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Books > Law > International law
The United Nations system's foundational principle of sovereign
equality reflects persistent disagreement within its membership as
to what constitutes a legitimate and just internal public order.
While the boundaries of the system's pluralism have narrowed
progressively in the course of the United Nations era,
accommodation of diversity in modes of internal political
organization remains a durable theme of the international order.
This accommodation of diversity underlies the international
system's commitment to preserve states' territorial integrity and
political independence, often at the expense of other values. For
those who impute to the international legal order an inherent
purpose to establish a universal justice that transcends the
boundaries of territorial communities, the legal prerogatives
associated with state sovereignty appear as impediments to the
global advance of legality. That view, however, neglects the danger
of allowing powerful states to invoke universal principles to
rationalize unilateral (and often self-serving) impositions upon
weak states. Though frequently counterintuitive, limitations on
cross-border exercises of power are supported by substantial moral
and political considerations, and are properly overridden only in a
limited range of cases. Sovereign Equality and Moral Disagreement
accomplishes two tasks. One is to construct a unifying account of
the manifestations of the principle of sovereign equality in
international legal norms governing a range of subject areas, from
foundational matters such as the recognition of states and
governments to controversial questions such as legal authority for
extraterritorial criminal prosecution and armed intervention. The
other is to defend the principle as a morally sound response to
persistent and profound disagreement within the international
community as to the requirements of legitimate and just internal
public order.
This collection of essays gathers contributions from leading
international lawyers from different countries, generations and
angles with the aim of highlighting the multifaceted history of
international law. This volume questions and analyses the origins
and foundations of the international legal system. A particular
attention is devoted to Hugo Grotius as one of the founding fathers
of the law of nations. Several contributions further question the
positivist tradition initiated by Vattel and endorsed by scholars
of the 19th Century. This immersion in the intellectual origins of
international law is enriched by an inquiry into the practice of
the law of nations, including its main patterns and changing
evolution as well as the role of non-western traditions and the
impact of colonization. Le present ouvrage reunit les contributions
de juristes internationaux reconnus en vue d'eclairer les multiples
facettes de l'histoire du droit international public. L'ouvrage
analyse et questionne les origines et les fondements de l'ordre
juridique international. Une attention toute particuliere est
dediee a Hugo Grotius l'un des peres fondateurs du droit
international. D'autres contributions questionnent egalement la
tradition positiviste initiee par Vattel et confortee par la
doctrine du 19eme siecle. Cette immersion dans les origines
doctrinales du systeme juridique international est enrichie par
l'etude de la pratique du droit international public, son evolution
ainsi que le role des traditions non-occidentales et l'impact de la
colonisation.
"International Politics: A Journal of Transnational Issues and
Global Problems" (a Kluwer scholarly quarterly) has, since 1997,
published an array of analyses about the world's political
metamorphosis. Featuring scholarship that transcends boundaries of
states and disciplines, "International Politics" editors and
contributors have joined to assemble, from the journal's last few
volumes, a far-reaching portrait of actors, identities, norms and
institutions that populate a stage once confined to states, power
and national interests. Further, interventions to build states,
make or keep the peace, impose sanctions or save currencies are
examined, as are the institutional enlargements at the forefront of
policy in Europe. "Global Society in Transition" offers a variety
of policy-relevant scholarship about a world-in-making - not yet
detached from Cold War or even Westphalian roots, but certainly in
the process of moving towards a qualitatively different global
system. Published after rigorous peer review, the chapters in this
book should provide comparative politics, international relations
and world affairs courses at undergraduate and graduate level with
access to contemporary research and innovative thinking in these
fields.
The distribution of technology among enterprises and nations lies
at the heart of international economic relations, affecting trade,
investment, finance and economic policies, and is affected in turn
by the political relations between nations. The need for effective
transfer of technology to developing countries has acquired renewed
urgency in recent years as production becomes increasingly
knowledge-intensive and competition is determined more and more by
the ability of enterprises to learn, to acquire and use knowledge,
and to innovate. Access to knowledge has become key to economic
success in the marketplace. This text discusses the background,
objectives, approaches and progress achieved in the decade-long
negotiations on an International Code of Conduct on the Transfer of
Technology which took place under the aegis of UNCTAD. It examines
the impact and continued relevance of the Code negotiations to
subsequent policy and legislative instruments on international
technology transfer, both at domestic and international levels, and
identifies and examine emerging trends and negotiating agendas that
will help to shape the future of international technological
co-operation. The central question posed by the initiators of the
Draft Code of Conduct is still relevant today - how can we
facilitate a just and mutually beneficial system of technology flow
in a world of rapid change and increasing gaps in the technological
capability of developed and developing countries? The need for
marginalized countries to access knowledge in order to learn,
adjust and integrate effectively into the world economic system
must be balanced with the vital need to reward inventors and
innovators to ensure the continued generation of knowledge. It is
these issues that will continue to dominate any future discussion
on the international transfer of technology. This book will be a
valuable work of reference on the evolution of international
technological cooperation in the last quarter of the 20th century,
as well as a useful guide to policymakers, scholars and
international negotiators dealing with these and related issues of
international economic cooperation.
