Conceptualising Extraterritoriality. Public International Law and Private International Law Considerations

Abstract The aim of this article is to analyse extraterritoriality from public international law and private international law perspectives. Although many scholars relate the exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction to both private and public international law, in practice the topic is mainly considered as belonging to the latter. Moreover, extraterritorial jurisdiction is not a common notion under private international law. Perhaps because the extraterritorial norm is intended to regulate first and foremost state conduct and not relationships between private persons, but this vision does not take into account that the latter are frequently affected by the norm. It is argued here that from a public international law perspective, the legal framework of extraterritorial jurisdiction is unsettled and incomplete. The bottom line is that states are largely free to unfold their power, given that international law does not really regulate extraterritorial jurisdiction but only establishes the negative obligation not to trespass on state sovereignty. Thus, considering extraterritorial jurisdiction from a national perspective, in this paper, under the general framework of private international law is not only necessary but also justified. In addressing the above, this article will first analyse extraterritoriality as an exception under public international law (2). It will reflect on the lawful/unlawful grounds for the exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction and will show that the abandonment of territoriality in jurisdictional assertions is more desirable than feasible. Then extraterritoriality will be analysed as an inherent feature of private international law, that can be traced in all three domains regulated by the private international law (3). It will also make a case on the extraterritorial reach of national constitutions.