International Law Commission

MONDAY, 2 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3291st meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3291)

Audio:

• The Commission observed a minute of silence in memory of the former Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros Ghali.
• Election of officers
  • The Commission elected Mr. Pedro Comissário Afonso (Mozambique) as its Chair, Mr. Georg Nolte (Germany) as the First Vice-Chair, Mr. Gilberto Vergne Saboia (Brazil) as Second Vice-Chair, Mr. Pavel Šturma (Czech Republic) as Chair of the Drafting Committee, and Mr. Ki Gab Park (Republic of Korea) as Rapporteur.
• Programme of work
  • The Commission adopted its agenda (A/CN.4/688) and established the Working Group on “Identification of customary international law”.
• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Eduardo Valencia-Ospina, introduced his eighth report on the topic (A/CN.4/697).

TUESDAY, 3 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3292nd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3292)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s eighth report on the topic (A/CN.4/697).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Working Group, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, announced the following composition of the Working Group on “Identification of customary international law”: Chair: Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez (Ecuador); Special Rapporteur: Sir Michael Wood (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Members: Mr. Pedro Comissario Afonso (Mozambique), Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández (Spain), Mr. Mathias Forteau (France), Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud (Jordan), Mr. Maurice Kamto (Cameroon), Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree (Thailand), Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin (Russian Federation), Mr. Donald M. McRae (Canada), Mr. Shinya Murase (Japan), Mr. Sean D. Murphy (United States of America), Mr. Ernest Petric (Slovenia), Mr. Pavel Sturma (Czech Republic) and Mr. Ki Gab Park (Republic of Korea) (ex officio).

WEDNESDAY, 4 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3293rd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3293)

Audio: morning | afternoon

• Tribute to the memory of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali
  • Statements were made by members of the Commission in tribute to the memory of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s eighth report on the topic (A/CN.4/697).

FRIDAY, 6 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3294th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3294)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s eighth report on the topic (A/CN.4/697).

TUESDAY, 10 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3295th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3295)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s eighth report on the topic (A/CN.4/697).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee, Mr. Pavel Sturma, announced the following composition of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of persons in the event of disasters”:  Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma (Czech Republic); Special Rapporteur: Mr. Eduardo Valencia-Ospina (Colombia); Members: Mr. Mathias Forteau (France), Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud (Jordan), Mr. Huikang Huang (China), Mr. Maurice Kamto (Cameroon), Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree (Thailand), Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin (Russian Federation), Mr. Donald M. McRae (Canada), Mr. Sean D. Murphy (United States of America), Mr. Georg Nolte (Germany), Mr. Ernest Petrič (Slovenia), Mr. Gilberto V. Saboia (Brazil), Mr. Narinder Singh (India), Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bérmudez (Ecuador), Sir Michael Wood (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and Mr. Ki Gab Park (Republic of Korea) (ex officio).

WEDNESDAY, 11 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3296th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3296)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Special Rapporteur summarised the debate on his eighth report on the topic (A/CN.4/697). The Commission decided to refer the draft preamble and draft articles 1–21 to the Drafting Committee.
• Crimes against humanity
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Sean D. Murphy, introduced his second report on “Crimes against humanity” (A/CN.4/690). The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.

THURSDAY, 12 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3297th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3297)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s second report on the topic (A/CN.4/690).

FRIDAY, 13 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3298th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3298)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s second report on the topic (A/CN.4/690).

TUESDAY, 17 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3299th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3299)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s second report on the topic (A/CN.4/690).
• Visit of the United Nations Legal Counsel
  • The 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.

