OUVRAGE : R. O'Keef, C.J. Tams (eds.), United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property: A Commentary

David ROY

State immunity, the idea that a state, including its individual organs, officials and other emanations, may not be proceeded against in the courts of another state in certain instances, has long been and remains a source of international controversy. Although customary international law no longer recognizes the absolute immunity of states from foreign judicial process, the evolution of the contemporary notion of restrictive state immunity over the past fifty years has been an uncoordinated and contested process, leading to disputes between states. The adoption, in 2004, of the United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property has significantly contributed to reaching consensus among states on this fundamental question of international law.

This book provides article-by-article commentary on the text of the Convention, complemented by a small number of cross-cutting chapters highlighting general issues beyond the scope of any single provision, such as the theoretical underpinnings of state immunity, the distinction between immunity from suit and immunity from execution, the process leading to the adoption of the Convention, and the general understanding that the Convention does not extend to criminal matters. It presents a systematic analysis of the Convention, taking into account its drafting history, relevant state practice (including the considerable number of national statutes and judicial decisions on state immunity), and any international judicial or arbitral decisions on point.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Roger O'Keefe & Christian J. Tams: General introduction
Gerhard Hafner: Historical Introduction
Christian J. Tams: Preamble
Roger O'Keefe & Christian J. Tams: Article 1
Tom Grant: Article 2(1)(a) and (b)
Stephan Wittich: Article 2(1)(c), (2) and (3)
Rosanne Van Alebeek: Article 3
Jean d'Aspremont: Article 4
Tom Grant: Article 5
Tom Grant: Article 6
Roger O'Keefe: Article 7
Silvia Borelli and Simon Olleson: Article 8
Silvia Borelli and Simon Olleson: Article 9
Rosanne Van Alebeek: Introduction to Part III
Stephan Wittich: Article 10
Roger O'Keefe: Article 11
Joanne Foakes: Article 12
Jörg Philipp Terhechte: Article 13
Jörg Philipp Terhechte: Article 14
Andrew Dickinson: Article 15
Douglas Guilfoyle: Article 16
Kate Parlett: Article 17
Chester Brown: Article 18
Chester Brown: Article 19
Roger O'Keefe: Article 20
Chester Brown: Article 21
Tarcisio Gazzini: Article 22
Tarcisio Gazzini: Article 23
Tarcisio Gazzini: Article 24
Jean d'Aspremont: Article 25
Jean d'Aspremont: Article 26
Christian J. Tams: Article 27
James Devaney: Article 28
James Devaney: Article 29
Antonios Tzanakopoulos: Article 30
Antonios Tzanakopoulos: Article 31
Tobias Thienel: Article 32

Tobias Thienel: Article 33 

Roger O'KEEF, Christian J. TAMS (eds.), The United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property: A Commentary, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2013 (512 pp.)