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Oxford Law Citator
Contents
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Preliminary Material
Dedication
Preface to the Second Edition
Acknowledgements
Contents
Table of Cases
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Arbitration Commission of the Conference on Yugoslavia (Badinter Commission)
Arbitration Tribunal for the Determination of the Maritime Boundary between Guinea-Bissau and Senegal
Australia
Austria
Belgium-Netherlands Iron Rhine Railway Line Arbitral Tribunal
Canada
Central American Court of Justice
Cyprus
Dubai-Sharjah Court of Arbitration
Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission
Eritrea Ethiopia Claims Commission
European Commission of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
European Court of Justice (ECJ)/Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)
France
Geneva Tribunal
Germany
Ghana
India
Inter-American Commission of Human Rights
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
International Criminal Court
International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
Israel
Italy
Kosovo
League of Nations Arbitral Commissions
Libyan Oil Concessions Arbitrations
NAFTA Tribunal
Netherlands
New Zealand v France Arbitration Tribunal
Norway
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ)
Poland
Singapore
South Africa
Switzerland
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea Annex VII Arbitration
United Kingdom
United Nations Human Rights Committee
United States
US-France Air Services Agreement
US-Libya Deeds of Concession
US-UK Air Services Agreement (Bermuda 2)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Table of Instruments
Instruments on Law of Treaties and Treaty Interpretation
Materials on Responsibility of States and International Organizations
Multilateral Treaties and International Agreements
Regional Instruments
Africa
Americas
Antarctic
Asia
Atlantic
Europe (See also European Union)
European Union (EU)
Pacific
Bilateral Treaties and International Agreements
Afghanistan – Germany
Afghanistan – USA
Albania – USA
Andorra – Germany
Angola – Netherlands
Argentina – USA
Australia – Belgium
Australia – Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
Australia – EU
Australia – France
Australia – Indonesia
Australia – Italy
Australia – New Zealand
Australia – Usa
Austria – Czech Republic
Austria – Slovenia
Belgium – Netherlands
Belize – Netherlands
Belize – USA
Bermuda – Japan
Bermuda – USA
Canada – Denmark
Canada – Gabon
Canada – EU
Canada – Germany
Canada – Israel
Canada – Italy
Canada – Jordan
Canada – Latvia
Canada – Slovak Republic
Canada – South Africa
Canada – UK
Canada – USA
Central African Republic – EU
China – Jamaica
China – New Zealand
China – Portugal
China – Spain
China – UK
Cook Islands – New Zealand
Congo – Iaea
Czechoslovakia– Hungary
Eaec – India
Egypt – Finland
ESA – EU
EU – CELAC (Community of Latin American and Carribean States)
EU – Ghana
EU – ICC
EU – Japan
EU – Korea
EU – Russia
EU – Solomon Islands
EU – Trinidad and Tobago
EU – USA
Finland – Tanzania
France – Russia
France – UK
France – USA
Germany – USA
Guatemala – Belize
Hong Kong Sar – UK
Hong Kong Sar – United Arab Emirates
Iaea – Norway
India – USA
Iran – USA
Iraq – Kuwait
Ireland – Poland
Ireland – UK
Israel – Slovakia
Italy – Qatar
Jersey – USA
Kosovo – Turkey
Malta – USA
Mexico – UK
Netherlands – Philippines
New Zealand – UK
New Zealand – USA
Pakistan – USA
Panama – South Korea
Philippines – Thailand
Poland – Uzbekistan
Russia – UK
Russia – USA
South Korea - US
Spain – United Nations
Switzerland – Uruguay
Tajikistan – Ukraine
UK – USA
Ukraine – USA
United Nations – Sierra Leone
USA – USSR
Yemen (AR) – Yemen (PDR)
Political Commitments
Instruments and Acts of Legislation or Regulation
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia
Canada
Chile
China
Czech Republic
European Union
Regulations
Directives
Decisions
France
Germany
India
Kosovo
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
South Africa
Switzerland
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
List of Abbreviations
List of Contributors
Main Text
Introduction
Part I Foundational Issues
1 Defining Treaties
Introduction
I Defining Treaties in Context
A The ‘treaty’ for purposes of international law
B Defining treaties for purposes of domestic law
C Defining treaties for purposes of international cooperation and coordination
II Defining the ‘Treaty’ in International Law
A The constitutive definition: identifying treaties by their ingredients
1 An international agreement
2 ‘Concluded among States’ or other subjects of international law
3 ‘In written form’ or otherwise recorded
4 ‘Governed by international law’
5 Non-essential ingredients: designation, number of instruments, and registration
B A differential definition: distinguishing the treaty from its alternatives
1 Unilateral declarations
2 Political commitments
3 Contracts and other agreements governed by domestic law
C A functional definition: understanding treaties by what they do
1 How treaties regulate
2 What treaties regulate
3 Who enforces treaty regulations
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
2 Current Theorizations about the Treaty in International Law
I Dualist Thinking: The Treaty as a Binary Artefact
II Beyond Dualist Thinking: The Treaty as Icon, Text, and Progeny
A The treaty as icon: the marvels of conceptual anachronism
B The treaty as a text: operational, calibrating, and total interpretations
C The treaty as progeny: the non-responsibility of magic descendance
Concluding remarks
Recommended Reading
3 Alternatives to Treaty-Making— Informal Agreements
I What is Informal Lawmaking?