"Jus cogens" has become one of the most frequently used arguments
in international law. Some authors ride roughshod over the
traditional regimes, claiming that the effectiveness of "jus
cogens" or obligations "erga omnes" must be the paramount
consideration in any conceivable instances, even concerning their
indirect repercussions. This book, the outgrowth of a joint
reflection by French and German international lawyers, attempts to
reconceptualize the doctrine of hierarchy in international law by
emphasizing that a clear distinction should be drawn between
primary rules, which encapsulate precepts for the protection of the
basic values of the international community, and secondary rules,
which determine the regime of legal consequences flowing from a
breach of such rules of conduct. It will thus contribute to
clarifying the true meaning of "jus cogens" and other similar
concepts not only for the sake of academic determinacy, but also
for such practical purposes as jurisdictional immunities.
"This book offers the ideal way for foreign lawyers, business
executives, accountants, and professional advisors, to get a solid
understanding of Dutch corporate law. This book represents a unique
publication in the English language, and an indispensable tool for
anybody who is involved in corporate matters in the Netherlands.
Many international companies are or use Dutch holding companies.
Therefore, the book addresses a wide audience. The book
incorporates recent substantial changes in corporate law in the
Netherlands."
This book analyzes how today's system of international trade law
and international economic relations has evolved over the last six
decades. Focusing on the major innovations that came with the
inception of the World Trade Organization (WTO) with its various
agreements in 1994, it also provides in-depth commentary on the
intense debate over important matters that remain unsettled. Topics
covered include the WTO dispute settlement mechanism; the General
Agreement on Trade in Services (OATS); the Agreement on
Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS); intellectual property
rights - the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS); areas still covered by the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1947; the Most Favoured
Nation (MFN) concept; special provisions relating to agriculture
and textiles; sanitary and phytosanitary measures; technical
barriers to trade; pre-shipment inspection; and import licensing
procedures. The book would be an excellent resource for scholars as
well as practitioners working in the field of international
arbitration and trade laws.
This book is based on an international project conducted by the
Institute for European Studies of the University CEU San Pablo in
Madrid and a seminar on Vitoria and International Law which took
place on July 2nd 2015 in the convent of San Esteban, the place
where Vitoria spent his most productive years as Chair of Theology
at the University of Salamanca. It argues that Vitoria not only
lived at a time bridging the Middle Ages and Modernity, but also
that his thoughts went beyond the times he lived in, giving us
inspiration for meeting current challenges that could also be
described as "modern" or even post-modern. There has been renewed
interest in Francisco de Vitoria in the last few years, and he is
now at the centre of a debate on such central international topics
as political modernity, colonialism, the discovery of the "Other"
and the legitimation of military interventions. All these subjects
include Vitoria's contributions to the formation of the idea of
modernity and modern international law. The book explores two
concepts of modernity: one referring to the post-medieval ages and
the other to our times. It discusses the connections between the
challenges that the New World posed for XVIth century thinkers and
those that we are currently facing, for example those related to
the cyberworld. It also addresses the idea of international law and
the legitimation of the use of force, two concepts that are at the
core of Vitoria's texts, in the context of "modern" problems
related to a multipolar world and the war against terrorism. This
is not a historical book on Vitoria, but a very current one that
argues the value of Vitoria's reflections for contemporary issues
of international law.
The Finnish Yearbook of International Law aspires to honour and
strengthen the Finnish tradition in international legal
scholarship. Open to contributions from all over the world and from
all persuasions, the Finnish Yearbook stands out as a forum for
theoretically informed, high-quality publications on all aspects of
public international law, including the international relations law
of the European Union. The Finnish Yearbook publishes in-depth
articles and shorter notes, commentaries on current developments,
book reviews and relevant overviews of Finland's state practice.
