INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION

The 'International Law Commission' was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 with the purpose of codifying and promoting international law. It holds an annual session at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Contents

Origin

Achievements

See also

External link

Origin

Several attempts have been made in the effort to codify international law. The work which lead to the International Law Commission was begun in Resolution of the Assembly of the League of Nations of 22 September 1924. The United Nations adopted many concepts of the League's resolution in Article 13, Paragraph 1 of the Charter of the United Nations, "1. The General Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of: a. ...encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification." The Commission is comprised of 34 member elected by the General Assembly. Members act as individuals and not as officials representing their respective states.

Achievements

The International Law Commission's work has led to the creation of a number of treaties and other works of international law that are key to the present international legal order (see generally under "Research Guide > Texts, instruments and final reports" on the International Law Commission site), for example:

★ The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties

★ The Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties

★ The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations

★ The Draft Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts

★ The International Criminal Court, first proposed in 1949 at the request of the UN General Assembly.

See also

★ List of members of the International Law Commission

External link

★ International Law Commission

★ Online Journal of International Law