International Law Commission International Law Commission

International Law Commission, July 2018. Photo: Antoine Tardy.
International Law Commission, July 2018.
The International Law Commission was established by the General Assembly, in 1947, to undertake the mandate of the Assembly, under article 13 (1) (a) of the Charter of the United Nations to "initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of ... encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification".

In accordance with resolution  76/111 of 9 December 2021, the International Law Commission held its seventy-third session at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 18 April to 3 June and from 4 July to 5 August 2022 (12 weeks).

#ILC_2022

Latest publications: 70 years of the International Law Commission

70 years of the International Law Commission — Drawing a balance for the future 70 years of the International Law Commission — Drawing a balance for the future
  • Seventy Years of the International Law Commission photo exhibit, prepared by the Codification Division, accompanying the events marking the seventieth anniversary of the ILC in New York and Geneva. The exhibit was subsequently also displayed in The Hague, Bangkok and Washington, D.C., during 2018 and 2019.

Current programme of work

The following topics are on the programme of work of the Commission:

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Recent Developments

2022 ILC Report (final version)

14 September 2022 The 2022 ILC report has been issued.

Adoption of the report

5 August 2022 The Commission adopted its report of the seventy-third session as a whole and thus concluded its work for that session.

General principles of law

29 July 2022 The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on the topic (A/CN.4/L.971). The Commission considered the report and adopted draft conclusions 3 and 7, and took note of draft conclusions 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 as contained in document A/CN.4/L.971.

General principles of law

27 July 2022 The document containing consolidated text of draft conclusions 1 to 11 provisionally adopted by the Drafting Committee, has been issued (A/CN.4/L.971).

Succession of States & responsibility

14 July 2022 The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on the topic (A/CN.4/L.970). The Commission considered the report and adopted the text of the draft guidelines 6, 7 bis, 10, 10 bis, 11, 12, 13, 13 bis, 14, 15 and 15 bis. The Commission took note of draft guidelines 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 and 9, provisionally adopted by the Drafting Committee.

Succession of States & responsibility

13 July 2022 The document containing text of draft guidelines 6, 7 bis, 10, 10 bis, 11, 12, 13, 13 bis, 14, 15 and 15 bis as provisionally adopted by the Drafting Committee, has been issued (A/CN.4/L.970).

General principles of law

12 July 2022 The Special Rapporteur summed up the debate on his third report (A/CN.4/753). The Commission decided to refer draft guidelines 10 to 14 to the Drafting Committee.

Visit of the USG for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel

5 July 2022 The Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, made a statement informing the Commission of the activities of the Office of Legal Affairs and recent developments of international law in the context of the United Nations. An exchange of views followed.

General principles of law

4 July 2022 The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, introduced his third report on the topic (A/CN.4/753). The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report.

General principles of law

24 June 2022 Third report on general principles of law by Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Special Rapporteur, has been issued (A/CN.4/753).

Immunity of State officials

3 June 2022 The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on the topic (A/CN.4/L.969). The Commission considered the report and adopted the texts and titles of the draft articles 1 to 18 on first reading [as amended].

Immunity of State officials

2 June 2022 The document containing texts and titles of the draft articles adopted by the Drafting Committee on first reading, has been issued (A/CN.4/L.969).