A Negotiation
B Legal effects
C Identification
II Why Do States Make Law Informally?
A Reduced penalties for violation
B Procedural flexibility
III The Challenge of Informal Lawmaking
A The efficacy of international law
B The accountability of informal lawmaking
C Guidelines for informal agreements?
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
4 Compliance or Effectiveness? Assessing the Reach (and Limits) of Treaty-Making
Introduction
I Conceptualizing and Measuring Treaty Compliance
II Contrasting Compliance and Effectiveness
III Drafting Treaties for Effectiveness
Conclusion: The Limits of Treaty-Making
Recommended Reading
Part II The Treaty-Makers
5 Who Can Make Treaties? International Organizations
Introduction
I Recognizing the Capacity of IOs to Become Parties to Treaties
II The 1986 Convention
A The capacity of IOs to conclude treaties
B Excess of competence
III Who is Bound When the IO is a Party to a Treaty?
IV Types of Treaties Concluded by IOs
Concluding Remarks
Recommended Reading
6 Who Can Make Treaties? The European Union
Introduction
I The European Union’s Capacity to Make Treaties
A The treaty-making powers of the European Union
1 The conferral of EU treaty-making powers
(i) Establishing express and implied treaty-making powers
(ii) Extending the scope of EU powers
(iii) The importance of legal basis
2 Treaty-making procedures
3 Judicial control of EU international agreements
B Exercising the EU’s treaty-making powers
II The Legal Effects of EU Treaty-Making
A International agreements and the EU legal order
1 Enforcement and interpretation
2 Mixed agreements
B The impact of the EU on the Member States’ treaty-making powers
1 Exclusive and shared competence
2 Member State accession and withdrawal
(i) Accession to the EU
(ii) Withdrawal from the EU
C International responsibility and EU treaty-making
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
7 Who Can Make Treaties? Other Subjects of International Law
Introduction
I Treaty-Making by ‘Other Subjects of International Law’
A Federal units and other integral territories
1 The assignment of treaty-making competence
2 Federal rules on treaty-making
3 Special administrative regions
4 Indigenous peoples
B Treaty-making and external territories
1 The range of juridical relations
2 Non-Self-Governing Territories
3 Territories under international administration
4 Pre-independence agreements and the competence of pre-independence governments
C Insurgent groups
D Private actors
II Other Subjects of International Law and the Law of Treaties
III Responsibility for Breach of the Non-State Treaty
Conclusion
Recommended Readings
8 NGOs in International Treaty-Making
Introduction
I NGOs and International Treaty-Making: An Overview
II NGO Participation: Provisions and Practice
A IO provisions for NGO participation
B NGO participation in treaty formation and implementation
III States and NGOs in Treaty-Making
IV The Legitimacy of NGO Participation
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
Part III Treaty Formation
9 Making the Treaty
Introduction
I Drawing up the Treaty
A The initiative
1 The decision as to whether to conclude a treaty
2 The decision on the forum in which negotiations are going to be conducted
3 The actual preparation of the initial draft
B Participation and rules of procedure
C Credentials and full powers
D Organization of work
E Negotiating techniques
II Adopting and Authenticating the Treaty
A Adoption of the text of the treaty
B Authentication of the treaty
III Consenting to be Bound by the Treaty
IV Entry into Force of the Treaty
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
10 Provisional Application of Treaties
Introduction
I A Shift in Terminology
II The Formal Source of the Binding Effect of Provisional Application and Its Form
A An agreement to apply a treaty provisionally
B The form of an agreement to apply the treaty provisionally
C Agreement between whom?
