Summaries of the Work of the International Law Commission
Extracted from the Work of the International Law Commission (9th ed.), published in 2017, the following are a series of summaries, organized by topic, describing the consideration by the Commission of each topic. The Summaries further complement the Analytical Guide to the Work of the International Law Commission.
Select a topic from the following list, organized according to the outline adopted in the Report on the Long-Term Programme of Work in 1996 (reproduced in Annex II of the Report … A/51/10).
Sources of International Law
Topics completed
Topics under consideration
1.15 | General principles of law |
1.16 | Subsidiary means for the determination of rules of international law |
1.17 | Non-legally binding international agreements |
Subjects of International Law
Topics discontinued
2.1 | Fundamental rights and duties of States |
Succession of States
Topics commenced and sub-divided
3.1 | Succession of States and Governments1 |
Topics completed
3.2 | Succession of States in respect to treaties |
3.3 | Succession of States in respect of matters other than treaties |
3.4 | Nationality in relation to the succession of States |
Topics under consideration
3.5 | Succession of States in respect of State responsibility |
State Jurisdiction/Immunity from Jurisdiction
Topics completed
4.1 | Jurisdictional immunities of States and their property |
Topics under consideration
4.2 | Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction |
Law of International Organizations
Topics completed
5.1 | Representation of States in their relations with international organizations |
See also: Responsibility of international organizations
Topics discontinued
5.2 | Status, privileges and immunities of international organizations, their officials, experts, etc. |
See also: Settlement of disputes to which international organizations are parties
Position of the Individual in International Law
Topics completed
6.1 | Nationality including statelessness |
6.3 | Protection of persons in the event of disasters |
See also: Expulsion of aliens
Topics not pursued further
6.2 | Right of asylum |
International Criminal Law
Topics completed
7.1 | Formulation of the Nürnberg Principles |
7.2 | Question of international criminal jurisdiction |
7.3 | Draft code of offences against the peace and security of mankind (Part I) |
7.4 | Draft code of crimes against the peace and security of mankind (Part II) — including the draft statute for an international criminal court |
7.6 | Obligation to extradite or prosecute (aut dedere aut judicare) |
7.7 | Crimes against humanity |
Topics under consideration
7.8 | Prevention and repression of piracy and armed robbery at sea |
Topics commenced and incorporated elsewhere
7.5 | Question of defining aggression2 |
See also: Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
Law of International Spaces
Topics completed
Topics discontinued
8.4 | Juridical régime of historic waters, including historic bays |
8.6 | Shared natural resources (oil and gas) |
Topics under consideration
8.9 | Sea-level rise in relation to international law |
Law of International Relations
Topics commenced and sub-divided
9. | International liability for injurious consequences arising out of acts not prohibited by international law3 |
Topics completed
See also: Succession of States in respect of State responsibility
Settlement of Disputes
Topics completed
10.1 | Arbitral procedure |
Topics under consideration
10.3 | Settlement of disputes to which international organizations are parties |
Long-term Programme of Work
11.1 | Future topics |
1 Sub-divided into succession of States with respect to treaties, and succession of States in respect of matters other than treaties.
2 Incorporated into the topic "draft code of offences against the peace and security of mankind (Part I)".
3 Sub-divided into prevention of transboundary damage from hazardous activities and international liability in case of loss from transboundary harm arising out of hazardous activities.