International Organisations

The first part of the course provides a comprehensive introduction to the law of international organisations and aims to do so by concentrating on general legal issues. It provides an overview on the evolution of international organisations, illustrating their status in international relations and their functions, membership, institutional structure and decision-making powers. This first part of the course gives the students the theoretical background to analyse cases and explain rules concerning legal problems related to international organisations. The second part of the course focuses on selected international organisations. The conventions and laws regulating these organisations will be outlined with a view to investigate legal issues arising in relation to the competencies of these organisations, their interplay with each other as well as their relation to other areas of law, such as the rules on responsibility of international organisations as well as human rights. The first part of the course considers the following issues: - the history of international organisations - treaties establishing international organisations, including certain aspects of the law of treaties - legal personality of international organisations - functions performed by international organisations - privileges and immunities of international organisations - responsibility and accountability of international organisations.

The second part of the course allows the students to apply their theoretical knowledge to specific organisations and to examine the powers and function of these institutions in depth. The second part of the course considers, amongst others, the mandate, practice and interrelationship of: - the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council - the European Union, in particular its Foreign and Security Policy – the African Union (AU) – the International Criminal Court (ICC) – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

- to demonstrate a sound understanding of the entity “international organisation”, the rules and principles governing their creation, structure and functioning, as well as their relationship with other international actors

- to use this knowledge to select and apply theories, concepts and methods to analyse and suggest solutions to specific problems 

- to describe and analyse the legal and organisational structure of an international organisation 

- to compare and analyse the mandate and powers of international organisations  

- to select and apply legal norms to specific situations, such as explaining the relationship between an international organisation and its member states  

- to explain the relevant rules applicable in a given factual situation

- to describe the legal context of such rules and a apply them to a given case  

- to analyse and suggest solutions to novel problems, such as conflicts between obligations of member states of international organisations and extant legal obligations outside the relevant organisation, e.g. human rights. 

The theoretical knowledge acquired during the course may apply to different professional capacities, including working for international organisations, the diplomatic service as well as in non-governmental organisations.

The main textbook is the third edition of Jan Klabbers, An Introduction to International Organisational Law, Cambridge University Press, 2015.  

During the course additional articles and materials will be uploaded on Blackboard.

The course will also include a visit to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen to discuss the realities and national impact of international organisations with Danish practitioners. In addition, students will be offered to participate in an optional study tour to The Hague in the Netherlands where they will meet with staff from various international organisations, including the ICC and the UN. Students have to cover their own expenses. Details will be announced in class.   

Teaching language: English

Teacher: Kerstin Carlson, Department of Law.

Activity                                                Hours

Classroom lectures                               30 

Preparation                                          130

Visit to the Foreign Ministry in

Copenhagen                                          8

Visit in the Hague and preparation        36

Exam preparation (synopsis writing

and oral exam) and examination          66

Total                                                    270

Used examination attempts in the former identical course will be transferred.

Courses that are identical with former courses that are passed according to applied rules cannot be retaken.

The student is automatically registered for the first examination attempt when the student is registered for a course or course element with which one or more examinations are associated. Withdrawal of registration is not possible, and students who fail to participate in an examination have used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances. 

If a student does not meet the established university prerequisites for taking the exam, he or she has used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances.