Pierre Michel Eisemann – författare

Just how International and European Community Law is being integrated into domestic legal systems is as yet not too well known. To gain a clear overview of this grey area requires more than knowing about the various constitutional rules. What is also needed is a study of little-known administrative practices and the attitudes of the national courts, where case-law is often as complex as it is diverse. When all these elements are taken into account, the general picture that emerges is a much more subtle one, transcending the classical positions based on the theories of monism and dualism. To grasp this reality and go beyond preconceived ideas, it seemed indispensable to make a thorough analysis of national practices. To this end, the International Law Centre of the University of Paris XIII (Cedin Paris XIII) took the initiative, in 1990, of setting up a network of European international lawyers to work on the theme `International norms and legal barriers'. This book presents the outcome of the network's programme. The research was organized on the basis of a single questionnaire which provided the outline of a common workplan, to which each of the contributors has adhered. Detailed comparisons of national practices can now be made, relating in particular to international treaties, acts of international organisations and of the European Communities, and to unwritten international law. This is the first time that such a comprehensive and detailed survey has been made of all thirteen countries. Reading the national reports one after the other provides complete information on domestic practices; reading them crosswise gives a direct comparison between the different countries on specific issues.

When the United Nations undertook the publication of the Reports of International Arbitral Awards, the `Pasicrisie internationale' was identified as one of the rare truly general collections of international case law in existence. In fact, in deciding to publish the arbitration clauses and arbitral awards from 1794 to 1900, Henri La Fontaine was doing pioneering work, foreshadowing the famous Reports by half a century. As we near the end of the century, the `Pasicrisie internationale' remains just as pertinent as it was when first published in 1902. This collection of arbitral awards, with its modest appearance, has certainly contributed more to the development of international arbitration case law than any number of lyrical speeches advocating peace through law. First edition printed in 1902 by Stampfli, Bern. Lorsque l'Organisation des Nations Unies entreprit la publication de son Recueil des sentences arbitrales, elle identifia la Pasicrisie internationale comme constituant l'une des rares veritables collections generales de jurisprudence internationale preexistantes. De fait, en decidant de rassembler les clauses compromissoires et les sentences arbitrales de 1794 a1900, Henri La Fontaine avait fait oeuvre de pionnier et il prefigurait, avec un demi-siecle d'avance, le celebre Recueil. En cette fin de siecle, la Pasicrisie internationale constitue donc un outil de travail toujours aussi actuel que lors de sa publication en 1902. Cette compilation de sentences arbitrales, d'apparence modeste, a certainement plus contribue au developpement de la jurisprudence arbitrale internationale que bien des discours lyriques pronant la paix par le droit. Premiere edition imprimee en 1902 par Stampfli, Berne.