WEDNESDAY, 18 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3300th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3300)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s second report on the topic (A/CN.4/690).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • In the absence of the Chair of the Planning Group, Mr. Gilberto Vergne Saboia (Brazil) announced the following composition of the Planning Group: Chair: Mr. Georg Nolte (Germany); Members: Mr. Lucius Caflisch (Switzerland), Mr. Pedro Commisário Afonso (Mozambique), Mr. Abdelrazeg El-Murtadi Suleiman Gouider (Libya), Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández (Spain), Mr. Mathias Forteau (France), Mr. Hussein A. Hassouna (Egypte), Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud (Jordan), Ms. Marie G. Jacobsson (Sweden), Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree (Thailand), Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin (Russian Federation), Mr. Ahmed Laraba (Algeria), Mr. Donald M. McRae (Canada), Mr. Shinya Murase (Japan), Mr. Sean D. Murphy (United States of America), Mr. Bernd H. Niehaus (Costa Rica), Mr. Ernest Petrič (Slovenia), Mr. Pavel Šturma (Czech Republic), Mr. Dire D. Tladi (South Africa), Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez (Ecuador), Mr. Amos S. Wako (Kenya), Mr. Nugroho Wisnumurti (Indonesia), Mr. Michael Wood (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) and Mr. Ki Gab Park (Republic of Korea) (ex officio).

THURSDAY, 19 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3301st meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3301)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/690). The Special Rapporteur summarised the debate. The Commission decided to refer draft articles 5 to 10 to the Drafting Committee.
• Identification of customary international law
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Michael Wood, introduced his fourth report on “Identification of customary international law” (A/CN.4/695 + Add.1 + Add.1 + Add.1). The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.

FRIDAY, 20 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3302nd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3302)

Audio:

• Identification of customary international law
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s fourth report on the topic (A/CN.4/695).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the composition of the Drafting Committee on “Crimes against humanity” which is as follows: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma; Special Rapporteur: Mr. Sean D. Murphy; Members: Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández, Mr. Mathias Forteau, Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud, Mr. Maurice Kamto, Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin, Mr. Donald M. McRae, Mr. Ernest Petrič, Mr. Gilberto V. Saboia, Mr. Narinder Singh, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Mr. Amos S. Wako, Mr. Michael Wood and Mr. Ki Gab Park (ex officio).

TUESDAY, 24 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3303rd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3303)

Audio:

• Identification of customary international law
  • The Commission continued and concluded its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s fourth report on the topic (A/CN.4/695). The Special Rapporteur summarised the debate. The Commission decided to refer draft conclusions 3, 4, 6, 9 and 12 to the Drafting Committee. The Commission also decided to request the Secretariat to prepare a memorandum on ways and means for making the evidence of customary international law more readily available, which would survey the present state of the evidence of customary international law and make suggestions for its improvement.
• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Georg Nolte, introduced his fourth report on “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” (A/CN.4/694).

WEDNESDAY, 25 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3304th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3304)

Audio:

• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s fourth report on the topic (A/CN.4/694).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the following composition of the Drafting Committee on “Identification of customary international law”: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma (Czech Republic); Special Rapporteur: Mr. Michael Wood (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Members: Mr. Pedro  Comissario Afonso (Mozambique), Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández (Spain), Mr. Mathias Forteau (France), Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud (Jordan), Mr. Maurice Kamto (Cameroon), Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree (Thailand), Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin (Russian Federation), Mr. Donald M. McRae (Canada), Mr. Shinya Murase (Japan), Mr. Sean D. Murphy (United States of America), Mr. Georg Nolte (Germany), Mr. Ernest Petrič (Slovenia), Mr. Dire D. Tladi (South Africa), Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez (Ecuador) and Mr. Ki Gab Park (Republic of Korea) (ex officio).

THURSDAY, 26 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3305th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3305)

Audio:

• Cooperation with other bodies
  • The representative of the Inter-American Juridical Committee, Mr. Gélin Imanès Collot, addressed the Commission. An exchange of views followed.

FRIDAY, 27 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3306th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3306)

Audio:

• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Shinya Murase, introduced his third report on the topic (A/CN.4/692).
• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s fourth report on the topic (A/CN.4/694).

TUESDAY, 31 May 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3307th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3307)

Audio:

• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s fourth report on the topic (A/CN.4/694). The Special Rapporteur summed up the debate. The Commission decided to refer draft conclusions 1a and 12 to the Drafting Committee.
• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s third report on the topic (A/CN.4/692).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the composition of the Drafting Committee on “Subsequent agreement and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” which is as follows: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma; Special Rapporteur: Mr. Georg Nolte; Members: Mr. Maurice Kamto, Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin, Mr. Donald M. McRae, Mr. Sean D. Murphy, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Mr. Michael Wood and Mr. Ki Gab Park (ex officio).

