Keeping up Appearances: May the Law of International Responsibility be construed through the ‘Comparative Law’ Methods?

Łukasz Augustyniak

doi:10.21697/priel.2021.10.1.02

Published: 2021-04-21

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2021)

Keeping up Appearances: May the Law of International Responsibility be construed through the ‘Comparative Law’ Methods?

Łukasz Augustyniak

Polish Review of International and European Law

Section: Studies

https://doi.org/10.21697/priel.2021.10.1.02

Abstract

The article analyses the possible employment of comparative law methodology for the codification, progressive development and the interpretation of the law of international responsibility. It argues that ‘comparative law’ methodology should be used during this process as it would enhance the legitimacy and understanding of the work of the International Law Commission. The use of legal English involves the reference to common law ideas whether it is consciously admitted or not by the users of legal rules drafted in that language. This concept is presented by the reference to the way the language is used in the process of creating and interpreting rules in the area of international responsibility. It also plays an important role during the construction of multicultural international
legal concepts within that field. Last but not least, the use of ‘comparative law’ seems to be an indispensable apparatus in the codification process in the area of international responsibility consisting of general principles of law and customary law. The ‘comparative law’ methods are invaluable tools for all those who take part in creation of international responsibility rules, as well as their application and interpretation.

Keywords:

comparative law, general principles of law, customary law, international responsibility, legal transplants, multilingualism, translation, International Law Commission

Download files

PDF

Citation rules

Augustyniak, Łukasz. (2021). Keeping up Appearances: May the Law of International Responsibility be construed through the ‘Comparative Law’ Methods?. Polish Review of International and European Law, 10(1), 43–74. https://doi.org/10.21697/priel.2021.10.1.02

Cited by / Share

References

Akehurst M., Equity and General Principles of Law, ‘International and Comparative Law Quarterly’ 1976, vol. 25, no. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/iclqaj/25.4.801
Google Scholar

Augustyniak Ł., Gąszczyk R., Tłumaczenie nazw wybranych instytucji prawa cywilnego (w odniesieniu do terminologii common law), ‘Państwo i Prawo’ 2010, no. 9
Google Scholar

Besson S., General Principles in International Law – Whose Principles?, [in:] S. Besson, P. Pichonnaz (eds), ‘Les principes en droit européen/Principles in European Law’, Schulthess, Genève 2011
Google Scholar

Bjorge E., The International Court of Justice’s Methodology of Law Ascertainment and Comparative Law, [in:] M. Andenas, D. Fairgrieve (eds.), ‘Courts and Comparative Law’, OUP, Oxford 2015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198735335.003.0012
Google Scholar

Boyle A.E., State Responsibility and International Liability for Injurious Consequences of Acts not Prohibited by International Law: a Necessary Distinction?, ‘International and Comparative Law Quarterly’ 1990, vol. 39, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/iclqaj/39.1.1
Google Scholar

Caron D.D., The ILC Articles on State Responsibility: The Paradoxical Relationship between Form and Authority, ‘American Journal of International Law’ 2002, vol. 96, no. 3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.339540
Google Scholar

Crawford J., Responsibility to the International Community as a Whole, ‘Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies’ 2001, vol. 8, no. 2
Google Scholar

Crawford J., State Responsibility. The General Part, CUP, Cambridge 2013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139033060
Google Scholar

Crawford J., The Standing of States: A Critique of Article 40 of the ILC’s Draft Articles on State Responsibility, [in:] M. Andenas, D. Fairgrieve (eds), ‘Judicial Review in International Perspective. Liber Amicorum in Honour of Lord Slynn of Hadley’, vol. II, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague/London/Boston 2000
Google Scholar

de Hoogh A., Obligations Erga Omnes and International Crimes, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague/London/Boston 1996
Google Scholar

Dedek H., The Relationship between Rights and Remedies in Private Law: A Comparison between the Common and the Civil Law Tradition, [in:] R.J. Shape, K. Roach (eds), ‘Taking Remedies Seriously’, Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice 2009
Google Scholar

Ellis J., General Principles and Comparative Law, ‘European Journal of International Law’ 2011, vol. 22, no. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chr072
Google Scholar

Forteau M., Comparative international law within, not against, international law: lessons from the International Law Commission, ‘American Journal of International Law’ 2015, vol. 109, no. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5305/amerjintelaw.109.3.0498
Google Scholar

