Sovereignty and its Relation to Primary Rules of International Law

Event Details

This online event will convene a panel to discuss Sovereignty and its Relation to Primary Rules of International Law, the subject of a new report published by BIICL. The report examines underlying normative issues pertaining to the status and function of sovereignty and its relation to primary rules of international law, as well as related obligations of conduct—often referred to as due diligence obligations. These issues have been brought to the forefront of discussions among states in debates concerning the application of international law to new technologies.

Influenced by arguments made in prominent academic publications seeking to identify primary rules applicable to cyberspace, a number of states have released statements on the application of international law to cyberspace that feature claims concerning the status of sovereignty and of related obligations of conduct. These positions have been influenced by arguments that sovereignty is a singular rule of customary international law which if violated is capable of establishing state responsibility. It has also been argued that international law imposes a general obligation on states to act with due diligence to prevent their territory being used for activity which harms the rights of other states (where this obligation is not restricted or confined to particular forms of activities).

The report is based on extensive engagement with experts and practitioners in public international law, including a survey, semi-structured interviews, and roundtable discussions. The report draws upon this engagement to inform its content and conclusions, with additional support provided by an examination of relevant sources of international law.

The report is authored by Dr Jack Kenny and will be published on the BIICL website ahead of the event.

Chair

 Sir Michael Wood KC, Twenty Essex

Speakers

• Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, Regent's Park College, Oxford
• Dr Jack Kenny, British Institute of International and Comparative Law
• Harriet Moynihan, Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford
• Professor Martins Paparinskis, University College London

 
Event convened by Dr Jack Kenny, Research Leader in International Law, British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL).

Pricing and Registration

This event is free to attend but pre-registration is required.

Register Here

Please contact the Events Team with any queries.

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