WEDNESDAY, 1 June 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3308th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3308)

Audio:

• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s third report on the topic (A/CN.4/692).

THURSDAY, 2 June 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3309th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3309)

Audio:

• Identification of customary international law
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on “Identification of customary international law” (A/CN.4/L.872). The Commission considered the report and adopted on first reading the following draft conclusions: 1 (Scope/Portée), 2 [3] (Two constituent elements/Deux éléments constitutifs), 3 [4] (Assessment of evidence for the two constituent elements/Appréciation des moyens permettant d’etablir les deux éléments constitutifs), 4 [5] (Requirement of practice/Exigence d’une pratique), 5 [6] (Conduct of the State as State practice/Comportement de l’État en tant que pratique de l’État), 6 [7] (Forms of practice/Formes de pratique), 7 [8] (Assessing a State’s practice/Appréciation de la pratique d’un État), 8 [9] (The practice must be general/La pratique doit être générale), 9 [10] (Requirement of acceptance as law (opinio juris)/Exigence d’une pratique générale acceptée comme étant le droit (opinio juris)), 10 [11] (Forms of evidence of acceptance as law (opinio juris)/Formes de preuve de l’acceptation comme étant le droit (opinio juris)), 11 [12] (Treaties/Traités), 12 [13] (Resolutions of international organizations and intergovernmental conferences/Résolutions d’organisations internationales et de conférences intergouvernementales), 13 [14] (Decisions of courts and tribunals/Décisions de juridictions), 14 (Teachings/Doctrine), 15 [16] (Persistent objector/Objecteur persistant) and 16 [15] (Particular customary international law/Droit international coutumier particulier).

FRIDAY, 3 June 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3310th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3310)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of persons in the event of disasters” (A/CN.4/L.871). The Commission considered the report and adopted on second reading the following preamble and draft articles: 1 (Scope/Champ d’application), 2 (Purpose/Objet), 3 (Use of terms/Termes employés), 4 (Human dignity/Dignité humaine), 5 (Human rights/Droits de l’homme), 6 (Humanitarian principles/Principes humanitaires), 7 (Duty to cooperate/Obligation de coopérer), 8 (Forms of cooperation in the response to disasters/Formes de coopération en réaction aux catastrophes), 9 (Reduction of the risk of disasters/Réduction des risques de catastrophe), 10 (Role of the affected State/Rôle de l’État touché), 11 (Duty of the affected State to seek external assistance/Obligation de l’État touché de rechercher de l’assistance extérieure), 12 (Offers of external assistance/Offres d’assistance extérieure), 13 (Consent of the affected State to external assistance/Consentement de l’État touché à l’assistance extérieure), 14 (Conditions on the provision of external assistance/Conditions de fourniture de l’assistance extérieure), 15 (Facilitation of external assistance/Facilitation de l’assistance extérieure), 16 (Protection of relief personnel, equipment and goods/Protection du personnel, de l’equipement et des biens de secours), 17 (Termination of external assistance/Cessation de l’assistance extérieure) and 18 (Relationship to other rules of international law/Relation avec d’autres règles de droit international).

TUESDAY, 7 June 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3311th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3311)

Audio:

• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s third report on the topic (A/CN.4/692). The Special Rapporteur summed up the debate. The Commission decided to refer the preamble and draft guidelines 3 to 7 to the Drafting Committee.
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the composition of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of the atmosphere” which is as follows: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma; Special Rapporteur: Mr. Shinya Murase; Members: Mr. Mathias Forteau, Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud, Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Mr. Donald M. McRae, Mr. Sean D. Murphy, Mr. Niehaus, Mr. Saboia, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Mr. Michael Wood and Mr. Ki Gab Park (ex officio).

THURSDAY, 9 June 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3312th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3312)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on Crimes against humanity (A/CN.4/L.873 + Add.1).  The Commission considered  the report and adopted  the following draft articles: 5 (Criminalization under national law/Incrimination en droit interne), 6 (Establishment of national jurisdiction/Établissement de la compétence nationale), 7 (Investigation/Enquête), 8 (Preliminary measures when an alleged offender is present/Mesures préliminaires lorsque l’auteur présumé  de l’infraction se trouve sur le territoire), 9 (Aut dedere aut judicare/Aut dedere aut judicare) and 10 (Fair treatment of the alleged offender/Traitement équitable de l’auteur présumé de l’infraction).