Frankenberg G., Critical Comparisons: Re-thinking Comparative Law, ‘Harvard International Law Journal’ 1985, vol. 26, no. 2
Google Scholar

Friedmann D., Rights and Remedies, [in:] N. Cohen, E. McKendrick (eds), ‘Comparative Remedies for Breach of Contract’, Portland 2005
Google Scholar

Gaja G., Interpreting Articles Adopted by the International Law Commission, ‘British Yearbook of International Law’ 2016, vol. 85, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bybil/brv001
Google Scholar

Gehring T., Jachtenfuchs M., Liability for Transboundary Environmental Damage. Towards a General Liability Regime?, ‘European Journal of International Law’ 1993, vol. 4, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.ejil.a035856
Google Scholar

Goldie L.F.E., Concept of Strict and absolute liability and the ranking of liability in terms of relative exposure to risk, ‘Netherlands Yearbook of International Law’ 1985, vol. XVI DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0167676800003500
Google Scholar

Grey Ch., Is There an International Law of Remedies?, ‘British Yearbook of International Law’ 1986, vol. 56 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bybil/56.1.25
Google Scholar

Gutteridge H.C., Comparative Law and the Law of Nations, [in:] W.E. Butler (ed.), ‘International Law in Comparative Perspective’, Sijthoff & Noordhoff, Alphen aan den Rijn/Germantown 1980
Google Scholar

Hailbronner K., Ziele und Methoden völkerrechtlich relevanter Rechtsvergleichung, ‘Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht’ 1976
Google Scholar

Hendry J., Legal comparison and the (im)possibility of legal translation, [in:] S. Glanert (ed.), ‘Comparative Law – Engaging Translation’, Routledge 2014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2256888
Google Scholar

Jain N., Judicial Lawmaking and General Principles of Law in International Criminal Law, ‘Harvard International Law Journal’ 2016, vol. 57, no. 1
Google Scholar

Katsivela M., Contracts: Force Majeure Concept of Force Majeure Clauses?, ‘Uniform Law Review’ 2007, vol. 12, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ulr/12.1.101
Google Scholar

Lefeber R., Transboundary Environmental Interference and the Origin of State Liability, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague 1996
Google Scholar

Legrand P., European Legal Systems Are Not Converging, ‘International and Comparative Law Quarterly’ 1996, vol. 45, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020589300058656
Google Scholar

Legrand P., The Impossibility of ‘Legal Transplants’, ‘Maastricht Journal of European & Comparative Law’ 1997, vol. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1023263X9700400202
Google Scholar

Letsas G., The Truth in Autonomous Concepts: How To Interpret the ECHR, ‘European Journal of International Law’ 2004, vol. 15, no. 2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/15.2.279
Google Scholar

Linos K., How to select and develop international law case studies: lessons from comparative law and comparative politics, ‘American Journal of International Law’ 2015, vol. 109, no. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5305/amerjintelaw.109.3.0475
Google Scholar

McAuliffe K., The Limitations of a Multilingual Legal System, ‘International Journal for Semiotics of Law’ 2013, vol. 26 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-013-9314-0
Google Scholar

Michaels R., The functional Method of Comparative Law, [in:] M. Reimann, R. Zimmerman (eds.), ‘Oxford Handbook on Comparative Law’, OUP, Oxford 2006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199296064.013.0011
Google Scholar

Paddeu F.I., The Genealogy of Force Majeure in International Law, ‘British Yearbook of International Law’ 2012, vol. 82 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bybil/brs005
Google Scholar

Pellet A., Article 38 [in:] A. Zimmermann, K. Oellers-Frahm, Ch. Tomuschat, Ch.J. Tams (eds), ‘The Statute of the International Court of Justice. A Commentary’, OUP, Oxford 2012
Google Scholar

Picker C.B., An Introduction to Comparative Legal Cultural Analyses of International Organizations [in:] C.B. Picker, L. Heckendorn Ursheler, D. Solenik (eds.), Comparative law and international organizations: cooperation, competition and connections’, Zurich 2014
Google Scholar

Picker C.B., Beyond the Usual Suspects: Application of the Mixed Jurisdiction Jurisprudence to International Law and Beyond, ‘Journal of Comparative Law’ 2009, vol. 3, no. 1
Google Scholar

Picker C.B., International Investment Law: Some Legal Cultural Insights, [in:] L.E. Trakman, N.W. Ranieri (eds.), ‘Regionalism in International Investment Law’, OUP, Oxford 2013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195389005.003.0003
Google Scholar