D Unilateral declarations are not per se a formal source of provisional application
III The Legal Effects of Provisional Application
A Provisional application establishes an obligation to apply the treaty provisionally
1 Article 25 VCLT and its preparatory works
2 Judicial decisions and State practice within judicial proceedings
3 Responses of governments in the Sixth Committee to the ILC’s Work on Provisional Application of Treaties (2016–18)
4 Legal effects in the relationship between parties and those provisionally applying the treaty
B Distinguishing provisional application from other ‘institutions’
1 Provisional application and the obligation not to defeat the treaty’s object and purpose
2 Provisional application and retroactive application
IV The Relationship between Provisional Application and Domestic Law
A Internal law cannot justify non-performance of provisional application
B Subjecting provisional application to consistency with internal law
1 Yukos v Russia, Hulley v Russia, and Veteran Petroleum v Russia (2009)
2 Russia v Yukos, Hulley, and Veteran Petroleum (2012)
3 Interim conclusions regarding the ‘Yukos saga’
C Invalidation of consent to be bound by the provisional application agreement
V Termination of Provisional Application
A The preparatory works of Article 25(2) VCLT
B The consequences of termination of provisional application and ‘sunset clauses’
1 Consequences of termination of provisional application
2 ‘Sunset clauses’
C Notification of one’s intention not to become party to the treaty
D Other grounds of termination and suspension of the operation of the provisional application agreement
Conclusions
Recommended Reading
11 Managing the Process of Treaty Formation: Depositaries and Registration
Introduction
I The Role of the Depositary
A The original treaty and the certified true copies
B Signature
C Consent to be bound and entry into force
D Authorities competent to issue full powers and instruments of consent to be bound
E Entities that may become parties
F Amendments to treaties
G Correction of errors
H Reservations, declarations, objections, and communications
I Conclusions on the depositary role
II The Registration of Treaties in Accordance with Article 102 of the UN Charter: Scope and Consequences
A Introduction
B Scope of registration and registration practice
1 Obligation to register
2 The term ‘treaty and international agreement’
C Objection to registration
D Reliance on non-registered treaties
E Conclusions on treaty registration
Recommended Reading
12 Treaty Reservations
Introduction
I Proposing Reservations (and Other Unilateral Statements)
II Background on the Law of Reservations
III The Initial Status of Reservations
IV Objections to Reservations—and Their Effects
V Participants in Evaluating Reservations
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
Part IV Treaty Application
13 The Relationship(s) between Treaties and Territory
Introduction
I Treaties in Their Relation to States’ Territories—Territorial Application of Treaties Proper
A Article 29 VCLT: a brief analysis of a predictable principle
1 Meaning of ‘territory’ under Article 29 VCLT
2 A somewhat curious relationship between principle and derogation
B ‘Institutionalized’ derogations under Article 29 VCLT
1 Colonial and quasi-colonial clauses
2 Federal and quasi-federal clauses
II Treaties and Their Non-territorial Application
A The fictitious character of territoriality for certain treaties
B Non-territorial treaties binding non-State actors
1 Territorial scope of treaties between States and international organizations or between international organizations
2 Territorial scope of treaties concluded by other international law subjects
III The Extraterritorial Application of Some Treaties
A Jurisdiction versus territoriality?