FRIDAY, 10 June 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3313th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3313)

Audio:

• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on “Subsequent agreement and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” (A/CN.4/L.874).  The Commission considered  the report and adopted  the following draft conclusions on first reading: 1 [1a] (Introduction/Introduction), 2 [1] (General rule and means of treaty interpretation/Règle générale et moyens d’interprétation des traités), 3 [2] (Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice as authentic means of interpretation/Les accords ultérieurs et la pratique ultérieure comme moyens d’interprétation authentiques), 4 (Definition of subsequent agreement and subsequent practice/Définition de l’accord ultérieur et de la pratique ultérieure), 5 (Attribution of subsequent practice/L’attribution d’une pratique ultérieure), 6 (Identification of subsequent agreements and subsequent practice/Identification des accords ultérieurs et de la pratique ultérieure), 7 (Possible effects of subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in interpretation/Effets possibles des accords ultérieurs et de la pratique ultérieure dans le contexte de l’interprétation), 8 [3] (Interpretation of treaty terms as capable of evolving over time/L’interprétation des termes d’un traité comme susceptibles d’évolution dans le temps), 9[8] (Weight of subsequent agreements and subsequent practice as a means of interpretation/Poids des accords ultérieurs et de la pratique ultérieure comme moyens d’interprétation), 10 [9] (Agreement of the parties regarding the interpretation of a treaty/Accord des parties au sujet de l’interprétation d’un traité), 11 [10] (Decisions adopted within the framework of a Conference of States Parties/Décisions adoptées dans le cadre d’une conférence des parties), 12 [11] (Constituent instruments of international organizations/Actes constitutifs d’organisations internationales), 13 [12] (Pronouncements of expert treaty bodies/Décisions d’organes d’experts).

MONDAY, 4 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3314th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3314)

Audio:

• Jus Cogens
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Dire Tladi, introduced his first report on “Jus cogens” (A/CN.4/693). The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.
• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of the atmosphere” (A/CN.4/L.875).

TUESDAY, 5 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3315th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3315)

Audio: morning | afternoon

• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/693).
• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission considered the report of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of the atmosphere" (A/CN.4/L.875) and adopted the following draft guidelines, as amended: 3 (Obligation to protect the atmosphere/Obligation de protéger l’atmosphère), 4 (Environmental Impact Assessment/Évaluation de l’impact sur l’environnement), 5 (Sustainable utilization of the atmosphere/Utilisation durable de l’atmosphère), 6 (Equitable and reasonable utilization of the atmosphere/Utilisation équitable et raisonnable de l’atmosphère), 7 (Intentional large-scale modification of the atmosphere/Modification intentionnelle à grande échelle de l’atmosphère) and 8 (International Cooperation/Coopération internationale).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the composition of the Drafting Committee on “Provisional application of treaties” which is as follows: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma; Special Rapporteur: Mr. Gómez-Robledo; Members: Mr. Mathias Forteau, Mr. Maurice Kamto, Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin, Mr. Donald M. McRae, Mr. Georg Nolte, Mr. Ernest Petrič, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Mr. Michael Wood and Mr. Ki Gab Park (ex officio).

THURSDAY, 7 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3316th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3316)

Audio:

• Cooperation with other bodies
  • The Chair of the Council of Europe Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI), Mr. Paul Rietjens, and the Head of Public International Law Division and Treaty Office of the Directorate of Legal Advice and Public International Law, Ms. Marta Requena, addressed the Commission. An exchange of views followed.
• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/693).

FRIDAY, 8 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3317th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3317)

Audio:

• Visit of the President of the International Court of Justice
  • The President of the International Court of Justice, Judge Ronny Abraham, addressed the Commission. An exchange of views followed.
• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/693).

TUESDAY, 12 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3318th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3318)

Audio:

• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Special Rapporteur, Ms. Marie G. Jacobsson, introduced her third report on the topic (A/CN.4/700). The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.

