout kapitál a práci, pracovní sílu obchod s otroky otroctví předložit, doporučit status, dobré jméno status osoby zkoumat, posoudit, zmapovat pozastavit činnost (trvale) udržitelný rozvoj Charta Spojených národů Ekonomická a sociální rada Valné shromáždění Mezinárodní organizace práce Sekretariát Rada bezpečnosti Organizace spojených národů Poručenská rada OSN Světový potravinový program Světová zdravotnická organizace občanskoprávní delikt, úmyslné porušení práva mučení mezinárodní smlouva/dohoda/ úmluva svěřenecké území Dětský fond OSN ochotný, dobrovolný EXERCISES 1. REVISION OF THE TEXT 1. What are the primary sources of public international law? 2. What does international law consist of? 3. When was the U.N. created? 4. Where can you find the seat of the ICJ? 5. Why is a peremptory norm special? 6. What is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the U.N.? 7. What is the difference between public and private international law? 8. What is the difference between a treaty and a contract? 5

6 9. How many judges is the ICJ composed of? 10. Which U.N. organ is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security? 11. What is a secondary source of international law? 12. What are the purposes of the U.N.? 13. What is the ICJ? 14. What is the difference between executory and self-executing treaties? 15. What is a convention? 16. What is the meaning of the maxim pacta sunt servanda? 2. ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? 1. The International Court of Justice began work on June 26, If states cannot apply conventional or customary international law, they can use general principles of law. 3. The parties to treaties are states. 4. A peremptory norm is not binding and can be easily changed. 5. The seat of the ICJ is in New York. 6. Customs and conventions are on the same level as a source of international law. 7. International law is similar to domestic law. 8. The U.N. Trusteeship Council is still active. 9. An executory treaty becomes immediately operative and doesn t need any new law. 10. The difference between public and private international law is in the parties. 11. A judge ad hoc is a permanent member of the ICJ who participates in settling all cases. 12. States can negotiate treaties among themselves and international organizations introduce conventions which are binding only on those states that ratify them. 13. The term of office of the ICJ judges is 3 years. 14. Ban Ki-moon is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations. 3. MATCH THE TERMS WITH THEIR DEFINITIONS 1. An international agreement in writing between two or more states. 2. An organization created in 1945 to maintain international peace and encourage cooperation between states, based on the sovereign equality of all its members. 3. A practice which has been followed for so long that it has the force of law. 4. A system of law which regulates relations between states. It is a special system of legal rules which is not part of any national system of law. 5. An independent, politically organised community of people living in a fixed part of the world under the authority of a sovereign government. 6. An area of law of each legal system which regulates how to deal with cases involving a foreign element. 7. The main judicial organ of the United Nations which has power to hear disputes relating to international law. 8. Permitting no dispute, alternative or delay. 9. Taking effect immediately without the need for implementing legislation. 10. Concerned with a particular purpose. 6

7 The ICJ The U.N. self-executing treaty peremptory ad hoc International law (Public) state custom Conflict of Laws CHAPTER 19 INTERNATIONAL LAW 4. FORM ADJECTIVES FROM THESE NOUNS advice centre convention home influence nation procedure will principle constitution contract operation friend law custom liability 5. MATCH THE VERBS, PREPOSITIONS AND CZECH TRANSLATIONS DEAL FROM DOHODNOUT SE NA AGREE FROM DOSTÁT (ČEMU) APPLY IN ODLIŠIT OD ARISE IN PRAMENIT Z BASE OF POSTOUPIT, PŘEDAT CAPABLE OF PŘEDLOŽIT, POSTOUPIT COMPARE ON PŘIROVNAT K COMPOSE OUT OF SCHOPNÝ DERIVE TO SKLÁDAT SE Z DISTINGUISH TO TÝKAT SE (ČEHO, KOHO) ESTABLISH TO UMÍSTIT LIVE TO VYPLÝVAT Z LOCATE UP TO ZABÝVAT SE REFER UPON ZALOŽIT (V ROCE) SUBMIT WITH ZALOŽIT (NA ČEM) 6. TRANSLATE THE SENTENCES 1. Mezinárodní obyčej a mezinárodní smlouvy jsou dva základní prameny mezinárodního práva. 7

8 2. Mezinárodní organizace je sdružení států, které vzniklo na základě mezinárodní smlouvy, má trvalou povahu a vlastní orgány. Vůle jejích orgánů nemusí být totožná s vůlí každého členského státu. Mezinárodní organizace má za úkol dosahovat společných cílů. 3. Mezinárodní právo soukromé a procesní je právní odvětví obsahující právní normy, které upravují právní poměry s mezinárodním prvkem v oblasti práva občanského, rodinného, pracovního i obchodního. 4. Mezinárodní právo veřejné je soubor právních norem, které upravují chování států a jiných subjektů mez. práva a jejich vztahy v rámci mezinárodního společenství. 5. Mezinárodní smlouva je ujednání mezi dvěma nebo více subjekty mezinárodního práva. Může jít především o smlouvy mezi státy, dále mezi státy a mezinárodními organizacemi nebo mezinárodními organizacemi navzájem. 6. Mezinárodní soudní dvůr je hlavním soudním orgánem OSN se sídlem v Haagu. Skládá se z 15 nezávislých soudců, znalců mezinárodního práva, kteří jsou voleni na funkční období 9 let Valným shromážděním a Radou bezpečnosti OSN. 7. Kogentní norma v mezinárodním právu je norma obecného mezinárodního práva přijatá a uznaná mezinárodním společenstvím států za normu, od níž není dovoleno se odchýlit a která může být pozměněna pouze novou normou obecného mezinárodního práva stejné povahy. 8

9 7. FILL IN THE GAPS IN THE SENTENCES WITH APPROPRIATE FORMS OF THE VERBS FROM THE BOX BELOW 1. The role of the ICJ is to legal disputes submitted to it by States. 2. The U.S. Constitution the President to make treaties. 3. Private International Law is Conflict of laws. 4. A peremptory norm is a norm from which no derogation is ever. 5. Elections are every three years for one-third of the seats. 6. Conventions are agreements by international organizations. 7. The U.N. was on June 26, There are situations where neither conventional nor customary international law can be. Apply Call Create Empower Hold Permit Settle Sponsor 9

10 Sources: Právnický slovník, Prof. JUDr. Dušan Hendrych kolektiv Chromá, M.: Introduction to Legal English I (Karolinum, Praha 2003) 10