Pierfrancesco Rossi
University of Teramo, Political Sciences, Faculty Member
- Assistant Professor (RTDb) in International Law, University of Teramo
Adjunct Professor of International Law, Luiss Universityedit
Questo contributo esamina la questione se l’invio di aiuti militari alle forze armate ucraine sia compatibile con gli obblighi internazionali dell’Italia e con le disposizioni della sua Costituzione. Si sostiene che la risposta debba... more
Questo contributo esamina la questione se l’invio di aiuti militari alle forze armate ucraine sia compatibile con gli obblighi internazionali dell’Italia e con le disposizioni della sua Costituzione. Si sostiene che la risposta debba considerarsi positiva da entrambi i punti di vista. In particolare, l’assistenza militare all’Ucraina non sembra integrare alcuna violazione del diritto internazionale dal punto di vista tanto dello jus ad bellum quanto dello jus in bello. Tale assistenza non è vietata neppure dagli obblighi internazionali in materia di trasferimenti di armi, e in particolare dal Trattato sul commercio delle armi. Conclusioni analoghe, infine, possono estendersi alle disposizioni a vocazione internazionalistica della Costituzione italiana, in primis l’art. 11. Ciò perché il «ripudio della guerra» contenuto in questo articolo deve essere interpretato alla luce delle disposizioni di diritto internazionale che regolano l’uso della forza.
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SOMMARIO: 1. Introduzione. – 2. La problematica equiparazione tra Santa Sede e Stati alla luce della dottrina che vede nella Santa Sede un soggetto internazionale sui generis. – 3. La questione della statualità dello Stato della Città del... more
SOMMARIO: 1. Introduzione. – 2. La problematica equiparazione tra Santa Sede e Stati alla luce della dottrina che vede nella Santa Sede un soggetto internazionale sui generis. – 3. La questione della statualità dello Stato della Città del Vaticano. – 4. Il rapporto tra la Santa Sede e lo Stato della Città del Vaticano. Critica alle teorie secondo cui essi sarebbero due soggetti distinti di diritto internazionale. – 5. Segue: il carattere unitario della personalità giuridica internazionale della Santa Sede e dello Stato della Città del Vaticano e sue conseguenze: la Santa Sede come ente titolare di doppia personalità giuridica, sui generis e statuale. – 6. Conclusioni. Ricadute nell’ambito delle immunità giurisdizionali: l’inapplicabilità dell’immunità degli Stati alle funzioni della Santa Sede di natura non statale.
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La tutela giurisdizionale dell'ambiente nel diritto internazionale, pubblico e privato, ed europeo
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This chapter argues that international law is a value-oriented legal order, and that the way in which its fundamental values are safeguarded reflects the unique structural features of the international legal system. In lack of an... more
This chapter argues that international law is a value-oriented legal order, and that the way in which its fundamental values are safeguarded reflects the unique structural features of the international legal system. In lack of an international constitution in a formal sense, the international fundamental values materialize through the brute practice of states, international organizations, and a number of open-ended legal concepts allowing the legal relevance of the underlying ethical convictions of the international community. In the field of international responsibility, such is the function fulfilled by the concept of obligations erga omnes. This chapter maintains that lawful responses to breaches of obligations erga omnes should always bear some elements of collectiveness. This condition realizes not only through institutionalized processes but also by means of a wide range of collective, scarcely formalized procedures of concertation of state action which may take place in institutional, political, or diplomatic settings.
This paper analyzes the technique of consistent interpretation, one of the most common tools by which national courts give effect to international law. After describing the functions that consistent interpretation can conceivably perform... more
This paper analyzes the technique of consistent interpretation, one of the most common tools by which national courts give effect to international law. After describing the functions that consistent interpretation can conceivably perform in the domestic implementation of international law and clarifying its conceptual relationship to direct application, the contribution inquires into the legal bases of this judicial technique. Such legal bases, it is argued, do not lie in international law, which provides no directives to national courts on this matter. Instead, domestic courts justify their interpretive reliance on international law by resorting to domestic law rationales: notably, the presumed intent of the legislature, the domestic hierarchy of laws or the pursuance of relevant principles or values. It is shown that, in many respects, the extent and limits of consistent interpretation depend on which rationale a court relies on. On this basis, the study submits that the possibility to realize the potentials of consistent interpretation rests primarily on the courts’ willingness to exploit the international law-friendly traits of national constitutions.
