International Law

• What relationships does international law govern?

  Relationships between states
• Public international law deals with relations between states or between states and other entities such as international organizations
• Private international law addresses relations between private actors engaged in cross-border matters and transactions.
• The International Criminal Court is an example of a criminal trial enforcement mechanism under international law
• International law is based on the notion that all sovereign states are equal with absolute power.
• What treaty is considered the foundation for the modern concept of sovereignty?

  Treaty of Westphalia
• The 1933 Montevideo Convention defined the notion of statehood, including the requirement for a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into international relations
• International law has a centralized legislative body and a compulsory court system.

  False
• Match the source of international law with its description:

  Treaties ↔️ Formal agreements between states

  Customs ↔️ Practices accepted by states
• Is international law a direct source of law for English law?

  No
• The extent to which a state is bound by international law depends on their consent and their status as a sovereign state.
• The dualist view, exemplified by the UK, holds that domestic courts have no jurisdiction to apply treaties unless they have been incorporated into national law
• What international treaty is incorporated into English law by the Human Rights Act 1998?

  European Convention on Human Rights
• The Council of Europe was created in response to the rise of fascism after World War II.
• States signing the European Convention on Human Rights are allowed to enter reservations or derogations from particular provisions
• Match the type of right under the ECHR with its description:

  Absolute ↔️ Cannot be restricted

  Qualified ↔️ States can balance with restrictions
• What impact has the Human Rights Act 1998 had on English law?

  Ensures compatibility with ECHR
• English courts must take into account decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.
• A citizen of a signatory state can apply to the ECtHR for compensation for a breach of the Convention
• Which section of the Human Rights Act 1998 requires British courts to consider judgments of the ECtHR?

  Section 2
• The European Communities Act 1972 incorporated the Treaty of Rome into UK law.
• What is one key principle of human rights as described in the study material?

  Universal
• Human rights are objective, neutral, and inclusive.
• The UK Parliament incorporated the Treaty of Rome into its legal system through the European Communities Act in 1972
• When did the UK join the European Union?

  1973
• Arrange the following EU treaties in chronological order:

  1️⃣ Treaty of Rome 1957

  2️⃣ Single European Act 1986

  3️⃣ Maastricht Treaty 1992

  4️⃣ Treaty of Amsterdam 1997

  5️⃣ Treaty of Nice 2001

  6️⃣ Treaty of Lisbon 2007
• What freedom was formalized by the Maastricht Treaty?

  Freedom of movement
• The Treaty of Lisbon gave greater powers to the European Parliament.
• The European Commission ensures that EU law is correctly applied by member countries
• What is the main role of the European Commission regarding new laws?

  Proposing new laws
• Match the EU institution with its main role:

  European Commission ↔️ Proposing new laws

  European Parliament ↔️ Debating and passing laws

  Council of the European Union ↔️ Approving EU budget
• What is the voting method used by the Council of the European Union in most cases?

  Qualified majority voting
• Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by EU citizens
• What is the name of the legislative procedure used by the European Parliament and the Council?

  Ordinary legislative procedure
• Arrange the steps of the ordinary legislative procedure in the EU:

  1️⃣ The Commission sends its proposal to Parliament and the Council.

  2️⃣ They consider it on two successive occasions.

  3️⃣ After two readings, if they cannot agree, the proposal is brought before a Conciliation Committee.

  4️⃣ When the Committee reaches agreement, the agreed text is sent to Parliament and the Council for a third reading.
• In what year did the UK vote to leave the EU in a referendum?

  2016
• The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 ended the supremacy of EU law in the UK.
• The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement was signed in December 2020
• What is the purpose of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023?

  Revoke parts of EU law
• Match the concept with its description:

  Sovereignty ↔️ The ability to make independent decisions

  Treaty ↔️ Agreement between states

  Legislation ↔️ Laws passed by a parliament