B The unsettled criteria of extraterritorial applications of treaties
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
14 Treaty Amendments
Introduction
I The Standard Amendment Process—Explicit Consent
II Amendments with Tacit Consent or ‘Opt-Out’
III Amendments with Majority Ratification
IV Amendment by Consensus or Majority Plenary Decision
V Modifications between Certain Parties Only
VI Amendment before Entry into Force
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
15 Domestic Application of Treaties
Introduction
I Monism and Dualism
A Dualist States
B Monist States
II Horizontal, Transnational, and Vertical Treaty Provisions
III Nationalist and Transnationalist Approaches
A Statutory interpretation
B Treaty interpretation
C Constitutional interpretation
D Self-execution in monist States
IV Domestic Courts and Treaty Compliance
A Horizontal treaty provisions
B Transnational treaty provisions
C Vertical treaty provisions
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
16 State Succession in Respect of Treaty Relationships
Introduction
I General Framework: Definitions, Theories, Effects, and Taxonomy of Treaty Succession
A Definitions
B The spectrum of opinions: from clean-slate to universal succession
C International and domestic legal effects of treaty succession
D Taxonomy of State succession
1 Newly independent States
2 Cession of territory
3 Incorporation
4 Merger
5 Separation
6 Dissolution
II The Substance of the Law of Treaty Succession
A Unilateral declarations and devolution agreements
B Newly independent States
C Succession of States other than newly independent States
1 Cession of territory
2 Incorporation
3 Merger
4 Separation
5 Dissolution
D Legal regimes not affected by State succession
1 Boundaries
2 Other territorial regimes
3 Permanent sovereignty over natural resources
4 Other special categories of treaties
(i) Human rights and humanitarian law treaties
(ii) ‘Political’ treaties
(iii) Multilateral treaties
(iv) Constitutive treaties of international organizations (IOs)
(v) Disarmament and arms control treaties
III Other Aspects of the Law of Treaty Succession
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
17 Treaty Bodies and Regimes
Introduction
I Why Have Treaty Bodies Been Established?
II The Structure of Treaty Bodies
III The Functions and Competences of Treaty Bodies
A Treaty bodies at the internal level
B Substantive decision-making
1 Vehicles for treaty body decision-making
2 The sources of treaty body competence over substance
C Supervisory treaty bodies
D Treaty bodies at the external level
1 Treaty body treaty-making
2 The fragmentation of treaty regimes
Conclusions
Recommended Readings
18 Treaty Conflicts and Systemic Fragmentation
Introduction
I Drivers of Conflict and Fragmentation
A Regionalization
B Specialization
C State practice: mistake or strategy?
II How a Treaty Can Conflict with Another Source of Law
A The International Law Commission’s typology of normative conflicts
B Conflicts between a treaty and jus cogens
C Conflicts between a treaty and customary international law
D Conflicts between treaties
III Resolving Normative Conflicts Involving Treaties
A Conflict clauses
1 Clauses that provide for the priority of the present treaty
2 Clauses providing for the priority of another treaty
B Interpretation to avoid conflict
C The VCLT rules on treaty conflicts
D Customary canons of construction
1 Lex posterior
2 Lex prior and pacta sunt servanda
3 Lex specialis and self-contained regimes
4 The interrelations of the canons of construction
E Insights from conflict of laws
F State practice reconsidered: domestic action and mitigation
Conclusion: From Treaty Conflicts to Systemic Fragmentation, and Back Again
Recommended Reading
Part V Treaty Interpretation
19 The Vienna Convention Rules on Treaty Interpretation
‘The Vienna Rules’
Introduction
Preliminary Considerations
I The Vienna Rules—Historic Controversy
II Are the Rules on Treaty Interpretation ‘Rules’?
A The general rule: Article 31
1 Context contrasted with circumstances of conclusion
2 Agreements and practice: Article 31(2)–(3)
3 Rules of international law: Article 31(3)(c)
B Supplementary means: Article 32
C Languages: Article 33
III The Vienna Rules in Practice
A General application of the Vienna rules
B Ordinary meaning in context
C Interpretation agreed by the parties
D Relevant rules of international law
E Supplementary means
F Languages
IV Beyond the VCLT
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
20 The Interpretation of Treaties over Time
Introduction
I The Principle of Contemporaneity
II The Principle of Evolution
III Do Evolutionary Interpretations Have Retrospective Effect?
Conclusion
Recommended Readings
21 Specialized Rules of Treaty Interpretation: Human Rights
Introduction
I International Human Rights Treaty Interpretation: Exceptional or Specialized?
