Abstract
As treaties decline, customary international law can be an important mechanism of international cooperation over the medium term. There are increasingly fewer treaties ratified by the United States, with a record-low number of five in 2009–2012, and fewer multilateral treaties adopted worldwide. Yet, the demand for global rules and standards has not abated. Thus, for many international questions where treaties are not available as a source of new rules, customary international law may serve as an interchangeable instrument of national policy.
Highlights
Customary international law can be an important mechanism of international cooperation over the medium term
For many international questions where treaties are not available as a source of new rules, customary international law may serve as an interchangeable instrument of national policy.[3]
At the time of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ) when the modern definition of custom was developed, there were fewer than 60 states, such that a concept of “general practice accepted as law” was perhaps easier to envision as a source of adjudicative rules
Summary
Customary international law can be an important mechanism of international cooperation over the medium term. There are increasingly fewer treaties ratified by the United States, with a recordlow number of five[1] in 2009–2012, and fewer multilateral treaties adopted worldwide.[2] Yet, the demand for global rules and standards has not abated. For many international questions where treaties are not available as a source of new rules, customary international law may serve as an interchangeable instrument of national policy.[3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
