A.
Mandate
- 1997
decision of the Commission to subdivide the topic "International
Liability for Injurious Consequences arising out of Acts
not Prohibited by International Law" into two parts:
prevention of transboundary damage from hazardous
activities and international liability in case of loss
from transboundary harm arising out of hazardous activities.
- G.A. Res. 52/156 of 15 December 1997 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- G.A. Res. 53/102 of 8 December 1998 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- G.A. Res. 56/82 of 12 December 2001 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
|
| B.
Studies undertaken by the Secretariat and Reports of the Secretary-General |
|
1. 56th
session of the International Law Commission (2004)
-
Survey of liability regimes relevant to the topic of international
liability for injurious consequences arising out of acts
not prohibited by international law (international liability
in case of loss from transboundary harm arising out of
hazardous activities) - Prepared by the Secretariat
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/543
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
|
|
|
| C.
Reports of the Working Group or Sub-Committee |
|
1.
54th
session of the International Law Commission (2002)
|
|
-
Report of the Working Group on International Liability
for Injurious Consequences arising out of Acts not Prohibited
by International Law (International Liability for Failure
to Prevent Loss from Transboundary Harm Arising out
of Hazardous Activities)
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/L.627
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- ILC Report, A/57/10,
2002, chp. VII, paras. 442 - 457 |
2.
56th
session of the International Law Commission (2004)
|
|
-
Report of the Working Group on International Liability
for Injurious Consequences arising out of Acts not Prohibited
by International Law (International Liability for Failure
to Prevent Loss from Transboundary Harm Arising out
of Hazardous Activities)
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/L.661
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
and Corr.1
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- ILC Report, A/59/10,
2004, chp. VII, paras. 170 - 171 |
|
|
| D.
Reports of the Special Rapporteur |
|
1. Review
of the International Law Commission's treatment of the topic
in its earlier phase of consideration of the topic. Examined
the approaches of Special Rapporteurs Mr. Robert Q. Quentin-Baxter
and Mr. Julio Barboza. Highlighted the outstanding issues
related to the international liability regime and some policy
considerations. Further discussed the allocation of loss,
analysing both sectoral and regional treaties, agreements,
conventions and regulations, listing some features common
to the different models of allocation of loss and touched
upon some elements of civil liability.
-
First Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Pemmaraju
Sreenivasa Rao, (55th
session of the ILC (2003))
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/531
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- ILC Report, A/58/10,
2003, chp. VI, paras. 167 - 231
|
2. The
report analysed comments of States on the main issues concerning
allocation of loss. It drew general conclusions in the light
of the said comments as well as previous debates in the
Commission. In his report, the Special Rapporteur also submitted
a set of 12 draft principles.
-
Second Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Pemmaraju
Sreenivasa Rao, (56th
session of the ILC (2004))
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/540
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- ILC Report, A/59/10,
2004, chp. VII, paras. 169 - 174
|
3. Analysis
of the issues to be addressed by the Commission on second
reading of the draft principles in the light of comments
and observations by Governments.
-
Third Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Pemmaraju
Sreenivasa Rao, (58th
session of the ILC (2006))
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/566
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
- ILC Report, A/61/10,
2006, chp. V, paras. 59 - 67
|
|
|
| E.
Reports of the Drafting Committee |
|
1.
56th session
of the International Law Commission (2004)
|
|
-
Report of the Drafting Committee on international liability
for injurious consequences arising out of acts not prohibited
by international law (International liability in case
of loss from transboundary harm arising out of hazardous
activities)
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/L.662
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A) |
2.
58th session
of the International Law Commission (2006)
|
|
-
Title and texts of the preamble and the draft principles
on the allocation of loss arising out of hazardous activities
adopted by the Drafting Committee on second reading
- Statement
of the Drafting Committee Chairman
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/L.686
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
and Corr.
1 (F,
S,
R,
C,
A) |
| |
|
| F.
Comments by Governments |
|
1. 58th
session of the International Law Commission (2006)
-
Comments and observations received from Governments
|
-
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/562
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
and Add.1
(F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
|
|
|
| G.
Other |
|
None
|
|
| |
|
| H.
Reports of the International Law Commission |
|
1. Report
of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-fourth
session, 29 April - 7 June and 22 July - 16 August 2002
-
The Commission resumed its consideration of the second
part of the topic related to international liability for
failure to prevent loss from transboundary harm arising
out of hazardous activities. It established a Working
Group. The Working Group submitted a report that was subsequently
considered, amended and adopted by the Commission. Finally,
the Commission appointed Mr. Pemmaraju Sreenivasa Rao
as Special Rapporteur for the topic.