II Specialized Interpretive Principles in the Field of Human Rights Treaty Law
A The effectiveness approach and human rights treaties
B Effectiveness and the role of general international law in the interpretation of human rights treaties
III The Interpretive Forum: Interpretation of Human Rights Treaties by Specialized or General International Bodies or Domestic Courts
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
22 Specialized Rules of Treaty Interpretation: International Organizations
Introduction
I Interpretation of Constitutive Treaties
A Constitutive treaties as a separate category
B Specialized rules of interpretation
1 The telos of the treaty and the organization’s function as an interpretive tool
2 Practice of the organization as an interpretive tool
C Constitutive treaties beyond the UN Charter
D Interpretation of IO secondary law
II Organizations as Interpreters
A Interpretation by the organization
B (Semi-)Judicial interpretation
C Interpretation by conferences and meetings of the parties
Concluding Remarks
Recommended Reading
Part VI Avoiding or Exiting Treaty Commitments
23 The Validity and Invalidity of Treaties
Introduction
I The Concept of Validity
II Validity and Treaties
III The Grounds of Invalidity
A Constitutional concerns
B Error, fraud, corruption
C Coercion
D Jus cogens
Conclusions
Recommended Reading
24 Reacting against Treaty Breaches
Introduction
I Specific and General Rules Governing Reactions Against Treaty Breaches: An Overview
A Responses ‘in [their] infinite variety’
B Treaty-specific rules and general legal concepts
C Intrinsically lawful responses versus responses presupposing title to respond
D Treaty law responses versus countermeasures
II The Law of Treaties: Article 60 VCLT
A The requirement of a material breach
B The scope of the right
C Standing to suspend or terminate treaties
1 The restrictive rule
2 Two liberal exceptions
D Procedural conditions governing the exercise of the right of response
E Interim conclusions
III The Law of State Responsibility: Countermeasures
A The requirement of a prior breach
B The scope of the right to respond
1 Countermeasures focus on inducing compliance
2 Countermeasures are not limited to the treaty breached
3 Proportionality: countermeasures must be commensurate with the injury suffered
4 Countermeasures must not affect obligations under rules of jus cogens and dispute settlement procedures
C Standing to take countermeasures
D Procedural conditions governing the exercise of the right to countermeasures
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
25 Exceptional Circumstances and Treaty Commitments
Introduction
I Supervening Impossibility of Performance
A Views of the International Law Commission
B The relevant case law
C State practice
D Conclusions on the supervening impossibility of performance
II Fundamental Change of Circumstances
A Views of the International Law Commission
B Relevant case law and other instances of application
1 The Free Zones case
2 The Fisheries Jurisdiction cases
3 The Gabčikovo-Nagymaros case
4 Racke v Hauptzollamt Mainz
5 Fundamental change of circumstances and State practice: the ABM Treaty
6 Procedural requirements for the application of the doctrine of fundamental change of circumstances
C Conclusion on the fundamental change of circumstances doctrine
III The State of Necessity and Treaty Obligations
A General introduction
B The relevant case law
IV Distinguishing Supervening Impossibility of Performance, Fundamental Change of Circumstances, and the Law of State Responsibility (Including the Plea of Necessity)
General Conclusions
Recommended Reading
26 Terminating Treaties
Introduction
I The International Law of Treaty Termination, Withdrawal, and Denunciation
A Treaties with no provision for termination, denunciation, or withdrawal
B The legal effects of exit
II The Design and Invocation of Termination, Withdrawal, and Denunciation Clauses
III Exit Clauses as Risk Management Tools
Conclusion
Recommended Reading
Part VII Treaty Clauses and Instruments
Preliminary Material
Introduction
Initial Decisions on Treaty-Making
1 Distinguishing Treaties from Political Commitments
A Explicitly not legally binding
B Explicitly politically binding
C Not eligible for registration with the UN
2 Object and Purpose
A Clauses listing a treaty’s objective(s)
B Clauses listing a treaty’s purpose(s)
C Clauses indicative of a treaty’s object and purpose
3 Participation Conditions for States
A Closed treaties
B Participation by invitation
1 Requiring a consensus of the parties
2 Requiring a majority vote of the parties
3 Requiring a majority of parties not to object
4 Requiring negotiated accession with a treaty body
C Conditional participation
1 Open to States who engage in particular activity