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1. Introduzione. – 2. La (limitata) vincolatività del precedente europeo per il giudice italiano: alcuni punti fermi. – 3. I dubbi sollevati dalle “sentenze gemelle” e i successivi chiarimenti: la giurisprudenza costituzionale sui limiti... more
1. Introduzione. – 2. La (limitata) vincolatività del precedente europeo per il giudice italiano: alcuni punti fermi. – 3. I dubbi sollevati dalle “sentenze gemelle” e i successivi chiarimenti: la giurisprudenza costituzionale sui limiti all’obbligatorietà del precedente europeo tra il 2007 e il 2014. – 4. Le innovazioni introdotte dalla sentenza n. 49 del 2015 e il concetto di “giurisprudenza europea consolidata”. – 5. L’inadeguatezza della nozione di “giurisprudenza consolidata” e dei criteri (formali) per la sua individuazione. – 6. Le difficoltà applicative della nozione di “giurisprudenza consolidata” nella prassi giurisprudenziale. – 7. Un modello alternativo per circoscrivere la vincolatività dei precedenti europei: l’approccio sostanzialistico e la ricerca della soluzione più giusta nel caso concreto. – 8. Un possibile meccanismo per mettere in pratica l’approccio sostanzialistico: l’obbligo per il giudice nazionale di prendere in considerazione i precedenti europei (c.d. taking into account approach). – 9. Conclusioni.
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In June 2019 the Sea Watch 3, an NGO ship carrying migrants rescued at sea, was banned to enter Italian ports and territorial waters under the so-called 'closed ports' policy of the Italian government. After a two-week standoff, the ship... more
In June 2019 the Sea Watch 3, an NGO ship carrying migrants rescued at sea, was banned to enter Italian ports and territorial waters under the so-called 'closed ports' policy of the Italian government. After a two-week standoff, the ship contravened the prohibition and entered the port of Lampedusa, where the captain Carola Rackete was arrested for violence against public officers. However, a judge soon ordered her release on grounds that her actions were required by the international law of the sea. This paper analyzes the main international law issues raised by this incident, notably including the legitimacy of the ban on entering Italian territorial waters and ports. It is argued that, while the 'closure' of the territorial sea appears to be unlawful, that of Italy's ports does not. This reflects the deficiencies of the international law norms concerning disembarkation of people rescued at sea.
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State immunity from civil jurisdiction – Measures of constraint against foreign State property – Enforcement of foreign judgments awarding compensation to victims of Nazi crimes – Judgment No. 238 of 2014 of the Italian Constitutional... more
State immunity from civil jurisdiction – Measures of constraint against foreign State property – Enforcement of foreign judgments awarding compensation to victims of Nazi crimes – Judgment No. 238 of 2014 of the Italian Constitutional Court – ICJ Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy: Greece intervening) judgment
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This paper identifies two main international law implications of the US Supreme Court Judgment in Jam v. International Finance Corp. Firstly, treaty-based international organization (IO) immunities prevail over the restrictive immunity... more
This paper identifies two main international law implications of the US Supreme Court Judgment in Jam v. International Finance Corp. Firstly, treaty-based international organization (IO) immunities prevail over the restrictive immunity granted by the International Organizations Immunities Act (IOIA). However, while this principle certainly applies when a treaty provides for broader immunity than the IOIA, it is doubtful whether the IOIA can be derogated by a treaty providing for more limited immunity. Because the Jam Court resorted to the IOIA to supplement more restrictive treaty provisions, i.e. to increase the scope of treaty-based immunity, it is argued that the IOIA may concretely serve as a ‘minimum threshold’ of immunity and not, as the Court put it, as a ‘default rule’. Secondly, Jam left the door open to raising a functionalist defence to claims against IOs, i.e. to bar the exercise of jurisdiction if the litigation may obstruct an IO’s functions. It also implied that such a ‘functionalist’ argument could be raised as a defence before lower courts. And even though it did not clearly define the controversial concept of ‘functional immunity’, it did set some boundaries: one, it is not synonym to absolute immunity; and two, in order to prove that a lawsuit interferes with the functions of an IO, a high standard of proof (that of ‘excessive liability’) is required. The paper concludes by observing that, although the Supreme Court proved indifferent to human rights considerations, it may seem advisable for US courts to partially reconsider this view in future cases.
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Book Description: It is a settled rule of international law that a State may not rely on the provisions of its 'internal law' as justification for failing to comply with international obligations. However, the judiciaries of most... more
Book Description: It is a settled rule of international law that a State may not rely on the provisions of its 'internal law' as justification for failing to comply with international obligations. However, the judiciaries of most countries, including those with a high record of compliance with international norms, have increasingly felt the need to preserve the area of fundamental principles, where the State's inclination to retain full sovereignty seems to act as an unbreakable 'counter-limit' to the limitations deriving from international law. This volume explores this trend by adopting a comparative perspective, addressing the question of how conflicts between international law and national fundamental principles are dealt with and resolved within a specific legal system. The contributing authors identify common tendencies and fundamental differences in the approaches and evaluate the implications of this practice for the future of the principle of supremacy of international law.