- Discussion in Plenary: 2717th mtg (F) (8 May
2002), and 2743rd (F) and 2744th (F) mtgs (8 and 9 August
2002)
|
-
ILC Report, A/57/10,
2002, chp. VII, paras. 430 - 457 |
2. Report
of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-fifth
session, 5 May - 6 June and 7 July - 8 August 2003
-
The Commission considered the First Report of the Special
Rapporteur on the legal regime for the allocation of loss
in case of transboundary harm arising out of hazardous
activities. It established an open-ended working group
under the chairmanship of the Special Rapporteur in order
to assist him in considering the future orientation of
the topic in the light of his report and the debate in
the Commission.
- Discussion in Plenary: 2762nd (F), 2763rd (F),
2764th (F), 2765th (F), 2766th (F), 2767th (F), 2768th
(F) and 2769th (F) mtgs (23, 27, 28, 30 May and 3 to 6
June 2003)
|
-
ILC Report, A/58/10,
2003, chp. VI, paras. 154 - 231 |
3. Report
of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-sixth
session, 3 May - 4 June and 5 July - 6 August 2004
-
The Commission had before it the second report of the
Special Rapporteur on the legal regime for the allocation
of loss in case of transboundary harm arising out of hazardous
activities. The Commission also had the Survey of Liability
Regimes relevant to the topic, updated by the Secretariat.
The Commission established a working group under the chairmanship
of Mr. Pemmaraju Sreenivasa Rao to examine the proposals
submitted by the Special Rapporteur, taking into account
the debate in the Commission, with view to recommending
draft principles ripe for referral to the Drafting Committee,
while also continuing discussions on other issues, including
the form that work on the topic should take. In its work
the Working Group reviewed and revised the 12 draft principles
submitted by the Special Rapporteur and it recommended
that the 8 draft principles contained in its report be
referred to the Drafting Committee. The Commission received
the oral report of the Chairman of the Working Group and
decided to refer the eight draft principles to the Drafting
Committee. The Commission also requested the Drafting
Committee to prepare a text of a preamble.
- The Commission subsequently considered the report of
the Drafting Committee and adopted on first reading a
set of eight draft principles on the allocation of loss
in the case of transboundary harm arising out of hazardous
activities. The Commission also decided, in accordance
with articles 16 and 21 of its Statute
to transmit the draft principles through the Secretary-General,
to Governments for comments and observations, with the
request that such comments and observations be submitted
to the Secretary-General by 1 January 2006.
- Discussion in Plenary: 2804th (F), 2805th (F),
2807th (F), 2808th (F), 2809th (F) (26 and 27 May and
1, to 3 June 2004), 2815th (F) (9 July 2004), 2822nd (F)
(23 July 2004), 2828th (F) and 2829th (F) mtgs (4 to 5
August 2004)
|
-
ILC Report, A/59/10,
2004, chp. VII, paras. 158 - 176 |
4. Report
of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-eighth
session, 1 May - 9 June and 3 July - 11 August 2006
-
The Commission had before it the third report of the Special
Rapporteur as well as comments and observations received
from Governments.
- The Commission subsequently adopted on second reading
the text of the preamble
and a set of eight draft principles on the allocation
of loss in the case of transboundary harm arising out
of hazardous activities, with commentaries.
The Commission recalled that at its forty-ninth
session (1997) it decided to consider the topic in
two parts; at its fifty-third
session (2001) it completed the first part and recommended
to the General Assembly the elaboration of a convention
on the basis of the draft articles on Prevention of transboundary
harm from hazardous
activities. The Commissions recommendation was based
on its view that, taking into account the existing State
practice, the first part of the topic lent itself to codification
and progressive development through a convention. The
adoption by the Commission of the draft principles on
the Allocation of loss in the case of transboundary harm
arising out of hazardous activities completed the second
part, thus concluding work on the topic International
liability for injurious consequences arising out of acts
not prohibited by international law. In accordance
with article 23 of its Statute the Commission recommended,
for the second part, that the Assembly endorse the draft
principles by a resolution and urge States to take national
and international action to implement them.
- Discussion in Plenary: 2872nd (F), 2873rd (F),
2874th (F) and 2875th mtgs, held on 9, 10, 11 and 12 May
2006, 2882nd (F) mtg, on 2 June 2006, and
2909th (F) and 2910th (F) mtgs, held on 8 August 2006
|
-
ILC Report, A/61/10,
2006, chp. V, paras. 51 - 67 |
|
|
| I.
General Assembly Action |
|
Res.
52/156 of 15 December 1997 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Took note of the decision of the Commission to proceed
with its work on the topic, undertaking, as a first step,
the issue of prevention, and reiterated its request to
Governments to provide in writing, their comments and
observations on the topic, including the draft articles
prepared by the Working Group in 1996.
|
|
Res.