WEDNESDAY, 13 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3319th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3319)

Audio:

• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/700).

THURSDAY, 14 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3320th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3320)

Audio:

• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/700).

FRIDAY, 15 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3321st meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3321)

Audio:

• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/700).

MONDAY, 18 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3322nd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3322)

Audio:

• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/693).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the composition of the Drafting Committee on “Jus cogens” which is as follows: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma; Special Rapporteur: Mr. Dire D. Tladi; Members: Mr. Enrique J.A. Candioti, Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández, Mr. Mathias Forteau, Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud, Mr. Maurice Kamto, Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin, Mr. Donald M. McRae, Mr. Sean D. Murphy, Mr. Georg Nolte, Mr. Ernest Petrič, Mr. Gilberto V. Saboia, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Mr. Michael Wood and Mr. Ki Gab Park (ex officio).
• Programme, procedures, working methods of the Commission and its documentation
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee announced the composition of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts” which is as follows: Chair: Mr. Pavel Šturma; Special Rapporteur: Ms. Marie G. Jacobsson; Members: Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández, Mr. Mahmoud D. Hmoud, Mr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin, Mr. Donald M. McRae, Mr. Shinya Murase, Mr. Sean D. Murphy, Mr. Marcelo Vázquez-Bermúdez, Mr. Michael Wood and Mr. Ki Gab Park (ex officio).

TUESDAY, 19 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3323rd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3323)

Audio:

• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/693). The Special Rapporteur summarized the debate. The Commission decided to refer draft conclusions 1 and 3 to the Drafting Committee.

WEDNESDAY, 20 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3324th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3324)

Audio:

• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Special Rapporteur summarized the debate. The Commission decided to refer draft principles I-1, I-3, I-4, III-1 to III-5 and IV-1 to the Drafting Committee. The Commission decided to refer back to the Drafting Committee the draft introductory provisions and draft principles provisionally adopted by the Drafting Committee last year.
• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Special Rapporteur, Mr. Juan Manuel Gómez-Robledo, introduced his fourth report on the topic (A/CN.4/699).

THURSDAY, 21 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3325th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3325)

Audio:

• Crimes against humanity
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented a further report of the Drafting Committee on Crimes against humanity (A/CN.4/L.873/Add.1). The Commission considered the report and adopted paragraph 7 of draft article 5 (Criminalization under national law/Incrimination en droit interne).
• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/699 + Add.1).

FRIDAY, 22 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3326th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3326)

Audio:

• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/699 + Add.1).

MONDAY, 25 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3327th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3327)

Audio:

• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic (A/CN.4/699 + Add.1).

TUESDAY, 26 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3328th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3328)

Audio:

• Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
  • The Special Rapporteur, Ms. Concepción Escobar Hernández, introduced her fifth report on the topic (A/CN.4/701). The Commission began its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report.

WEDNESDAY, 27 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3329th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3329)

Audio:

• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Special Rapporteur summed up the debate. The Commission decided to refer draft guideline 10 to the Drafting Committee.
• Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
  • The Commission considered and adopted the following draft articles which were taken note of during the sixty-seventh session: 2(f) (Definitions/Définitions) and 6 (Scope of immunity ratione materiae/Portée de l’immunité ratione materiae). The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.

THURSDAY, 28 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3330th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3330)

Audio:

• Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.

FRIDAY, 29 July 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3331st meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3331)

Audio:

• Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
  • The Commission continued its consideration of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the topic.

TUESDAY, 2 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3332nd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3332)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission began consideration of Chapter IV of its report on “Protection of persons in the event of disasters” and adopted sections A, B and part of E including the commentary to draft articles 1 (Scope/Champ d’application ), 2 (Purpose/ Objet) and 3 (Use of terms/Termes employés) (A/CN.4/L.882 + Add.1), as amended.