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This article examines the relationship between customary international law and Article 11 of the UN Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property, which applies to claims brought against foreign States by their... more
This article examines the relationship between customary international law and Article 11 of the UN Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property, which applies to claims brought against foreign States by their employees. Although Article 11 has been found by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to codify customary international law in its entirety, it is argued that neither the travaux nor State practice support this conclusion. Rather, both converge to show that Article 11 provides for a significantly wider immunity than is required by customary international law. The paper then analyzes the impact that Article 11 may have on the future evolution of customary international law by influencing domestic and international judicial practice. This impact appears to be ambivalent. While the ECtHR has referred to Article 11 in order to promote a broader access to courts by State employees, the coalescence of State practice and the provisions of Article 11 may well cause immunity to be extended, at least in countries where the approach of national courts is generally more favorable than Article 11 to the protection of the employees’ rights. The recent Italian case law attests to this risk.
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On 27 October 2017, the President of the Republic Mattarella, pursuant to Article 74, paragraph 1, of the Constitution, refused to promulgate a law on account of a possible breach of Italy’s obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty and the... more
On 27 October 2017, the President of the Republic Mattarella, pursuant to Article 74, paragraph 1, of the Constitution, refused to promulgate a law on account of a possible breach of Italy’s obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The President detailed the reasons for his refusal in a message to Parliament. Although the content of this message is questionable to some degree, it is argued that the President’s choice to make use of his constitutional powers to ensure compliance with international obligations should be welcomed and should form a precedent for the future activity of the Presidency. The President’s preventive control on legislation may prove particularly important in situations where — as in the case at hand — a conflict between national law and international law would not be rectifiable through ex-post judicial review.
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The Italian Constitutional Court’s current approach to the value of ECtHR case law in domestic proceedings, as most recently framed in Judgment No. 49/2015, has provoked criticism from commentators and given rise to inconsistent judicial... more
The Italian Constitutional Court’s current approach to the value of ECtHR case law in domestic proceedings, as most recently framed in Judgment No. 49/2015, has provoked criticism from commentators and given rise to inconsistent judicial practice. After an analysis of the main features of this approach, this article makes two proposals in order to address its shortcomings. Firstly, it suggests that the obligation to interpret domestic law consistently with ECtHR case law should be qualified as a ‘duty to take into account’. Pursuant to this model, which is adopted inter alia by UK and German courts, national judges must consider all ECtHR precedents relevant to their decision, but are allowed to depart from them by putting forward cogent substantive arguments. It is argued that this model can reconcile the need to promote compliance with ECtHR case law with the need to safeguard the scope of liberty that the ECHR itself provides to national courts. Secondly, the paper contends that, in order to give an adequate constitutional foundation to the ‘duty to take into account’ ECtHR case law, the Italian Constitutional Court might follow in the footsteps of the German Constitutional Court and adopt an axiological conception of consistent interpretation. That is, the ‘duty to take into account’ might be grounded on the openness of the Italian Constitution towards international law, rather than on the ECHR’s status in the Italian hierarchy of laws.
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This article analyzes how the public policy exception enshrined in Art. V(2)(b) of the 1958 New York Convention has been interpreted and applied by Chinese courts. A critical appraisal is provided of the situations in which the public... more
This article analyzes how the public policy exception enshrined in Art. V(2)(b) of the 1958 New York Convention has been interpreted and applied by Chinese courts. A critical appraisal is provided of the situations in which the public policy exception has been or may be applied and those in which its application has been ruled out. Specifically, the paper first deals with the principle of residual application of public policy; it then expounds on violations of res judicata, morality and mandatory provisions, as well as with the substantive unfairness of the award; and finally, it deals with the dubious case of the enforcement of awards made abroad with reference to a purely domestic dispute. An in-depth analysis is devoted both to the established principles’ legal underpinnings and to the issues that remain partially unsettled, with a view to contributing to the clarification of these issues. The study demonstrates that, although Art. V(2)(b) has been applied restrictively, public policy remains a vital concept in Chinese judicial practice. However, much uncertainty revolves around its possible contents, so that the outcome of future rulings may seem to some extent unpredictable.
