The International Law Commission in a Mirror—Forms, Impact and Authority

Abstract

In its 70 years of existence, the International Law Commission has accomplished sterling work in many respects. Much of its output is considered to be the cornerstone of the contemporary international legal order. However, this positive note should not distract attention from the challenges facing the Commission. Among these, the end of the “golden era” of codification, and the phenomenon of treaty fatigue call into question the relatively comfortable position of the International Law Commission. Questions arise: Is the progressive reduction in the number of conventions adopted as a result of the Commission’s work a sign of its decline? Is the increasing diversity of instruments used by the Commission a problem in terms of impact? To answer these questions, this contribution first deals with the diversity of forms of the final products and the questions this diversity raises in terms of legal effects (II.) Once this framework for analyzing the Commission’s work has been established, its impacts are examined (III.). The contribution then focuses on the users of the Commission’s work (IV.), and also shed light on its authority (V.).