The Duty to Safeguard the Object and Purpose of Pending Treaties

A Closer Examination of Article 18 VCLT

Series: 

Article 18 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) plays an indispensable role in promoting stable relations amongst States by obliging them to refrain from acts which would defeat the object and purpose of pending treaties. However, for more than 50 years since its adoption, Article 18 has lingered in a state of legal uncertainty. This book offers a complete guide to the precise scope and content of Article 18 VCLT by analysing its particular elements. Of relevance to scholars, practitioners, and postgraduate students of international law, it applies Article 18 VCLT to contemporary events in international law. It showcases the vitality and direct relevance of the provision in today’s international legal order, while offering concrete arguments for its effective application.
Copyright Year:
2024
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25 Sep 2023
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978-90-04-68130-9
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28 Sep 2023
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Agnes Viktoria Rydberg, Ph.D, LL.M., is Lecturer of International Law at the University of Sheffield. She has authored several publications on the law of treaties, including 'Temporal Application of Treaties in International Arbitration’ in The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties in International Arbitration: History, Evolution, and Future (Kluwer 2022).
Preface

List of Abbreviations

Table of Treaties

Table of Legislation

Table of Cases

1 Introduction
 1 Background

 2 Note on Methodology


2 International Law Commission and the Travaux Préparatoires: The Rationale behind the Adoption of Article 18 vclt
 1 Introduction

 2 Private Law Analogies of Article 18 vclt
 2.1 The Interim Obligation and Culpa in Contrahendo

 2.2 Article 18 vclt and la Theorie de L’Abus des Droits

 2.3 Article 18 and Obligations to Be Subsequently Performed

 2.4 Anticipatory Breach


 3 The Drafting History of the Interim Obligation
 3.1 The Interim Obligation Prior to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
 3.1.1 Havana Convention on Treaties

 3.1.2 Harvard Draft Convention on the Law of Treaties


 3.2 The Drafting of the Provision by the International Law Commission
 3.2.1 Special Rapporteur J.L. Brierly

 3.2.2 Special Rapporteur Sir Hersch Lauterpacht

 3.2.3 Special Rapporteur Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice

 3.2.4 Special Rapporteur Sir Humphrey Waldock

 3.2.5 The Vienna Diplomatic Conference on the Law of Treaties


 4 Customary Status of Article 18 vclt

 5 Concluding Remarks


3 Object and Purpose of a Treaty in Relation to Article 18 vclt
 1 Introduction

 2 Meaning of ‘Object and Purpose’ of a Treaty

 3 Application of Article 18 vclt to the Object and Purpose of a Treaty
 3.1 Article 18 as Defining a Variety of Interim Obligations

 3.2 Article 18 as Applying to the Object and Purpose of Individual Provisions


 4 Concluding Remarks


4 The Threshold of ‘Defeating’ the Object and Purpose of a Pending Treaty
 1 Introduction

 2 Meaning of ‘Defeat’
 2.1 Obligation of Ratification?

 2.2 Examples from Drafting History and Case-Law of Conduct Defeating the Object and Purpose of a Treaty

 2.3 ‘Tests’ to Determine the Existence of a Violation

 2.4 Approaches of International and EU Courts and Tribunals

 2.5 Article 18 vclt in Relation to Contemporary Examples


 3 Duty of Care in Relation to Article 18

 4 Extent of Obligations: Article 18(a) vis-a-vis Article 18(b) vclt

 5 Concluding Remarks


5 Temporal Aspects of Article 18 vclt
 1 Introduction

 2 Article 18(a) vclt

 3 Article 18(b) vclt

 4 ‘Unratification’

 5 Concluding Remarks


6 Legal Nature of Article 18 vclt and the Role of Good Faith
 1 Introduction

 2 Good Faith in International Law

 3 Good Faith and Article 18 vclt
 3.1 Referrals to Good Faith in the Travaux Préparatoires

 3.2 Good Faith in the Application of Article 18 vclt

 3.3 Good Faith in the Interpretation of Article 18 vclt


 4 Abuse of Rights and Article 18 vclt
 4.1 Abuse of Rights in International Law

 4.2 Abuse of Rights and Article 18 vclt


 5 Estoppel and Article 18 vclt
 5.1 Estoppel in International Law

 5.2 Estoppel and Article 18 vclt


 6 Binding Nature of Article 18 vclt

 7 Consequences of Breach of Article 18 vclt

 8 Concluding Remarks


7 Article 18 vclt and Typologies of Treaties
 1 Introduction

 2 Typology of Treaties
 2.1 General Typologies of Treaties

 2.2 Recognition of Treaty Typologies in the vclt


 3 Article 18 vclt and Treaty Typologies
 3.1 Discussions in the Travaux Préparatoires

 3.2 Application of Article 18 vclt to Law-Making Treaties


 4 Article 18 vclt and Locus Standi

 5 Concluding Remarks


8 Article 18 vclt in Light of Contentious and Emerging Issues
 1 Introduction

 2 ‘Reversal’ of Article 18 vclt

 3 Institutional Aspect of Article 18 vclt

 4 Concluding Remarks


9 Conclusion

Appendix

Bibliography

Index

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Publisher:
Brill | Nijhoff
Language:
English
Pages:
xxiv, 230 pp.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004681316

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