While firmly grounded in traditional legal scholarship, it is open
for new approaches to international law and for work of an
interdisciplinary nature. The Finnish Yearbook is published for the
Finnish Society of International Law by Hart Publishing. Earlier
volumes may be obtained from Martinus Nijhoff, an imprint of Brill
Publishers. Further information may be found at www.fsil.fi/fybil
This contributed volume addresses the future development of space
law in light of our ever-growing space activities, the multiplicity
of new space actors and the challenges posed by novel space
technologies. Unlike existing space law literature, it sets its
sights on the future, envisaging how space law could and should
evolve in coming decades. Written by experienced professors,
academics and practitioners in the field, this edited volume
constitutes a valuable tool for understanding the current state of
space law, the challenges it is called upon to address and the new
phase it is about to enter. In addition, this book initiates a
discussion de lege ferenda, addressing the letter and spirit of
space law in the world of modern and future space activities. These
papers were presented at "The Space Treaties at Crossroads:
Considerations de lege ferenda," held on August 28 to 29, 2015, in
Athens, Greece. The conference was jointly organized by the
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Institute of
Air and Space Law of McGill University
Can transnational corporations ignore human rights as long as
governments don't hold them accountable? If the UN is put in charge
of a territory, is it bound by human rights law? Does that body of
law apply to private security contractors who use torture to
achieve their goals? Does the right to freedom of speech apply in a
private shopping mall which has become the modern-day town centre?
Under traditional approaches to human rights, non-State actors are
beyond the direct reach of international human rights law. They
cannot be parties to the relevant treaties and so they are only
bound to the extent that obligations accepted by States can be
applied to them by governments. The result is that entities
including Non-Governmental Organizations, international
organizations such as the UN and the IMF, private security
contractors, and transnational corporations, along with many
others, are generally considered not to be bound directly by human
rights law. This situation threatens to make a mockery of much of
the international system of accountability for human rights
violations. As privatization, outsourcing, and downsizing place
ever more public or governmental functions into the hands of
private actors, the human rights regime must adapt if it is to
maintain its relevance. The contributors to this volume examine the
different approaches that might be taken in order to ensure some
degree of accountability. Making space in the legal regime to take
account of the role of non-State actors is one of the biggest and
most critical challenges facing international law today.
This first volume of EtYIL focuses on issues concerning the
developing world in general and (the Horn of) Africa - and Ethiopia
- specifically. It argues that rebalancing the international law
narrative to reflect Africa's legitimate interests is an urgent
priority, and can only succeed through the fair representation of
African countries in the creation and interpretation of
international law.The book begins by reflecting on the ICJ's West
African Cases and provides a unique perspective on decolonisation
as a source of jus cogens and obligations erga omnes. This is
followed by a comprehensive analysis of the reception of
international law in the Ethiopian legal system, and of the
potential implications of Ethiopia joining the WTO. The book then
delves into such topical issues as the relationship between
competition for natural resources and international investment law,
the UN Global Goals and the fledgling international climate change
regime, with particular emphasis on the Paris Climate Agreement and
their implications for developing countries. Further issues include
the Declaration of Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance
Dam signed by Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt in light of Nile colonial
treaties and contemporary international watercourses law, as well
as selected legal implications of the armed conflict in South
Sudan. Gathering high-quality scholarship from diverse researchers,
and examining a constellation of critical international law issues
affecting developing countries, especially African countries, the
book offers a unique resource.
This book examines the intersection of WTO trade liberalisation
rules and domestic health protection, a subject that is of
considerable interest to those concerned that the WTO impinges on
national regulatory autonomy. In analysing the tension between
health protection and trade liberalisation, the book focuses on the
way in which this tension is (or is not) resolved through the
dispute resolution process. It offers a detailed analysis of the
relevant WTO rules and case law, identifying particular concerns
relating to the ability of WTO Members to take protective action in
circumstances of scientific uncertainty and the role of social and
cultural factors in the making of health-related regulations. The
nature of scientific evidence and the extent to which the
scientific process internalises uncertainty is further explored,
drawing on documentation relating to the theory and conduct of
scientific risk assessment. Despite the popularity of the
precautionary principle in some quarters, it is suggested that it
may not be advisable for the WTO to adopt that principle. Rather,
further attention should be paid to the role that the standard of
review might play in easing the tensions that arise when a
sovereign state's health regulations are reviewed by the WTO. The
origins of the WTO's 'objective assessment' standard of review are
explained, but the standard itself is criticised. Options for
developing the standard of review are considered, with a
'reasonable regulator' standard based on the Asbestos case
proposed. The book takes a comparative approach, drawing on ECJ
cases reviewing Member State and Community health measures as well
as US judicial review and commerce clause cases.