WEDNESDAY, 3 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3333rd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3333)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter IV of its report on “Protection of persons in the event of disasters” and adopted a further part of section E including the commentary to draft articles 4 (Human dignity/Dignité humaine), 5 (Human rights/Droits de l’homme), 6 (Humanitarian principles/Principes humanitaires), 7 (Duty to cooperate/Obligation de coopérer), 8 (Forms of cooperation in the response to disasters/Formes de coopération en réponse aux catastrophes) and 9 (Reduction of the risk of disasters/Réduction des risques de catastrophe) (A/CN.4/L.882/Add.1), as amended.

WEDNESDAY, 3 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3334th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3334)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter IV of its report on “Protection of persons in the event of disasters” and adopted a further part of section E including the commentary to draft articles 10 (Role of the affected State/Rôle de l’État touché) and 11 (Duty of the affected State to seek external assistance/Obligation de l’État touché de rechercher de l’assistance extérieure (A/CN.4/L.882/Add.1), as amended.

THURSDAY, 4 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3335th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3335)

Audio:

• Protection of persons in the event of disasters
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter IV of its report on “Protection of persons in the event of disasters” and adopted sections C, D and the remaining part of section E including the commentary to draft articles 12 (Offers of external assistance/Offres d’assistance extérieure), 13 (Consent of the affected State to external assistance/Consentement de l’État touché à l’assistance extérieure), 14 (Conditions on the provision of external assistance/Conditions de fourniture de l’assistance extérieure), 15 (Facilitation of external assistance/Facilitation de l’assistance extérieure), 16 (Protection of relief personnel, equipment and goods/Protection du personnel de secours, de l’equipement et des biens), 17 (Termination of external assistance/Cessation de l’assistance extérieure), 18 (Relationship to other rules of international law/Relation avec d’autres règles de droit international) (A/CN.4/L.882 + Add.1), as amended.
• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission began consideration of Chapter VI of its report on “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” and adopted sections A, B and part of section C (A/CN.4/L.884), as amended.

THURSDAY, 4 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3336th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3336)

Audio:

• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter VI of its report on “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” and adopted a further part of section C including the commentary to draft conclusions 1[1a] (Introduction/Introduction), 2 [1] (General rule and means of treaty interpretation/Règle générale et moyens d’interprétation des traités), 3 [2] (Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice as authentic means of interpretation/Les accords ultérieurs et la pratique ultérieure en tant que moyens d’interprétation authentiques), 4 (Definition of subsequent agreement and subsequent practice/ Définition de l’accord ultérieur et de la pratique ultérieure), 5 (Attribution of subsequent practice/L’attribution d’une pratique ultérieure), 6 (Identification of subsequent agreements and subsequent practice/Identification des accords ultérieurs et de la pratique ultérieure), 7 (Possible effects of subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in interpretation/ Effets possibles des accords ultérieurs et de la pratique ultérieure dans le contexte de l’interprétation), 8 [3] (Interpretation of treaty terms as capable of evolving over time/ L’interprétation des termes d’un traité comme susceptibles d’évolution dans le temps), 9 [8] (Weight of subsequent agreements and subsequent practice as a means of interpretation/ Poids des accords ultérieurs et de la pratique ultérieure comme moyens d’interprétation), 10 [9] (Agreement of the parties regarding the interpretation of a treaty/Accord des parties au sujet de l’interprétation d’un traité), 11 [10] (Decisions adopted within the framework of a Conference of States Parties/Décisions adoptées dans le cadre d’une conférence des Parties) and 12 [11] (Constituent instruments of international organizations/Actes constitutifs d’organisations internationales) (A/CN.4/L.884/Add.1 and A/CN.4/L.884/Add.2), as amended.

FRIDAY, 5 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3337th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3337)

Audio:

• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report on “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts” (A/CN.4/L.870/Rev.1). The Commission considered the report and adopted draft principles 1 (Scope/Champ d’application), 2 (Purpose/Objet), 5 (Designation of protected zones/Déclaration de zones protégées), 8 (General protection of the natural environment during armed conflict/Protection générale de l’environnement naturel pendant un conflit armé), 9 (Application of the law of armed conflict to the natural environment/Application du droit des conflits armés à l’environnement naturel), 10 (Environmental considerations/Considérations environnementales), 11 (Prohibition of reprisals/Interdiction des représailles) and 12 (Protected zones/Zones protégées), as amended (A/CN.4/L.870/Rev.1), as amended. Draft principles 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were renumbered and adopted as draft principles 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.
• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter VI of its report on “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” and adopted a further part of section C including part of commentary to draft conclusion 13 (A/CN.4/L.884/Add.2), as amended.

