Strengthening Humanitarian Law: what role for Commonwealth countries

This article explores some of the new challenges confronting Commonwealth countries in the context of international humanitarian law (IHL). The very nature of non-international armed conflicts presents new challenges that did not exist in the context of inter-State conflicts, which were conducted in the traditional battlefield with well demarcated boundaries. The point is made that, in addressing the role of the Commonwealth in relation to contemporary IHL issues, a good starting point would be the shared commonalities between the two branches of law, HRL and IHL, notwithstanding their distinct paths of development. There are several important areas that could form the core of Commonwealth cooperation in strengthening IHL, including in the area of legislation, national mechanisms for the implementation of IHL and regional measures to strengthen IHL.     

The Arms Trade Treaty and international humanitarian law: a Commonwealth perspective

The entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in December 2014 created an historic opportunity to reduce the human cost of the widespread and poorly regulated supply of conventional arms. The treaty establishes common standards for the international trade of conventional weapons and seeks to ensure that weapons are not used in the commission of war crimes, serious violations of international human rights law and other offences. The paper reviews the definitions and the scope of the treaty and highlights the contributions made by Commonwealth member countries. It makes recommendations to Commonwealth member countries regarding effective implementation and their obligations.     

习惯国际人道法规则确立方法探析——兼评红十字国际委员会之《习惯国际人道法》

习惯国际人道法规则的确立,既要遵循国际习惯法的一般原理,又要顾及国际人道法的自身特点。国际性与非国际性武装冲突的区分,在当前历史条件下仍是确立习惯国际人道法规则的前提;在证明国家实践的一致性时应首先确保作为证据的实践属"官方实践";"法律确信"的证明对一些禁止性规则的确立甚为重要;而条约作为国际人道法的另一主要渊源,在习惯国际人道法规则确立中起着重要的证据作用。红十字国际委员会《习惯国际人道法》确立规则的方法,既有可取之处,又存在疏漏,对其分析有助于我们的进一步研究。     

Climate change and national laws across Commonwealth countries

This paper furthers the Commonwealth agenda on climate action by exploring the kinds of ‘practical and swift action’ that might be taken through national legal frameworks to implement the Paris Agreement. The paper reviews national laws of Commonwealth member countries as they currently apply to and intersect with climate change. The paper investigates legal measures that relate directly to implement climate change policy, including climate change legislation and regulatory instruments such as emissions trading schemes and energy efficiency measures. It also considers indirect legal measures that can provide ‘co-benefits’ in relation to climate change policy, such as waste legislation and air quality measures. The paper presents examples of these different kinds of climate intersections in different Commonwealth legal systems, highlighting examples of what has worked well and what has not worked well to date, within different legal, economic and political cultures, and in different geographies and climates.     

国际人道法的定义

国际法学界对“国际人道法”的定义存在着不同的理解 ,但其法律概念和特征都应当是一致的。狭义的国际人道法学说 ,片面地强调国际人道法与战争法的区别 ,并将它作为单独的法律体系 ;而广义的国际人道法学说 ,则把国际人道法与战争法融为一体 ;两种学说都有理论缺陷。国际人道法是战争法的一个组成部分 ,其与战争法的关系 ,既有联系又有区别 ,二者是辩证统一的     

平民的国际人道法保护:困境与出路

研究平民的国际人道法保护问题,是一项有重大意义的课题。当前,武装冲突中平民的人道法保护面临诸多困境,因而必须进一步明确国际人道法对平民的保护要求,完善国际人道法对平民保护的实施机制,依靠科技进步推动国际人道法的创新与发展。     

International Humanitarian Law: Theory,Practice, Context

Netherlands International Law Review -     

国际法视野下的单边人道主义干涉

只有在联合国的批准或授权下,或经被干涉国的邀请,国际社会才能对发生于一国的人道主义灾难实施人道主义干涉。而西方大国越来越倾向于擅自以人道主义的名义武力介入他国。这种单边的人道主义干涉多是某些国家实现一己私利的工具,从未成为国际习惯,也违反《联合国宪章》,因此是违反国际法的。而联合国现行的体制无法有效发挥在制止人道主义灾难方面应有的作用,使大国有了擅行干涉的口实。为此,应完善联合国的人道主义干涉体制。     

Investment Treaty Law and the Fear for Sovereignty: Transnational Challenges and Solutions

This article addresses the vagueness, and the interpretative challenges associated with, international investment agreements (IIAs) and develops a new normative framework for interpreting these treaties. It focuses on the historical embedding of investment protection as a means of facilitating economic development as well as upon its synthetic public law nature. The analysis shows that a teleological approach to interpretation imposes boundaries on the meaning of substantive IIA provisions. The article then elaborates how the transnational dimension of IIAs provides a benchmark, which is the level of protection offered to economic actors against interference by the state in countries with the highest rule of law standards. The article then shows how the resulting challenges of comparative public law could be addressed through the methodology of re‐ and pre‐statement of transnational uniform ‘principles’: sophisticated and detailed rules striking the proper balance between private economic interests and the public regulatory interest, so as to provide more legal certainty for both investors and host states.     

强化我国商号知识产权保护的法律思考

目前,我国还没有建立起专门的商号法律保护制度。在现行商标法、反不正当竞争法等现有法律体系的框架下切实保护商号,不仅要正确认识商号知识产权的性质和保护现状,更重要还是要进一步完善我国商号的知识产权法律保护体系。