Treaty Interpretation: The Judicial Function between the Appreciation of States Parties and of Institutional Bodies

The dispute between Australia and Japan concerning the whaling in the Antarctic raised a number of issues of treaty interpretation. The article focuses in particular on the role that the unilateral position taken by the different actors involved in the conclusion or the implementation of a treaty can play in the interpretation of its provisions

Procedural rules of international courts and tribunals: Between change and stability

Introduction to Zoom-out n. 61 on "Procedural Law of International Courts and Tribunals: Between Change and Stability". International procedural law has drawn increasing attention in the last years. This Zoom-out is dedicated to an aspect of international pro- cedural law that nonetheless is generally overlooked, that is, the very characteristics of international procedural rules when conceived of as sources of international law. Basically, two main sets of questions have been submitted to the authors: 1. Can international procedural rules be regarded as ‘ordinary’ in- ternational rules? Are they adopted by the same actors and by having recourse to the same processes as any other international rule? Are they applied, interpreted and enforced in the very same way? 2. Assuming that international procedural rules have special fea- tures, to what extent do they differ from ‘ordinary’ rules? Is there a gen- eral distinction to be made between procedural and substantive rules? Which are the reasons that might explain differences (or points of con- tact) in the procedural regime from one jurisdiction to the other

Adjudicative bilateralism and community interests

The essay explores the two main ways in which community interests are taken into account in international adjudication. First, special procedural tools have been devised in order to accommodate the multilateral dimension of certain disputes into the traditionally bilateral scheme of international adjudication. It is shown that such tools have been of little use for the protection of community interests. Second, legal relations engendered by community interests can be conceptualized in a bilateral manner so that they could fit adjudicative bilateralism. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is maintained that this second avenue offers the most concrete, yet not entirely satisfactory, means to adjudicate community interests. Finally, the essay argues that the Monetary Gold rule proves a useful test to properly understand the different logic of these two avenues

Unusual source of inspiration: cooking international law

The editorial is part of a series of contributions concerning "unusual sources of inspiration" for international law scholars. In this piece the author addresses cooking as a source of inspiration and especially the works on "molecular gastronomy" founded by Hervé This. In addition, the author explains the connections between the two disciplines

The ICJ’s first determiantion of war reparations: Practical challenges and legal solutions

The author presents the practical challenges of the first determination by the ICJ of war reparations, together with the legal solutions offered by the Court

The collective dimension of bilateral litigation: The Ukraine v Russia case before the ICJ

The author examines the collective dimension of bilateral litigation before the ICJ through the lens of the case between Ukraine and Russia. This case and the unprecedented invocation of Article 36 provide the perfect illustration of the collective interest that may justify to open up the proceedings between two parties. The article analyses this collective dimension from three different points of view. The two procedural aspects that are directly connected to the use of ‘interpretive intervention’ are ad-dressed first, namely, the collective nature of the underlying interest and the impact of the collective dimension on the organization of con-tentious proceedings. then it turns to the substantive aspect of the dispute between Ukraine and Russia discussed in most intervention declarations showing the importance of centralized (and compulsory) dispute settlement when collective interests are at stake

La violation d’obligations envers la communauté internationale dans son ensemble et la compétence juridictionnelle de la Cour internationale de Justice

The Present and Future of Jus Cogen

Responsabilité de l’Etat et responsabilité individuelle pour crime de génocide : une séparation purement théorique ?

Le 3 février 2015 la Cour internationale de Justice (CIJ) a rendu son arrêt dans l’affaire concernant la Convention sur le génocide en rejetant aussi bien la demande principale de la Croatie que la demande reconventionnelle de la Serbie. L'auteur examine un aspect était central pour la solution du différend: le rapport entre responsabilité de l’Etat et responsabilité pénale individuelle pour crime de génocid

Et si l’Allemagne saisissait à nouveau la Cour internationale de Justice?

La décision n. 238 du 22 octobre 2014 de la Cour constitutionnelle italienne s'oppose à l’application interne de l’arrêt rendu par la Cour internationale de Justice (CIJ) le 3 février 2012 dans l’affaire des Immunités juridictionnelles de l’Etat. L'auteur examine deux questions principales, à savoir le fondement éventuel de la compétence de la Cour si l'Allemagne décidait de saisir la Cour à nouveau et la possibilité pour l’Italie de justifier la violation de la décision de 2012 sur la base du droit internationa

Le différend maritime entre le Pérou et le Chili et l’existence d’accords tacites en droit international

Analisi critica della sentenza resa dalla Corte internazionale di giustizia in relazione alla controversia marittima tra Cile e Perù in relazione agli elementi volti alla ricostruzione dell'esistenza di accordi taciti e del loro contenuto nel diritto internazionale.Analysis of the criteria that should point to the existence of tacit agreements under international law in light of the ICJ decision on the maritime dispute between Peru and Chili