CYIL vol. 13 (2022)

LYUBOMIR L. SAKALIYSKI

CYIL 13 ȍ2022Ȏ

THE JCPoA AND ITS LEGAL STATUS: IF IT WALKS LIKE A TREATY, DOES IT QUACK LIKE A TREATY? Lyubomir L. Sakaliyski * Abstract: Ever since its inception the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) has had a degree of ambiguity in relation to its legal status. Due to yet another failed attempt by parties to it to come back to its implementation this paper provides arguments leading to the conclusion that the JCPoA is in fact a treaty and is still in force. This is done by establishing that the JCPoA satisfies the definition of what constitutes a treaty as provided for in customary international law as codified in the VCLTs and the corresponding ILC’s draft articles. Some counterarguments to claims that the JCPoA is an un-signed document, invalid or terminated are provided. Resumé: Článek je věnován právní povaze Společného komplexního akčního plánu (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Právní povaha tohoto dokumentu nebyla již od jeho při jetí zcela vyjasněná, což vedlo k diskusím o charakteru tohoto dokumentu. V této diskusi zazněli argumenty, směrující k tomu, že se v případě Společného komplexního akčního plánu nejedná o závazný pramen mezinárodního práva. Tento článek pléduje pro opačnou argumentaci, podle které tento dokument naopak představuje závaznou smlouvu podle me zinárodního práva se všemi důsledky z tohoto tvrzení plynoucí. Key words: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; JCPoA; Iran nuclear deal; international agreement; treaty About the Author: Lyubomir L. Sakaliyski is an independent researcher. He holds LL.B. in International and European Law, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Hague, The Netherlands; LL.M. in Public International Law, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom and D.U. in International Nuclear Law, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France. Email: sakaliyski@gmail.com. 1. Introduction At the time of writing this article observers have witnessed yet another failed attempt for dialogue between the parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action 1 (JCPoA). It is yet unclear whether parties to it will return to its application as negotiated in 2015, or updated obligations will reflect the ever-changing political and factual circumstances. Meanwhile, a particularly important issue still persists – what is the legal status of the JCPoA and what would be the legal status of its potential successor, should a new agreement be reached, and its original institutional framework remain unchanged? There seems to be a widespread conviction that the JCPoA is not a treaty, which is supported by the United States’ Department of State 2 , and the German Federal Foreign * The author would like to express his gratitude to Karoly Tamas Olajos and Jakub Handrlica, without whom this paper would not have seen the light of day. 1 UNSC Res 2231 (20 July 2015) UN Doc S/RES/2231, Annex A, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). 2 Letter from Julia Frifield to Mike Pompeo (19 November 2015) , accessed 15 April 2022.

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