University of Liege | Version française
Study programmes 2012-2013Last update : 18/06/2013
DROI1271-1  Law and Practice of International Organizations

Duration :  30h Th
Number of credits :  
Master in Law, Professional Focus in Business Law, 1st year4
Master in Law, Professional Focus in Public and Administrative Law, 1st year4
Master in Law, Professional Focus in Private Law, 1st year4
Master in Law, Professional Focus in Interuniversity Mobility, 1st year4
Master in Law, Professional focus in Criminal Law, 1st year4
Master in Law, Professional Focus in Labour Law, 1st year4
Lecturer :  Frédéric Dopagne
Language(s) of instruction :  
French language
Organisation and examination :  
Teaching in the second semester
Course contents :  
Although particular consideration is devoted - due to their respective peculiarities - to the United Nations as well as integration organizations (EU), the course does not consist of an analysis of individual international organizations. It rather deals with legal issues common to all international organizations, or particulary important or controversial. Against this backdrop, the main topics to be addressed are :
In the first part of the course, dedicated to the legal status of the organization : - Creation and membership; - International legal personality, legal capacities (in the international legal order and in domestical legal orders) and competence; - International responsability of organizations and of its members; - Privileges and immunities of the organization, of its civil servants and of permanent representatives of its members.; - Dissolution and succession.
In the second part of the course, dedicated to the activities of the organizations : - Adoption of legal acts (including treaties between members) - Monitoring and controlling multilateral regimes (environment, nuclear weapons, ect.); - Sanctions; - International administration of territories; - Specific operational activities (e. g., peace-keeping, financial assistance, etc.).
Learning outcomes of the course :  
Law and practice of International organizations is an advanced cours that aims at enabling students to acquire a thorough knowledge of the main legal issues revolving around both the status and activities of international organizations. Whilst focusing on specific technical questions of public international law, it highlights the stakes behind the increasing "institutionalization" of international relations.
Prerequisites and co-requisites/ Recommended optional programme components :  
Although the necessary background will be provided, to some extent, on questions of general public international law arising during the course (law of treaties, international responsibility, etc.), students must have previously attended a course on general public international law, in the framework of legal studies.
Students must have a good knowledge of English, - enabling them to follow the lectures - which involve takins the appropriate notes - and to answer questions during the exams.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :  
The course consists of lectures of 2h30/week. students are provided with a detailed outline of the course. They are called upon to prepare a limited number of lectures, on the basis of the case-law or other material that will be circulated beforehand and discussed during the lectures.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :  
The course in 2012-2013 is taught in the second semester.
Recommended or required readings :  
There is no particulary textbook. Students are urged to take appropriates notes during the lectures, based on the abovementioned detailed outline of the course.
This reading can be useful : Ph. SANDS et P. KLEIN, Bowett's Law of International Institutions, Sweet & Maxwell, 6th ed., 2009.
Assessment methods and criteria :  
The exam is a written one, in English. Students have to answer 3 or 4 questions, one or several of which may be presented as a pratical case or call for a critical comment on a court decision or another document. The exam does not require a perfect command of legal English although students must, as usual, be able to present theirs answers with the necessary supporting arguments and adequate nuances.
Work placement(s) :  
Organizational remarks :  
Contacts :  
frederic.dopagne@uclouvain.be


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