International Organizations and International Dispute Settlement: Trends and Prospects. Edited by Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Cesare Romano, and Ruth Mackenzie. Ardsley NY: Transnational Publishers, 2002. Pp. xxiii, 283. Index. $85, cloth; $45, paper.

Abstract

This book contains the thoughts of officials of international organisations and NGOs, member of judicial bodies, and academics on the role of international organisations and the settlement of contentious cases before international judicial bodies. At a time when States are delegating a larger range of powers to international organisations their access to international judicial bodies remains very restricted. For example at the International Court of Justice international organisations can play no role in litigating cases. Their only access is the ability to request an 'advisory opinion' and that right is limited to just some UN agencies. In addition to the lack of access, the other theme of this work is a discussion of the issue of the independence of international judicial bodies from the organisations to which they belong. It is crucial for the credibility of the international judicial system for judicial bodies to act independently from the body to which they belong. From the perspective of this book, international organisations are self-contained worlds where judicial and political organs interplay. This is an extremely timely book that will be of interest to practitioners and scholars who are involved in issues related to cases before international judicial bodies.