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Analytical Guide


Responsibility of international organizations

last update: 12 September 2008

A. Mandate

    - 2000 recommendation of the Working-Group on the long-term programme of work
    - 2002 decision to include the topic in its programme of work
    - G.A. Res.55/152 of 12 December 2000
    (E, F, S, R, C, A), Res. 56/82 of 12 December 2001 (E, F, S, R, C, A) and Res. 57/21 of 19 November 2002 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
B. Studies undertaken by the Secretariat and Reports of the Secretary-General

None

 
   
C. Reports of the Working Group or Sub-Committee 
    1. 54th session of the International Law Commission (2002)

- Report of the Working Group

- ILC Report, A/57/10, 2002, chp. VIII, paras.465-488
    2. 55th session of the International Law Commission (2003)

- Report of the Working Group: text of article 2

- ILC Report, A/58/10, 2002, chp. IV, para.48
   
D. Reports of the Special Rapporteur 
    1. Surveyed the previous work of the Commission relating to the responsibility of international organizations beginning with the work of the Commission on the topic of relations between States and international organizations in which the question of responsibility of international organizations was identified as early as 1963. The report further discussed the scope of the work and general principles concerning responsibility of international organizations, dealing with issues that corresponded to those that were considered in chapter one (“General principles”, arts. 1 to 3) of the draft articles on “Responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts”. The following three draft articles were proposed: article 1 “Scope of the present draft articles”,22 article 2 “Use of terms”23 and article 3 “General principles”.
      - First Report of the Special Rapporteur, Giorgio Gaja (55th session of the ILC (2003))
- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/532 (F, S, R, C, A)
- ILC Report, A/58/10, 2003, chp. IV, paras.44-45
    2. Attribution of conduct to international organizations for which he proposed four draft articles: article 4 “General rule on attribution of conduct to an international organization”, article 5 “Conduct of organs placed at the disposal of an international organization by a State or another international organization”, article 6 “Excess of authority or contravention of instructions”, and article 7 “Conduct acknowledged and adopted by an international organization as its own”.
      - Second Report of the Special Rapporteur, Giorgio Gaja (56th session of the ILC (2004))
- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/541 (F, S, R, C, A)
- ILC Report, A/59/10, 2004, chp. V, paras.65-66
    3. Dealt with the existence of a breach of an international obligation on the part of an international organization and with the responsibility of an international organization in connection with the act of a State or another international organization. The Special Rapporteur proposed draft articles 8 to 16: article 8 “Existence of a breach of an international obligation”, article 9 “International obligation in force for an international organization”, article 10 “Extension in time of the breach of an international obligation”, article 11 “Breach consisting of a composite act”, article 12 “Aid or assistance in the commission of an internationally wrongful act”, article 13 “Direction and control exercise over the commission of an internationally wrongful act”, article 14 “Coercion of a State or another international organization”, article 15 “Effects of the preceding articles”, and article 16 “Decisions, recommendations and authorizations addressed to member States and international organizations”.
      - Third Report of the Special Rapporteur, Giorgio Gaja (57th session of the ILC (2005))
- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/553 (F, S, R, C, A)
- ILC Report, A/60/10, 2005, chp. VI, paras.197-200
    4. Circumstances precluding wrongfulness (consent, self-defence, countermeasures in respect of an internationally wrongful act, force majeure, distress, necessity, compliance with peremptory norms, and consequences of invoking a circumstance precluding wrongfulness, as well as aid or assistance, direction and control, and coercion by a State in the commission of an internationally wrongful act of an international organization, and use by a State that is a member of an international organization of the separate personality of that organization). Included a consideration of the question of the responsibility of members of an international organization
    when that organization is responsible.
      - Fourth Report of the Special Rapporteur, Giorgio Gaja (58th session of the ILC (2006))

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/564 (F, S, R, C, A) and Add.1 (F, S, R, C, A) and Add.2 (F, S, R, C, A)
- ILC Report, A/61/10, 2006, chp. VI, paras.80 - 91

    5. Consideration of the content of the international responsibility of an international organization (general principles, the legal consequences of an internationally wrongful act, the continued duty of performance, cessation and non-repetition, reparation, irrelevance of the rules of the organization, and scope of international obligations set out in this Part), reparation for injury (forms of reparation, restitution, compensation, satisfaction, interest, and contribution to the injury) as well as serious breaches of obligations under peremptory norms of general international law (Application of the chapter, and particular consequences of a serious breach of an obligation under the chapter).
      - Fifth Report of the Special Rapporteur, Giorgio Gaja (59th session of the ILC (2007))

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/583 (F, S, R, C, A) and Corr.1 (F, S, R, C, A)
- ILC Report, A/62/10, 2007, chp. VIII, paras. 328-342