2 Participation limited to members of a specific organization
3 Participation limited to States from within a specific region
4 Open to parties to an existing treaty
5 Participation based on acceptance of a political commitment
6 Multiple bases for participation
D Open treaties
1 ‘All States’ formula
2 The ‘Vienna formula’
3 Protocol open to participation by ‘any State’
4 Participation Conditions for Non-State Actors
A Participation limited to States
B Participation by IOs
1 Generally
2 By invitation
3 With specific competences
C EU participation
1 As a qualified ‘intergovernmental organisation’
2 As a REIO
3 As a REIO provided one Member State also participates
4 As a REIO in lieu of Member States
5 As a REIO provided it has concluded a relevant treaty
6 As a RIO
7 As the EU specifically
D Participation by ‘other subjects of international law’
1 By associated States and certain other territories
2 By a ‘fishing entity’
3 By a ‘separate customs territory’
4 Participation authorized by separate treaty
5 Participation authorized by the responsible State
5 NGO Involvement
A NGO participation in treaty meetings
1 As representatives of members
2 As observers
B NGO participation in implementing treaty obligations
C NGO rights and standing
Conditions on Joining a Treaty
6 Consent to be Bound
A Consent by definitive signature
1 Expressly
2 By implication
B Consent by exchange of instruments
1 By exchange of notes
2 By exchange of notifications
3 By exchange of notes (or letters) constituting the treaty
4 By exchange of instruments of ratification
C Consent by ratification
1 By ratification exclusively
2 By ratification where the treaty is open for signature indefinitely
3 By ratification requiring signature prior to treaty’s entry into force
4 By ratification requiring treaty signature within a defined period
D By acceptance or approval
1 By acceptance only
2 By acceptance or approval
E By accession
1 Accession at any time
2 Accession once treaty no longer open to signature
3 Accession once treaty is in force
4 By accession to make a bilateral agreement into a multilateral one
5 By accession only
F By formal confirmation
G Consent by a combination of methods
1 By ratification or accession
2 By ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession
3 By signature, ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession
H Consent by ‘any other means so agreed’
1 Initialling pursuant to separate agreement
2 By adoption of a ‘Resolution of Approval’
3 Consent subject to additional conditions
7 Reservations
A Clauses prohibiting treaty reservations entirely
B Reservations expressly permitted
1 Generally
2 Except those incompatible with the treaty’s object and purpose
3 Only where authorized by the treaty
4 For all provisions except certain articles
5 For certain provisions or parts of the treaty only
6 For parts other than the main treaty text
7 With respect to excluding certain subjects
8 Dependent on the existence of certain factual conditions
9 So long as it relates to one or more specific provisions
C Admissibility of reservations
1 Admissible on unanimous acceptance or in the absence of objections
2 Incompatible or inhibitive if two-thirds of the parties object
3 Permitted absent objection by one-third of parties
4 Permitted after entry into force of the treaty for a Party
D Withdrawing reservations
1 Withdrawal at any time
2 Effective on notice
3 Withdrawal of individual reservations
4 Partial withdrawal permitted
8 Declarations and Notifications
A Provision for interpretative declarations
B Provisions for optional declarations
1 That modify the commitment otherwise assumed
2 That add to the commitment otherwise assumed
C Provisions for mandatory declarations
1 That clarify or elaborate on the content of the obligations assumed
2 That declare the extent of competence
3 That require a selection among alternatives
D Conditions on the formation and withdrawal of declarations
E Notifications
Constituting the Treaty and its Dissemination
9 Languages
A Original authentic texts
1 A single authentic text
2 Two or more equally authentic texts
3 Two or more equally authentic texts subject to verification
4 Two or more equally authentic texts, with a prevailing language in the case of divergence
B Authentication of other language versions
1 Pursuant to the original treaty
2 By subsequent amendment
10 Annexes
A Annexes as integral parts of the treaty
B Differently titled attachments
C Qualifications on annex’s relationship to the treaty or its contents
D Provision for additional annexes
11 Entry into Force
A Bilateral agreements: entry into force
1 On signature
2 On exchange of instruments of ratification