FRIDAY, 5 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3338th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3338)

Audio:

• Identification of customary international law
  • The Commission began consideration of Chapter V of its report on “Identification of customary international law” and adopted sections A, B and part C including the commentary to draft conclusions 1 (Scope/Portée), 2 (Two constituents elements/Deux éléments constitutifs) and 3 (Assessment of evidence for the two constituent elements/Appréciation des moyens permettant d’établir les deux éléments constitutifs), (A/CN.4/L.883 + Add.1), as amended.

MONDAY, 8 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3339th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3339)

Audio:

• Identification of customary international law
  • The Commission  continued consideration of Chapter V of its report on “Identification of customary international law” and adopted a further part of section C including the commentary to draft conclusions 4 (Requirement of practice/Exigence d’une pratique), 5 (Conduct of the State as State practice/Comportement de l’État en tant que pratique de l’État), 6 (Forms of practice/Formes de pratique), 7 (Assessing a State’s practice/Appréciation de la pratique d’un État), 8 (The practice must be general/La pratique doit être générale), 9 (Requirement of acceptance as law (opinio juris)/Exigence d’une pratique générale acceptée comme étant le droit (opinio juris), 10 (Forms of evidence of acceptance as law (opinio juris)/Formes de prevue de l’acceptation comme étant le droit (opinio juris), (A/CN.4/L.883/Add.1), as amended.

MONDAY, 8 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3340th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3340)

Audio:

• Identification of customary international law
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter V of its report on “Identification of customary international law” and adopted the remaining part of section C including the commentary to draft conclusions 11 (Treaties/Traités), 12 (Resolutions of international organizations and intergovernmental conferences/Résolutions d’organisations internationales et de conférences intergouvernementales), 13 (Decisions of courts and tribunals/Décisions de juridictions), 14 (Teachings/Doctrine), 15 (Persistent objector/Objecteur persistant), 16 (Particular customary international law/Droit international coutumier particulier) (A/CN.4/L.883/Add.1), as amended.
• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter VI of its report on “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” and adopted a further part of section C including part of the commentary to draft conclusion 13 [12] (Pronouncements of expert treaty bodies/Prononcés d’organes conventionnels d’experts) (A/CN.4/L.884/Add.2), as amended.

TUESDAY, 9 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3341st meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3341)

Audio:

• Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter VI of its report on “Subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties” and adopted the remaining part of section C including the remaining part of commentary to draft conclusion 13 [12] (Pronouncements of expert treaty bodies/Prononcés d’organes conventionnels d’experts) (A/CN.4/L.884/Add.2), as amended.
• Crimes against humanity
  • The Commission considered Chapter VII of its report on “Crimes against humanity” and adopted sections A, B and part of C including the commentary to draft articles 5 (Criminalization under national law/Incrimination en droit interne), 6 (Establishment of national jurisdiction/Établissement de la compétence nationale), 7 (Investigation/Enquête), 8 (Preliminary measures when an alleged offender is present/Mesures préliminaires lorsque l’auteur présumé de l’infraction se trouve sur le territoire), 9 (Aut dedere aut judicare/Aut dedere aut judicare) and 10 (Fair treatment of the alleged offender/Traitement équitable de l’auteur présumé de l’infraction), (A/CN.4/L.885 + Add.1 + Add.2), as amended.
• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission began consideration of Chapter VIII of its report on “Protection of the atmosphere” and adopted sections A and B (A/CN.4/L.886), as amended.

TUESDAY, 9 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3342nd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3342)

Audio:

• Jus Cogens
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on “Jus cogens”. The Commission took note of the statement of the Chair of the Drafting Committee.
• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented a further report of the Drafting Committee on “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts”. The Commission took note of the report (A/CN.4/L.876).
• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Chair of the Drafting Committee presented the report of the Drafting Committee on “Provisional application of treaties”. The Commission took note of the report (A/CN.4/L.877).
• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter VIII of its report on “Protection of the atmosphere” and adopted a part of section C including the commentary to the preamble and part of draft guideline 3 (Obligation to protect the atmosphere/Obligation de protéger l’atmosphère) (A/CN.4/L.886/Add.1), as amended.