    6. Discussion of the invocation of the responsibility of an international organization (invocation of responsibility by an injured State or international organization, notice of claim by an injured State or international organization, loss of the right to invoke responsibility, plurality of injured entities, plurality of responsible entities, invocation of responsibility by an entity other than an injured State or international organization) and countermeasures (object and limits of countermeasures, obligations not affected by countermeasures, proportionality, conditions relating to resort to countermeasures, termination of countermeasures, measures taken by an entity other than an injured State or international organization)
      - Sixth Report of the Special Rapporteur, Giorgio Gaja (60th session of the ILC (2008))

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/597 (F, S, R, C, A)

   
E. Reports of the Drafting Committee 
    1. 55th session of the International Law Commission (2003)

- Titles and texts of draft articles 1, 2 and 3 adopted by the Drafting Committee
- Statement of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.632 (F, S, R, C, A)
    2. 56th session of the International Law Commission (2004)

- Titles and texts of the draft articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 adopted by the Drafting Committee

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.648 (F, S, R, C, A) and Corr.1 (English only)
    3. 57th session of the International Law Commission (2005)

- Titles and texts of the draft articles adopted by the Drafting Committee on 27 May 2005
- Statement of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.666/Rev.1 (F, S, R, C, A) and Corr.1 (Spanish only)
    4. 58th session of the International Law Commission (2006)

- Titles and texts of the draft articles adopted by the Drafting Committee on 31 May 2006 and 19 July 2006
- Statement of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee (1st part) (2nd part)

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.687 (F, S, R, C, A) and Add.1 (F, S, R, C, A) and Corr.1 (F, S, R, C, A)
    5. 59th session of the International Law Commission (2007)

- Titles and texts of draft articles 31 to 45 [44] adopted by the
Drafting Committee on 18, 19, 20 and 25 July 2007
- Statement of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.720 (F, S, R, C, A)
    6. 60th session of the International Law Commission (2008)

- Titles and texts of articles 46, 47, 48, 49 [48], 50 [49], 51 [50], 52 [51] and 53, provisionally adopted by the Drafting Committee on 21, 22, 28, 29 and 30 May 2008
- Statement of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee
-
Titles and texts of Part Three, Chapter I, Chapter II and draft articles 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60 provisionally adopted by
the Drafting Committee on 16 July 2008
- Statement of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.725 (F, S, R, C, A)

- U.N.Doc A/CN.4/L.725/Add.1 (F, S, R, C, A)

   
F. Comments by Governments/International Organizations
    1. 56th session of the International Law Commission (2004) 
      - Comments and observations received from international organizations
- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/545 (F, S, R, C, A)
    2. 57th session of the International Law Commission (2005)

      - Comments and observations received from Governments

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/547 (F, S, R, C, A)

      - Comments and observations received from Governments and international organizations

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/556 (F, S, R, C, A)
    3. 58th session of the International Law Commission (2006)

      - Comments and observations received from international organizations

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/568 (F, S, R, C, A) and Add.1 (F, S, R, C, A)
    4. 59th session of the International Law Commission (2007)
 

      - Comments and observations received from international organizations

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/582 (F, S, R, C, A)
    5. 60th session of the International Law Commission (2008)
 