53/102 of 8 December 1998 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Requested the Commission, while continuing its work on
prevention, to examine other issues arising out of the
topic, taking into account comments made by Governments,
either in writing or in the Sixth Committee, and to submit
its recommendations on the future work to be done on these
issues to the Sixth Committee.
|
|
Res.
54/111 of 9 December 1999 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Requested the Commission to resume consideration of the
liability aspects of the topic as soon as the second reading
of the draft articles on prevention is finalized, taking
into account developments in international law and comments
by Governments.
|
|
Res.
55/152 of 12 December 2000 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Requested the Commission to resume consideration of
the liability aspects of the topic as soon as the second
reading of the draft articles on the prevention of transboundary
damage from hazardous activities was completed, bearing
in mind the interrelationship between the prevention
and liability aspects of the topic and taking into account
developments in international law and comments by Governments.
|
|
Res.
56/82 of 12 December 2001 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Requested the Commission, taking into consideration its
decision at its forty-ninth
session to proceed with its work on the topic of "International
liability for injurious consequences arising out of acts
not prohibited by international law, undertaking, as a
first step, the issue of prevention, to resume, during
its fifty-fourth session, its consideration of the liability
aspects of the topic, bearing in mind the interrelationship
between the prevention and liability aspects of the topic
and taking into account developments in international
law and comments by Governments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Res.
61/34 of 4 December 2006 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Expressed its appreciation to the International Law Commission
for the
completion of the second reading of the draft principles
on the allocation of loss in the case of transboundary
harm arising out of hazardous activities under the topic
International liability for injurious consequences
arising out of acts not prohibited by international law
(International liability in case of loss for transboundary
harm arising out of hazardous activities).
|
|
|
|
| J.
Final Outcome |
|
International
Law Commission (58th
session, 2006)
-
The Commission adopted on second reading the text of
the preamble
and a set of eight draft principles on the allocation
of loss in the case of transboundary harm arising out
of hazardous activities, with commentaries.
- The Commission recalled that at its forty-ninth
session (1997) it decided to consider the topic
in two parts; at its fifty-third
session (2001) it completed the first part and recommended
to the General Assembly the elaboration of a convention
on the basis of the draft articles on Prevention of
transboundary harm from hazardous activities. The Commissions
recommendation was based on its view that, taking into
account the existing State practice, the first part
of the topic lent itself to codification and progressive
development through a convention. The adoption by the
Commission of the draft principles on the Allocation
of loss in the case of transboundary harm arising out
of hazardous activities completed the second part, thus
concluding work on the topic International liability
for injurious consequences arising out of acts not prohibited
by international law. In accordance with article
23 of its Statute the Commission recommended, for the
second part, that the Assembly endorse the draft principles
by a resolution and urge States to take national and
international action to implement them.
|
|
General
Assembly
Res.
61/36 of 4 December 2006 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Took note of the principles on the allocation of loss
in the case of transboundary harm arising out of hazardous
activities, presented by the Commission, the text of
which was annexed to the resolution, and commended them
to the attention of Governments.
- Decided to include in the provisional agenda of its
sixty-second session an item entitled Consideration
of prevention of transboundary harm from hazardous activities
and allocation of loss in the case of such harm.
|
|
Res.
62/68 of 6 December 2007 (E,
F,
S,
R,
C,
A)
-
Welcomed the conclusion of the work of the International
Law
Commission on prevention of transboundary harm from
hazardous activities and allocation of loss in the
case of such harm and its adoption of the respective
draft articles and draft principles and commentaries
on the subjects.
- Commended the articles on prevention of transboundary
harm from hazardous activities, presented by the Commission,
the text of which wais annexed to the resolution,
to the attention of Governments, without prejudice
to any future action, as recommended by the Commission
regarding the articles.
- Commended once again the principles on the allocation
of loss in the case
of transboundary harm arising out of hazardous activities,
presented by the
Commission, the text of which was annexed to General
Assembly resolution 61/36, to the attention of Governments,
without prejudice to any future action, as recommended
by the Commission regarding the principles;
- Invited Governments to submit comments on any future
action, in particular on the form of the respective
articles and principles, bearing in mind the recommendations
made by the Commission in that regard, including in
relation to the elaboration of a convention on the
basis of the draft articles, as well as on any practice
in relation to the application of the articles and
principles;
- Decided
to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-fifth
session the
item entitled Consideration of prevention of
transboundary harm from hazardous activities and allocation
of loss in the case of such harm.
See:
the website
of the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly
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