WEDNESDAY, 10 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3343rd meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3343)

Audio:

• Protection of the atmosphere
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter VIII of its report on “Protection of the atmosphere” and adopted the remaining part of section C including the commentary to the remaining part of draft guideline 3 (Obligation to protect the atmosphere/Obligation de protéger l’atmosphère), and draft guidelines 4 (Environmental impact assessment/Evaluation de l’impact sur l’environnement), 5 (Sustainable utilization of the atmosphere/Utilization durable de l’atmosphère), 6 (Equitable and reasonable utilization of the atmosphere/Utilisation equitable et raisonnable de l’atmosphère) and 7 (Intentional large-scale modification of the atmosphere /Modification intentionnelle à grande échelle de l’atmosphère) (A/CN.4/L.886/Add.1), as amended.
• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission began consideration of Chapter IX of its report on “Jus cogens” and adopted section A and part of section B (A/CN.4/L.887), as amended.

WEDNESDAY, 10 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3344th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3344)

Audio:

• Jus Cogens
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter IX of its report on “Jus cogens” and adopted the remaining part of section B (A/CN.4/L.887), as amended.
• Report of the Planning Group
  • The Chair of the Planning Group introduced the report of the Planning Group (A/CN.4/L.878). The Commission took note of the report of the Planning Group.
• Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts
  • The Commission adopted Chapter X of its report on “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts” including the commentary to draft principles 1 (Scope/Champ d’application), 2 (Purpose/Objet), 5 [I-(x)] (Designation of protected zones/Déclaration de zones protégées), 9 [II-1] (General protection of the natural environment during armed conflict/Protection générale de l’environnement naturel pendant un conflit armé), 10 [II-2] (Application of the law of armed conflict to the natural environment/Application du droit des conflits armés à l’environnement naturel), 11 [II-3] (Environmental considerations/Considérations environnementales), 12 [II-4] (Prohibition of reprisals/Interdiction des représailles) and 13 [II-5] (Protected zones/Zones protégées) (A/CN.4/L.888 + Add.1), as amended.

THURSDAY, 11 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3345th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3345)

Audio:

• Provisional application of treaties
  • The Commission adopted Chapter XII of its report on “Provisional application of treaties”, as amended.
• Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
  • The Commission began consideration of Chapter XI on “Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction” and adopted section A, part of sections B and C including part of the commentary to draft article 2 (Definitions/Définitions) and commentary to draft article 6 (Scope of immunity ratione materiae/Portée de l’immunité ratione materiae) (A/CN.4/L.889 + Add.1 + Add.2), as amended.

THURSDAY, 11 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3346th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3346)

Audio:

• Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction
  • The Commission continued consideration of Chapter XI on “Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction” and adopted the remaining part of sections B and C including part of the commentary to draft article 2 (Definitions/Définitions (A/CN.4/L.889/Add.2 and A/CN.4/L.889/Add.3), as amended.
• Introduction
  • The Commission adopted Chapter I of its report “Introduction” (A/CN.4/L.879), as amended.
• Summary of the work of the Commission at its sixty-eighth session
  • The Commission adopted Chapter II of its report “Summary of the work of the Commission at its sixty-eighth session” (A/CN.4/L.880), as amended.

FRIDAY, 12 August 2016
Sixty-eighth session
United Nations Office at Geneva
3347th meeting (A/CN.4/SR.3347)

Audio:

• Specific issues on which comments would be of particular interest to the Commission
  • The Commission adopted Chapter III of its report “Specific issues on which comments would be of particular interest to the Commission” (A/CN.4/L.881), as amended.
• Other decisions and conclusions of the Commission
  • The Commission adopted Chapter XIII of its report “Other decisions and conclusion of the Commission” (A/CN.4/L.891), as amended.
• Adoption of the Report
  • The Commission adopted its report of the sixty-eighth session as a whole and thus concluded its work for that session.