The traditional conception of security as national security against
military threats has changed radically since the adoption of the UN
Charter in 1945. The perceived nature and sources of threats have
been widened as well as the objects of protection, now including
individuals, societies, the environment as such and the whole
globe. In International Law and Changing Perceptions of Security
the contributors reflect on whether and how changing concepts and
conceptions of security have affected different fields of
international law, such as the use of force, the law of the sea,
human rights, international environmental law and international
humanitarian law. The authors of this book have been inspired by
Professor Said Mahmoudi to which this Liber Amoricum is dedicated.
Although it has been ranked the fourth largest destination for
foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world, Brazil has not
enacted specific legislation to promote or protect FDI. Nor are
there any investment treaties in force, so Brazilian companies
investing abroad act without international legal protection.
Considering the country's widely acclaimed "arrival" into the small
family of the world's major trading nations, the question of
Brazil's entry in the international FDI system - not only as an
incentive to the inflow of foreign investment, but also to protect
the investments of its national companies abroad - has become a
hotly debated issue. This timely book, with its incisive reports on
all important aspects of the matter, tackle this subject with
prodigious knowledge and insight. With detailed analysis of
investment-related legislation, including different legal and
regulatory models, as well the examination of peculiarities of
highly specialized industries present in Brazil, the authors cover
such aspects as the following: investment in infrastructure, social
areas such as education and health, commodities, and the oil and
gas sector; to what extent expropriation under Brazilian law
resembles the international standard of protection; political
implications of Brazil's FDI stance with regard to the balance of
interest within the Latin American region; foreign investment in
light of the principle of national treatment; enforceability of
arbitration agreements vis-a-vis the state, state entities, and
state-owned companies; conflicts of jurisdiction between state
courts and arbitral tribunals; arbitration involving companies in
liquidation and reorganization proceedings; public - partnership
contracts; and investment-related aspects of human rights and
intellectual property rights.
Research Handbook on EU Institutional Law offers a critical look
into the European Union: its legal foundations, competences and
institutions. It provides an analysis of the EU legal system, its
application at the national level and the prevalent role of the
Court of Justice. Throughout the course of the Handbook the expert
contributors discuss whether the European Union is well equipped
for the 21st century and the numerous crises it has to handle. They
revisit the call for an EU reform made in the Laeken Conclusions in
2001 to verify if its objectives have been achieved by the Treaty
of Lisbon and in daily practice of the EU institutions. The book
also delves into the concept of a Europe of different speeds, which
- according to some - is inevitable in the EU comprising 28 Member
States. Overall, the assessment of the changes introduced by the
Lisbon Treaty is positive, even if there are plenty of suggestions
for further reforms to re-fit the EU for purpose. Students and
scholars will find this original Handbook to be an invaluable
resource, particularly due to its focus on topics for future
discussion. Researchers and policy-makers will also benefit from
the points raised in this book. Contributors include: F.
Amtenbrink, M. Avbelj, M. Bobek, S. Blockmans, A.B. Capik, T.
Capeta, M. Claes, D. Curtin, A. Cygan, B. de Witte, M. Everson, K.
Gutman, M. Hillebrandt, S.L. Kaleda, M. Kuijer, A. Lazowski, J.
Mendes, A. Sikora, K. van Duin, E. Vos
This book explores the transnational legal infrastructure for
dispute resolution in transnational securities transactions. It
discusses the role of law and dispute resolution in securities
transactions, the types of disputes arising from them, and the
institutional and legal aspects of dispute resolution, both
generally and regarding aggregate litigation. It illustrates
different dispute resolution systems and aggregate litigation
methods, and examines the legal issues of dispute resolution
arising from transnational securities transactions. In addition,
the book proposes two systems of dispute resolution for
transnational securities transactions depending on the type of
dispute: collective redress through arbitration and a network of
alternative dispute resolution systems.
As international political and economic relations have become
increasingly complex, so have the pressures on international
boundaries and the borderlands which surround them. Although there
are still many examples of "traditional" boundary problems
associated with disputes between states concerning control over
territory and maritime space, the papers in this volume demonstrate
the vulnerability of borderlands to other forces, most notably
illegal immigration and cross-border crime. This study aims to
investigate the causes and implications of borderland stress. The
first section explores changing concepts of sovereignty and their
impact on the meaning and functions of international boundaries.