      - Comments and observations received from international organizations

- U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/593 (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 to 7 June and 22 July to 16 August 2002   
      - Decided to include the topic in its programme of work. Appointed Giorgio Gaja as Special Rapporteur and established a Working Group, and subsequently considered and adopted an oral report of the Working Group.
      - Discussion in Plenary: 2717th mtg (8 May 2002) and 2740th mtg (2 August 2002) 
- ILC Report, A/57/10, 2002, chp. VIII, paras.458-488
    2. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-fifth session, 5 May to 6 June and 7 July to 8 August 2003   
      - Considered the first report of the Special Rapporteur, referred draft articles 1 and 3 to the Drafting Committee. The Commission established a Working Group to consider draft article 2, and subsequently referred the new text for that article, as proposed by the Working Group, to the Drafting Committee. The Commission subsequently considered and adopted the report of the Drafting Committeee on draft articles 1 (Scope of the present draft articles), 2 (Use of terms) and 3 (General principles), and adopted commentaries on those articles. A Working Group was subsequently established to assist the Special Rapporteur with his next report.
      - Discussion in Plenary: 2751st, 2752nd, 2753rd, 2754th, 2755th, 2756th, 2763rd mtg (5 to 9, 13 and 27 May 2003) and 2776th and 2784th mtgs (16 July and 4 August 2003) 
- ILC Report, A/58/10, 2003, chp. IV, paras.41-54
    3. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-sixth session, 3 May to 4 June and 5 July to 6 August 2004
      - The Commission had before it the second report of the Special Rapporteur. After considering the report, the Commission referred draft articles 4 to 7 to the Drafting Committee. The Commission subsequently considered and adopted the report of the Drafting Committeee on draft articles 4 (General rule on attribution of conduct to an international organization), 5 (Conduct of organs or agents placed at the disposal of an international organization by a State or another international organization), 6 (Excess of authority or contravention of instructions), and 7 (Conduct acknowledged and adopted by an international organization as its own), and adopted commentaries on those articles.
      - Discussion in Plenary: 2800th, 2801st, 2802nd, 2803rd (18 to 25 May 2004), 2810th (4 June 2004) and 2826th and 2827th mtgs (3 August 2004) 
- ILC Report, A/59/10, 2004, chp. V, paras.61-72
    4. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-seventh session, 2 May to 3 June and 11 July to 5 August 2005   
      - The Commission considered the third report of the Special Rapporteur, and subsequently established a Working Group to consider draft articles 8 and 16. The Commission referred draft articles 9 to 15, and 8 and 16 (on the basis of the oral report of the Working Group) to the Drafting Committee. The Commission, subsequently considered and adopted the report of the Drafting Committee on draft articles 8 (Existence of a breach of an international obligation), 9 (International obligation in force for an international organization), 10 (Extension in time of the breach of an international obligation), 11 (Breach consisting of a composite act), 12 (Aid or assistance in the commission of an internationally wrongful act), 13 (Direction and control exercised over the commission of an internationally wrongful act), 14 (Coercion of a State or another international organization) and 15 (Effects of teh preceding articles), and 16 (Decisions, recommendations and authorizations addressed to member States and international organizations), and adopted commentaries on those articles.
      - Discussion in Plenary: 2839th, 2840th, 2841st, 2842nd, 2843rd, 2844th (17 to 25 May 2005), 2848th (3 June 2005), 2862nd and 2863rd (2 and 3 August 2005) mtgs 
- ILC Report, A/60/10, 2005, chp. VI, paras.192-206
    5. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-eighth session, 1 May to 9 June and 3 July to 11 August 2006   
      - The Commission had before it the fourth report of the Special Rapporteur, containing proposals for draft articles 17 to 29, as well as written comments received from international organizations and from governments. The Commission referred the proposed draft articles to the Drafting Committee and subsequently considered and adopted the report of the Drafting Committee on
      draft articles 17 (Consent), 18 (Self-defence), 19 (Countermeasures), 20 (Force majeure), 21 (Distress), 22 (Necessity), 23 (Compliance with peremptory norms), 24 (Consequences of invoking a circumstance precluding wrongfulness) and draft articles 25 (Aid or assistance by a State in the commission of an internationally wrongful act by an international organization), 26 (Direction and control exercised by a State over the commission of an internationally wrongful act by an international organization), 27 (Coercion of an international organization by a State), 28 (International responsibility in case of provision of competence to an international organization), 29 (Responsibility of a State member of an international organization for the internationally wrongful act of that organization) and 30 (Effect of this chapter), with commentaries thereto.
      - Discussion in Plenary:
      2876th (F), 2877th (F), 2878th, 2879th (F) and 2891st (F), 2892nd (F), 2893rd (F), 2894th (F) and 2895th mtgs, held from 16 to 19 May and from 11 to 14 and 18 July 2006, respectively, and 2884th (F) mtg on 8 June 2006 and 2902nd (F) mtg, held on 28 July 2006, and 2910th (F) meeting, held on 8 August 2006.
- ILC Report, A/61/10, 2006, chp. VI, paras. 77-91
    6. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-ninth session, 7 May to 5 June and 9 July to 10 August 2007   
      - The Commission had before it the fifth report of the Special Rapporteur (A/CN.4/583), as well as written comments received so far from international
      organizations.
      - At its 2935th meeting, on 12 July 2007, the Commission referred draft articles 31 to 44 to the Drafting Committee. At the same meeting, a supplementary draft article was proposed by a member of the Commission. The Special Rapporteur proposed a different supplementary article on the same issue. At the 2938th meeting, on 18 July 2007, the Commission referred the draft article proposed by the Special Rapporteur to the Drafting Committee.
      - Discussion in Plenary: 2932nd (F), 2933rd (F), 2934th (F), 2935th (F), and 2938th meetings from 9 to 12 July 2007 and 18 July 2007.
- ILC Report, A/62/10, 2007, chp. VIII, paras. 325-344
I. General Assembly Action 
    Res.55/152 of 12 December 2000 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
      - Took note of the Commission’s report concerning its long-term programme of work.
    Res.56/82 of 12 December 2001 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
      - Requested the Commission to begin its work on the topic "Responsibility of itnernational organizations".
    Res.57/21 of 19 November 2002 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
      - Took note of the decision of the Commission to include the topic in its programme of work.
    Res.58/77 of 9 December 2003 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
      - Requested the Secretary-General to invite States and international organizations to submit information concerning their practice relevant to the topic “Responsibility of international organizations”, including cases in which States members of an international organization may be regarded as responsible for acts of the organization.
    Res. 60/22 of 23 November 2005 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
      - Invited Governments to provide information to the International Law Commission on the topic.

 

    Res. 62/66 of 6 December 2007 (E, F, S, R, C, A)
      - Invited Governments to provide information to the International Law Commission on the topic.

 

J. Final Outcome 

Work in progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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