Opinion on the Declaration on “Greater European Integration – the Way Forward” signed in Rome on 14 September 2015 by the President of the Camera dei Deputati of Italy, the President of Assemblée nationale of France, the President of the Bundestag of Germany and the President of the Chambre des Députés of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
This article analyses the scope of the coercion of a state as a ground for invalidating a treaty under international law. The coercion of a representative of a state (i.e. duress) is also addressed. The paper presents the notion and the legal limitations of the use of force under international law. It also discusses duress and coercion of a state as grounds for treaty invalidity in an historical perspective. The main purpose of the paper, however, is to present the scope of the concept of the coercion of a state under the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT). The article comments on the phrase of Article 52 of the VCLT on the invalidity of treaties that refers to the rules of international law, as embodied in the UN Charter, regarding the threat or use of force in concluding treaties. It considers whether the wording of VCLT articles on coercion as grounds for invalidating a treaty reflects customary rules of international law. The authors also consider a concept raised by certain developing states that coercion comprises not only the threat or use of force but also economic and political pressure. Finally, discussed are the procedures to invoke grounds for treaty invalidity applicable in the case of the coercion of a state.
Intentional destruction and theft of cultural property during armed conflicts are now prohibited by international law. In line with international regulations, deliberate attacks against cultural property, both during international and non-international armed conflicts, may constitute serious violations of the norms of humanitarian law and their perpetrators should be tried and penalized. At the international level, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is the most appropriate body to take action to protect cultural property during armed conflicts. The International Criminal Court (ICC), on the other hand, has the jurisdiction to prosecute and penalize perpetrators of crimes against cultural property, classified as war crimes. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to answer the question of the extent to which the cooperation between the ICC and UNESCO may affect the protection of cultural property during armed conflicts. In order to answer this question, analysis was performed of the scope of the protection of cultural property by the ICC and UNESCO, as well as of the legal basis for cooperation between these institutions.
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