Picker C.B., International’s Law Mixed Heritage: A Common/Civil Law Jurisdiction, ‘Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law’ 2008, vol. 41
Google Scholar

Prieto Ramos F., International and supranational law in translation: from multilingual lawmaking to adjudication, ‘The Translator’ 2014, vol. 20, no. 3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13556509.2014.904080
Google Scholar

Quentin-Baxter R.Q., Preliminary report on international liability for injurious consequences arising out of acts not prohibited by international law, UN Doc. A.CN.4/334 and Add.1 & Corr.1 and Add.2
Google Scholar

Raimondo F.O., General Principles of Law as Applied by International Criminal Courts and Tribunals, ‘Law and Practice of International Courts and Tribunals’ 2007, vol. 6
Google Scholar

Raimondo F.O., General Principles of Law in the Decisions of International Criminal Courts and Tribunals, Martinus Nijhoff, Leiden/Boston 2008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004170476.i-214
Google Scholar

Rayner S., A Note on Force Majeure in Islamic Law, ‘Arab Law Quarterly’ 1991, vol. 6, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/157302591X00188
Google Scholar

Reimann M., Comparative law and neighboring disciplines, [in:] M. Busani, U. Mattei (eds.), ‘The Cambridge Companion to Comparative Law’, CUP, Cambridge 2012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139017206.003
Google Scholar

Roberts A., Is International Law International?, OUP, Oxford 2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190696412.001.0001
Google Scholar

Roberts A., Stephens P.B., Verdier PH., Versteeg M., Comparative International Law: Framing the Field, ‘American Journal of International Law’ 2015, vol. 109, no. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5305/amerjintelaw.109.3.0467
Google Scholar

Romano C.P.R., The Americanization of International Litigation, ‘Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution’ 2003, vol. 19, no. 1
Google Scholar

Ryngaert C., Buchanan H., Member State responsibility for the acts of international organizations, ‘Utrecht Law Review’ 2011, vol. 7, no. 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18352/ulr.151
Google Scholar

Samuel G., ‘Le droit subjectif ’ and English Law, ‘Cambridge Law Journal’ 1987, vol. 46, no. 2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0008197300119944
Google Scholar

Schmidhauser J.R., Legal Imperialism: Its Enduring Impact on Colonial and Post-Colonial Judicial Systems, ‘International Political Science Review’ 1992, vol. 13, no. 3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/019251219201300307
Google Scholar

Semmelmann C., General Principles in EU Law between a Compensatory Role and an Intrinsic Value, ‘European Law Journal’ 2015, vol. 19, no. 4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eulj.12044
Google Scholar

Thirlway H., Law and Procedure of the ICJ, Part Two, ‘British Yearbook of International Law’ 1990, vol. 61 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bybil/61.1.1
Google Scholar

Tomuschat Ch., International Law: Ensuring the Survival of Mankind on the Eve of a New Century, General Course on Public International Law, ‘Recueil des cours - Académie de Droit International de La Haye’ 1999, vol. 281
Google Scholar

van Hoecke M., Methodology of Comparative Legal Research, ‘Law and Method’ 2015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5553/REM/.000010
Google Scholar

van Hoof G.J.H., Rethinking the Sources of International Law, Deventer 1983
Google Scholar

von Savigny F.C.K., Grimm J., Juristische Methodenlehre, 1802/3, (lecture recorded and elaborated by J. Grimm, first published by G. von Wessenberg, Stuttgart, Koehler 1951)
Google Scholar

Watson A., Legal Transplants. An Approach to Comparative Law, University of Georgia Press 1993
Google Scholar

Weil P., Le droit international en quête de son identité: cours général de droit international public, ‘Recueil des cours – Académie de Droit International de La Haye’, 1992-VI, vol. 237
Google Scholar

Zieliński M., Decoding Legal Text [in:] Z. Ziembiński (ed), ‘Polish Contributions to the Theory and Philosophy of Law’, Amsterdam 1987
Google Scholar

Zweigert K., Kötz H., An Introduction to comparative law, OUP, Oxford 1992
Google Scholar

Łukasz Augustyniak

priel@uksw.edu.pl
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4452-591X

Affiliation:

Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University Poland

Bio Statement (e.g., department and rank)

PhD/habilitation seminar participant at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University