3 On a date following exchange of notifications concerning the completion of procedures necessary for entry into force
4 On satisfaction of multiple conditions
B Multilateral treaties: entry into force
1 On signature
2 On a set date with exchange of notifications
3 On a date following deposit of ratification instruments by all negotiating parties
4 On a date following deposit of a specific number of instruments
5 On a date following deposit of a specific number of instruments, including those of certain States or percentages of States
6 On a date following deposit of a specific number of instruments, including an IO’s
7 On a date following deposit of a specific number of instruments not including those of an IO
8 Following deposit of a specific number of instruments and entry into force of the underlying treaty
9 On a set date or later date following satisfaction of conditions
10 By mutual agreement of certain parties
C Joining a treaty after conditions for its entry into force are satisfied
D Entry into force differentiated from effect
1 Retroactive effect
2 Delayed effect following entry into force
12 The Depositary
A Designating the depositary directly
1 A State
2 An IO
3 An IO’s Chief Administrative Officer
4 A joint depositary
B Designating the depositary indirectly
C Provisions specifying depositary functions
Applying the Treaty
13 Provisional Application
A The timing of provisional application
1 On signature
2 On signature, absent a declaration to the contrary
3 By declaration or notification
4 By declaration or notification subject to domestic law and regulations
5 From a specified date
6 After consent to be bound, pending entry into force
7 By other means
B Provisional application agreements beyond the treaty text
1 By exchange of notes
2 By separate agreement or protocol
3 By IO resolution
C Duration and termination of provisional application
1 Duration for a specified period of time
2 Termination effective on the treaty’s entry into force or a date certain
3 Limitations on duration combined with options for termination
4 Withdrawal effective on notice
14 Territorial and Extraterritorial Application
A Application to all territories
1 Mandatory application
2 Mandatory application except where consent of territorial unit required
B Application to specified territories
C Exclusion of non-metropolitan territory
1 Treaty limited to metropolitan territory
2 Exclusion of non-metropolitan territory on notice
D Extension to non-metropolitan territory
1 On notice
2 On agreement of the parties
E Territorial clauses
F Exceptions to integral territorial application
G Extraterritorial applications
1 Application irrespective of territory
2 Application to areas outside of a State’s territory
3 Application to vessels and aircraft
4 Application where State has jurisdiction
15 Federal States
A Clauses excepting federal States from certain treaty obligations
1 Federal State clauses
2 Clauses that authorize limited exceptions for federal States
B Differentiating federal versus non-federal State implementation
1 Explicitly
2 Implicitly
C Obligations imposed only at the ‘national’ level
D Clauses that deny any accommodation to federal States
16 Third Party Rights and Obligations
A Acknowledging pacta tertii
B Indirect attempts to obligate third States
C Rights for third States
1 Provided for directly
2 Provided for directly and subject to additional conditions
3 Provided for indirectly or implicitly
17 Relationships to Other Treaties
A Supersession clauses
B Clauses providing for the priority of the present treaty
1 Present treaty prevails over all treaties
2 Present treaty prevails over past and future treaties
3 Present treaty prevails over earlier treaties for parties to both
4 Present treaty prevails over IO member’s constituent instrument
5 Obligation to eliminate incompatibilities with respect to existing treaties with third parties
6 Existing treaties must be compatible with the present treaty
7 Future treaties must be compatible with the present treaty
8 Existing and future treaties must be compatible with the present treaty
C Clauses providing for the priority of another treaty
1 No effect on one or more other agreements
2 Existing treaties prevail
3 Future treaties prevail
4 Existing or future treaties giving greater benefits prevail
D Modifications and supplementary agreements
1 Permitted if compatible with the present treaty
2 Permitted without conditions on consistency with the present treaty
3 Supplementary agreements permitted with IO’s Member States
E Obligation to consult on present treaty’s relationship to future treaty
F Comprehensive treatment of relations with other treaties
18 Derogations
A No derogations allowed
B Derogations based on factual conditions
C Derogations based on the purpose(s) of the behaviour