The contributions in the second and third sections offer a
combination of regional appraisals and individual case studies
highlighting the range of problems affecting borderlands around the
world, together with an assessment of some of the initiatives
launched in response to those problems. While many of the
conclusions drawn are rather sobering, it is clear that in some
parts of the world new and imaginative approaches to territorial
organization and management are helping to create safer, more
dynamic and more prosperous borderlands. The papers in this volume
represent the proceedings of the fifth International Conference of
the International Boundaries Research Unit, held at the University
of Durham on 15-17 July 1998.
The book examines the phenomenon of crafting transnational
policing. By this term is meant the different forms of engagement
in policing reform by international donors, national governments,
foreign police and law enforcement agencies in the domestic
policing agencies and programs of recipient countries. It includes,
inter alia, peace-keeping in post-conflict situations,
reconstruction and capacity-building as part of nation- or
state-building exercises, and the provision of technical assistance
in relation to certain aspects of law enforcement. In each
instance, there is a cross-border provision of resources with a
view to shaping the kind of policing provided in recipient nations.
Why do some countries engage in these activities? Why has policing
become a preferred form of foreign policy engagement in some
countries? What forms of policing development are provided? How are
they delivered? And how are they received? How should these kinds
of assistance and/or interventions be conducted in future? In this
regard, is there a non-negotiable 'core' of good policing that
needs to be developed and nurtured as an integral part of all
defensible transnational policing engagements? These are some of
the questions raised by the contributions to this book. The book
arises primarily from papers presented at a workshop held in Onati,
Spain in July 2004 on the emergence of a global constabulary ethic.
The book has also been supplemented by two solicited chapters.
EtYIL 2018 comes at a time when multilateralism and its
underpinning norms of international law and institutions are under
siege. At the same time, in 2018, Africa stood out for upholding
multilateralism and international law. From the adoption of the
Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area to
the signing of peace agreements that brought to an end two decades
of hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia, 2018 was indeed a
remarkable year for international law in Africa. EtYIL 2018 covers
some of these issues, including the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims
Commission decisions on jus ad bellum, jus in bello, evidentiary
and procedural matters and the role of arbitration in upholding the
international rule of law. Such new developments as the lifting of
UN sanctions against Eritrea and the agreements signed between
Eritrea and Ethiopia are also covered in this volume. The volume
further devotes considerable attention to other legal issues
including: the use and misuse of European patent law to the
detriment of developing countries' interests, sharing transboundary
resources, production sharing agreements on extractives , evolving
rules governing economic relations between Africa and the European
Union in the context of Brexit, contract-farming in the African
cocoa and chocolate industry, the International Criminal Court and
human rights law, and cyber-attacks and the role of international
law in tackling them. These chapters, authored by experts from
Africa, Asia, Europe and North America not only bring new and
diverse voices to the international law discourse; they also
contribute to EtYIL's overarching goal of contributing to the
effort to rebalance the narrative of international law.
The purpose of this book is to find a unified approach to the
doctrine of mens rea in the sphere of international criminal law,
based on an in-depth comparative analysis of different legal
systems and the jurisprudence of international criminal tribunals
since Nuremberg. Part I examines the concept of mens rea in common
and continental legal systems, as well as its counterpart in
Islamic Shari'a law. Part II looks at the jurisprudence of the
post-Second World War trials, the work of the International Law
Commission and the concept of genocidal intent in light of the
travaux preparatoires of the 1948 Genocide Convention. Further
chapters are devoted to a discussion of the boundaries of mens rea
in the jurisprudence of the International Criminal Tribunals for
the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. The final chapter examines the
definition of the mental element as provided for in Article 30 of
the Statute of the International Criminal Court in light of the
recent decisions delivered by the International Criminal Court. The
study also examines the general principles that underlie the
various approaches to the mental elements of crimes as well as the
subjective element required in perpetration and participation in
crimes and the interrelation between mistake of law and mistake of
fact with the subjective element. With a Foreword by Professor
William Schabas and an Epilogue by Professor Roger Clark From the
Foreword by William Schabas Mohamed Elewa Badar has taken this
complex landscape of mens rea at the international level and
prepared a thorough, well-structured monograph. This book is
destined to become an indispensable tool for lawyers and judges at
the international tribunals. From the Epilogue by Professor Roger
Clark This is the most comprehensive effort I have encountered
pulling together across legal systems the 'general part' themes,
especially about the 'mental element', found in confusing array in
the common law, the civil law and Islamic law. In this endeavour,
Dr Badar's researches have much to offer us.
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