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Questo scritto analizza la storia dell'insegnamento del diritto internazionale nelle università napoletane dal 1861 ai giorni nostri. È stato pubblicato con il titolo "Diritto internazionale" nel Volume II de "La Rete dei Saperi nelle... more
Questo scritto analizza la storia dell'insegnamento del diritto internazionale nelle università napoletane dal 1861 ai giorni nostri. È stato pubblicato con il titolo "Diritto internazionale" nel Volume II de "La Rete dei Saperi nelle università napoletane da Federico II al duemila", a cura di Cesare de Seta, Napoli, Arte'm, 2018, pp. 323-331.
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The three decisions discussed in this note stand as turning points in the copious case law of the Italian Court of Cassation in the area of State immunity in employment disputes. Indeed, the Court held for the first time that Article 11... more
The three decisions discussed in this note stand as turning points in the copious case law of the Italian Court of Cassation in the area of State immunity in employment disputes. Indeed, the Court held for the first time that Article 11 of the UN Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property, on “contracts of employment”, corresponds to customary international law and applied that norm pursuant to Article 10(1) of the Italian Constitution, which provides for the automatic incorporation of customary international law into Italian law. This note proves that all three decisions are based on poor legal reasoning and constitute, with few exceptions, an overall setback in the protection of the rights of the employees.
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In the order under comment, the Corte di Cassazione provided an application of the doctrine of restrictive immunity by holding that a Consulate’s refusal to return seized property that it had voluntarily accepted for safekeeping, as a... more
In the order under comment, the Corte di Cassazione provided an application of the doctrine of restrictive immunity by holding that a Consulate’s refusal to return seized property that it had voluntarily accepted for safekeeping, as a result of an interim measure, fell outside the field of acta jure imperii, and therefore that the Italian courts retained jurisdiction on the matter. Moreover, the Court stated that the acceptance for safekeeping amounted to an implied waiver of immunity from jurisdiction.
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In the order under scrutiny, the Italian Court of Cassation dealt with the issue of setting the borders between acta jure imperii and acta jure gestionis in order to determine the extent of a foreign State's immunity from jurisdiction. In... more
In the order under scrutiny, the Italian Court of Cassation dealt with the issue of setting the borders between acta jure imperii and acta jure gestionis in order to determine the extent of a foreign State's immunity from jurisdiction. In particular, the Court held that a foreign State's obligation, set forth by its own Constitution, as guarantor of all debts of insolvent public companies fell into the realm of acta jure privatorum. The grounds for the Court's decision, however, do not appear to be entirely persuasive.
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In the International Criminal Court case of The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, neither the Prosecutor nor the Court addressed the issue of whether attacks on cultural heritage can be tried as crimes against humanity under Article 7... more
In the International Criminal Court case of The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, neither the Prosecutor nor the Court addressed the issue of whether attacks on cultural heritage can be tried as crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the ICC, provided that they are part of a widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population and are committed with knowledge of such attack. Even though his actions were part of a wider persecutory plan against the civilian population, Al Mahdi was held responsible only for war crimes for the intentional destruction of historical buildings during the Islamist occupation of the Malian city of Timbuktu, be- tween April 2012 and January 2013. This raises the question whether one should conclude that at- tacks on cultural heritage simply cannot be tried as crimes against humanity before the ICC. This paper argues that the Al Mahdi judgment does not prevent attacks on cultural property from being tried as crimes against humanity, and that the categorization of certain attacks on cultural heritage as crimes against humanity may have practical implications for the selection and prioritization of cases by the Office of the Prosecutor.
Research Interests: International Law, International Criminal Law, International Criminal Court, Unesco, Public International Law, and 18 moreInternational Humanitarian Law, War Crimes, World Cultural Heritage, Crimes Against Humanity, Diritto Internazionale, International Criminal Justice, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Jihadism, al-Qaeda, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Timbuktu, Jihadism and Radical Islamism, UNESCO world heritage, War Crimes Trials, Destruction of Cultural Heritage, Rome Statute, ICC Office of the Prosecution Investigation Into the Situation In Mali, and Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
This article analyses the application of international law in the legal system of the People’s Republic of China. It is a widespread opinion among Chinese commentators that international treaties would automatically become part of... more
This article analyses the application of international law in the legal system of the People’s Republic of China. It is a widespread opinion among Chinese commentators that international treaties would automatically become part of domestic law by the time of ratification (or signature, in the case of executive agreements). However, this view is contrary to both the letter and the ideological framework of the Constitution — which is silent over the status of international law in the domestic legal order — and finds no confirmation in the practice of State organs.