1 Based on non-precluded measures
2 Regarding acts in furtherance of essential security interests
3 Avoiding acts impairing essential interests
4 Regarding the environment
5 Based on the availability of resources or application of local law
6 Based on an agreement in writing
19 Dispute Settlement
A Procedures involving parties themselves
1 Through consultations only
2 Through negotiations
3 Through any agreed-upon means
B Procedures involving third parties
1 Referral to a treaty body
C Binding dispute settlement
1 Through a treaty-specific court
2 Through arbitration at the election of one party
3 Through arbitration by mutual agreement
4 Unilateral ICJ referral
5 ICJ referral on mutual agreement of disputing parties
6 Referral to arbitration or the ICJ
7 Referral to the ICJ, arbitration, or conciliation
D Individual right to dispute settlement procedures
Amendments
20 Standard Amendment Procedures
A Procedures for revision or review
B Amendments binding by unanimity
1 Bilateral treaties
2 Multilateral treaties
C Amendments binding those parties that consent to them
1 Requiring consent to be bound from three-fourths of the parties
2 Requiring consent from three-fourths of the parties that were parties at the time of the adoption of the amendment
3 Requiring consent from two-thirds of the parties
4 Requiring consent from two-thirds of the parties and UNGA approval
5 Requiring consent from a majority of the parties
6 Requiring consent from a specific number of parties
7 On a date set by a Plenipotentiary Conference
8 Without specifying a threshold for entry into force
21 Simplified Amendment Procedures
A Amendment for all parties by tacit consent with an opt-out
1 Where parties may opt-out of individual amendments
2 Where parties may opt-out of the tacit consent process on joining the treaty
B Amendment for all parties by majority consent
1 By ratification of seven-eighths of the parties (with an option for non-consenting parties to withdraw)
2 By three-fourths of the parties
3 By three-fourths of the parties (with non-consenting parties free to withdraw or remain if IO consents)
4 By two-thirds of the parties
5 By at least two-thirds of the contracting parties (with the possibility that non-consenting parties will cease to be parties to the treaty)
6 By a ‘positive majority’ (with no negative votes)
7 Tacit consent by provisional application
C Amendment by adoption
1 By adoption
2 By adoption in the absence of objection from the contracting parties
3 Authority to make ‘changes’ under different procedures than amendments
4 Procedure for ‘adjustments’
5 Amendments by adoption of one party only
6 Amendments by reference to amendment procedures in another treaty
D Combining standard and simplified amendment procedures
The End of Treaty Relations
22 Withdrawal or Denunciation
A Withdrawal or denunciation at any time
1 Effective immediately
2 On notice
3 On notice, with continuing legal effects
B Conditional right of withdrawal or denunciation
1 At any time after a specific period of time has passed
2 Only at fixed intervals
3 On notice after a specific period of time has passed
4 On notice after a specific period of time has passed with continuing legal effects
5 On notice with an explanation
6 When another party has given notice of withdrawal or denunciation
7 Effective only under certain conditions
8 On notice subject to a negotiated withdrawal agreement
C Constructive withdrawal
23 Suspension
A Suspension generally authorized
B Suspension for non-compliance
C Suspension for specified reasons
24 Duration and Termination
A Treaty duration
1 A fixed term
2 A fixed term extending an earlier agreement
3 A fixed term with limited extension options
4 A fixed term that renews automatically unless terminated
5 A fixed term followed by a separate period of automatic renewal
6 A fixed term that parties may agree to extend affirmatively
7 A fixed term subject to extensions and conditions
8 Unlimited duration but with a right of withdrawal or denunciation
B Treaty termination
1 On the completion of a specific operation or activity
2 Termination on the withdrawal of certain parties
3 Termination when the number of parties is reduced below a minimum threshold
4 Termination by decision of a treaty body
5 Termination on entry into force of a later treaty
6 Post-termination transitional provisions
Further Material
Index
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Table of Instruments
Duncan B. Hollis
From:
The Oxford Guide to Treaties (2nd Edition)
Edited By: Duncan B. Hollis
Previous Edition (1 ed.)
Content type:
Book content
Product:
Oxford Scholarly Authorities on International Law [OSAIL]
Published in print:
04 June 2020
ISBN:
9780198848349
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