Equality Of Treatment And Trade Discrimination In International Law

Doctor Hyder's meticulous and comprehensive study throws much needed light on the often invoked but little understood concept of "discrimination" in international law. It is also of great practical value to those who are concerned with the law of international trade. "Discrimination" is a word with bad connotations. It suggests un fairness, prejudice and favouritism. It seems to point to adeparture from the ideal of equal opportunities, equal rewards and even-handed legal protection of all human beings without regard to differences of race, religion, ethnic origin or sex. Similarly, in public international law "discrimination" suggests violation of the principle of equality of states. Yet there are vast areas of international relations in whieh states are regarded as being legally free, except as specially provided in treaties, to make distinctions between other states or their nationals. The principle of equality of states merely means that the many rules constituting what is often called "general (or universal) international law" apply equally to all independent states. Hence, by definition, such states have equal rights and duties under general international law. But the latter leaves vast areas of transnational activity to be regulated by states at their discretion either unilaterally or by special agreement with other states. No state has, in fact, exactly the same totality of rights and duties as other states, since no two states are parties to exactly the same treaties. By treaty, astate often grants to another state a right which it may withhold from third states.

In The Interpretation of International Investment Law: Equality, Discrimination and Minimum Standards of Treatment in Historical Context, author Todd Weiler demonstrates how historical analysis should be adopted in the interpretation of international investment law obligations. Weiler subjects some of the most commonly held beliefs about the nature and development of international investment law to a critical re-appraisal, based upon meticulously assembled historical record. In the process, the book provides readers with a fresh perspective on some of the oldest obligations in international law.

The principle of national treatment, or the non-discrimination clause, is a principle that applies across many fields of international economic law. This book offers a unique horizontal examination of the principle as it applies within international tr

The principle of non-discrimination underlies society's goal of achieving relative equality among all human beings. This book by an internationally acclaimed practitioner provides the materials necessary for understanding how international law protects individuals from the discrimination. It includes treaties, other instruments, cases, and a concise description of the law. ISBN 978-0-9743-5704-1.

This book was written as a dissertation for the Doctorate of Laws, University of Amsterdam. I am most grateful, first of all, to Professor A. J. P. Tammes, who acted as Promotor. Throughout my working at this study he managed to afford at the same time guidance, inspiration, and complete freedom. I have also benefited much from the suggestions and advice of Dr. Th. e. van Boven of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Member of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, who was a very helpful Co referent. In earlier stages of the work, the critical remarks by Mr. S. A. Kuipers, Dr. H. Meijers and Miss J. M. van Wouw were of great im portance to me. So was the experience of participating in the program of graduate studies of the Columbia University School of Law, in I968- I969. lowe gratitude to the Amsterdam Law Faculty for having offered this opportunity to me. I am indebted to Miss Sinja Alma for her transforming a chaotic manuscript into a neat typescript in a most capable and patient manner; to Miss E. D. ]. ]ongens for her assistance in sorting out the United Nations documentation; and to Howard S. Gold (Gersono vitch), who was so kind as to correct the faults in my English. Since I went on tinkering with the text I am to blame for all linguistic errors in it. The research for this study was concluded in October, I972.

Even today, class discrimination remains an important global legal issue. This book allows readers a better understanding of the issue of class discrimination and inequality, including the role of education in bridging the class systems. The study seeks to increase the likelihood of achieving equality at both the national and international levels for those suffering class discrimination as the international population becomes increasingly educated, looking at the primary role of legislation, which has an impact on the court process. It also discusses the two most important trade agreements of our day - namely the North American Free Trade Agreement and the European Union Treaty - in a historical and compelling analysis of discrimination. By providing a detailed examination of the relationship between class and education as they relate to the law, the book will be an important read for those concerned with equality.

Central to this book is an analysis of the obligation upon states to ensure non-discrimination in the form of adherence to the principles of national treatment and most-favoured nation treatment. These are critical principles for both international trade law and international investment law, yet the case-law in both fields reveals significant inconsistencies regarding key elements of non-discrimination. Tribunals have invoked ‘regulatory purpose’ to assist in identifying relevant discrimination, but have done so without offering a definition of regulatory purpose and in significantly differing ways. This book explains these inconsistencies and offers a new definition of regulatory purpose.