An analysis of legislation and domestic judicial practice shows that the application of international law is grounded on ad hoc legislation. Sub-constitutional sources do not deal with the issue of the domestic application of international law in general terms and only provide for the direct judicial application of some international treaties, mostly concerning private international law matters. Because of their special character and of the limits surrounding the direct application, these provisions do not mirror a general principle of Chinese law. As a confirmation, the direct application of entire categories of treaties, such as human rights treaties, has been expressly barred by the Supreme People’s Court.
In conclusion, this study argues that, as a general rule, international law cannot be deemed to be part of the Chinese legal system. This reflects the importance attached by China to the protection of its sovereignty.
An analysis of legislation and domestic judicial practice shows that the application of international law is grounded on ad hoc legislation. Sub-constitutional sources do not deal with the issue of the domestic application of international law in general terms and only provide for the direct judicial application of some international treaties, mostly concerning private international law matters. Because of their special character and of the limits surrounding the direct application, these provisions do not mirror a general principle of Chinese law. As a confirmation, the direct application of entire categories of treaties, such as human rights treaties, has been expressly barred by the Supreme People’s Court.
In conclusion, this study argues that, as a general rule, international law cannot be deemed to be part of the Chinese legal system. This reflects the importance attached by China to the protection of its sovereignty.
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In occasione del XXV Convegno SIDI su «Beni e valori comuni nelle dimensioni internazionale e sovranazionale», il Gruppo di Interesse «Diritto interno e diritto internazionale» organizza una tavola rotonda con lo scopo di esplorare le... more
In occasione del XXV Convegno SIDI su «Beni e valori comuni nelle dimensioni internazionale e sovranazionale», il Gruppo di Interesse «Diritto interno e diritto internazionale» organizza una tavola rotonda con lo scopo di esplorare le potenzialità, già espresse o latenti, del ricorso al contenzioso interno come mezzo di tutela di beni e valori globali, espressione che abbraccia la più ampia gamma di interessi collettivi tutelati dal diritto internazionale. In una fase storica segnata dal sempre più raro ricorso al trattato multilaterale universale, dalla complessiva debolezza del processo di codificazione e dal ricadere della giurisdizione internazionale in una fase recessiva o di stasi dopo le illusioni alimentate dagli exploits del post-Guerra fredda, il contenzioso interno è come mai prima sollecitato, da attori locali e/o internazionalmente organizzati, a trattare questioni di ordine e interesse globali, applicando un diritto internazionale "rifratto" dal diritto interno, sia processuale sia sostanziale. Quali risultati ha prodotto e può produrre e quali limiti di natura contingente o strutturale incontra l'uso strategico del contenzioso interno agli scopi indicati? La decisione della Corte suprema olandese nel caso Urgenda rispecchia una tendenza capace di investire altri settori materiali, oltre a quello del cambiamento climatico, o più che altro mostra in controluce i limiti del contenzioso interno? Il Gruppo di Interesse DIEDI invita tutti gli studiosi interessati a proporre riflessioni sul tema inviando un abstract di non oltre 500 parole, corredato da un breve CV.
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La XVII edizione dell'Incontro tra giovani cultori delle materie internazionalistiche è dedicata al principio di uguaglianza nel diritto internazionale ed europeo. L'Incontro intende esplorarne le dinamiche e le implicazioni, con... more
La XVII edizione dell'Incontro tra giovani cultori delle materie internazionalistiche è dedicata al principio di uguaglianza nel diritto internazionale ed europeo. L'Incontro intende esplorarne le dinamiche e le implicazioni, con particolare riguardo alle situazioni di squilibrio che vengono a crearsi tra gli attori del diritto internazionale pubblico, nel diritto internazionale privato e nel diritto dell'Unione europea.
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ESIL Interest Group on Migration and Refugee Law - Workshop on Migration and the Rule of Law
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This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of the international law regime of jurisdictional immunities in employment matters. Three main arguments lie at its heart. Firstly, this study challenges the widely held belief that... more
This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of the international law regime of jurisdictional immunities in employment matters. Three main arguments lie at its heart. Firstly, this study challenges the widely held belief that international immunity law requires staff disputes to be subject to blanket or quasi-absolute immunity from jurisdiction. Secondly, it argues that it is possible to identify welldefined standards of limited immunity to be applied in the context of employment litigation against foreign states, international organizations and diplomatic and consular agents. Thirdly, it maintains that the interaction between the applicable immunity rules and international human rights law gives rise to a legal regime that can provide adequate protection to the rights of employees. A much-needed study into an under-researched field of international and employment law.