Jan Klabbers, Disagreement Reduced to Writing: Rethinking the Law of Treaties
The law of treaties, embodied in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, is in a state of disarray, with several key topics having been returned without much success - for further study to the International Law Commission, and several other well-documented issues relating to the Conventions application. The present contribution aims to explain why the Convention is in disarray, and how state practice and judicial practice aim to overcome this, leading to a slow re-thinking of the law of treaties.
Stephan Hobe, Perspectives for Space Law in the Twenty-First Century
The legal order for human activities in outer space has been written in the 1960ies and 1970ies. However, in view of numerous new commercial space activities, so called New Space, the question is at stake whether this legal order is still sufficient. The author denies this question by criticizing that the current legal order is too liberal in character, putting too little emphasis on the limitation of freedoms, e.g. for the preservation of the environment. He designs a framework for a new international legal order which, by limiting some freedoms for the preservation of the environment of outer space and the celestial bodies for future use, still guarantees progress and autonomy.NLJan Klabbers, born 13 August 1963, in Heumen, the Netherlands. Professor of International Law at the University of Helsinki. Whewell Professor of International Law-elect, Cambridge University (as of 1 October 2025). Member of the EU Panel to select panelists under bilateral trade and sustainable development agreements. Alternate Arbitrator, OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. Member, Finnish Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected 2014).
Visiting Professor/Fellow (invited) at Hofstra Law School (2007); Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies (2008, 2013); Straus Institute for thlƒQ