CYIL vol. 8 (2017)

JOSEF MRÁZEK CYIL 8 ȍ2017Ȏ PEREMPTORY NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND INVOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY Josef Mrázek Abstract: This article deals with formation, identification and effects of jus cogens norms and international responsibility arising under a peremptory norms of general international law. The concept of jus cogens implies some kind of legal “superiority” of these norms over common traditional rules of international law. This concept is based on acceptance and recognition of international community of states (and of international governmental organisations) with the aim to protect its vital values and international legal order. The legal concept of jus cogens in international law was finally introduced by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) but the idea of non-derogable rules is possible to find already in Roman Law. On the other hand, the term jus cogens or peremptory norm cannot be found in classical international law. The VCLT, however, does not provide an explanation of the creation or identification of these norms. The idea of jus cogens norms was originally denied by the adherents of legal positivism and supported by the representatives of various natural schools. In the author’s view jus cogens norms are to be identified not only in customary international law but also in conventional international law and they may be found evidently also among general principles of law. The norms of jus cogens limit the will of states in their behaviour protecting the fundamental values of the human civilization. Jus cogens norms are created in the same way as customary or conventional international law. They are not special sources of international law. The requirements for acceptance and recognition for jus cogens norms are, however, higher (recognition of international community a whole, no derogation is permitted). When the customary or conventional rules of international law reach the status of jus cogens they acquire a special position and significance. These norms can be modified in a very complicated way in which the free will of individual states is very limited. Besides there is no general agreement as to which rules have this character. The main ways of jus cogens identification must be the practice of states and the decision of international courts. Violations of jus cogens norms endangering the whole international community entail special international responsibility. During its sixty-sixth session in 2014 the ILC decided to place the topic “ Jus cogens ” on its programme of work. The name of this topic was changed to “Peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens )”. The special rapporteur appointed in 2015 has already submitted his two reports. Resumé: Článek se zabývá otázkami v obecném mezinárodním právu, formování, identi- fikaci norem jus cogens a odpovědnosti za jejich porušení. Koncepce imperativních norem v sobě zahrnuje určitý druh právní nadřazenosti (superioity) těchto norem nad běžnými dispozitivními pravidly obecného mezinárodního práva. Koncepce norem jus cogens předpo- kládá její „přijetí a uznání mezinárodním společenstvím států (a mezinárodními vládními organizacemi) s cílem chránit životní zájmy států mezinárodního společenství a mezinárod- ní právní řád. Moderní koncepce norem jus cogens byla do mezinárodního práva inkorporo- vána Vídeňskou úmluvou o smluvním právu z r. 1969. Vídeňská úmluva však neposkytuje objasnění tvorby nebo identifikace imperativních norem. Hlavní způsoby identifikace no- rem jus cogens spočívají na praxi států a rozhodnutí mezinárodních soudů. Porušení norem jus cogens ohrožující zájmy celého mezinárodního společenství má za následek zvláštní, zvý-

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