Privileges and Immunities of Members of the International Court of Justice, the Registrar, Officials of the Registry, Assessors, the Agents and Counsel of the Parties and of Witnesses and Experts

A/RES/90(I)View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, published in 1947.

What subjects does this mandate have?

5 subjects

Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Experts International Courts Judges Witnesses

What’s in this document?

26 operative paragraphs

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Approv11s the agreements concluded between the International Court of Justice and the Netherlands Government, as recorded in the exchange of letters between the President of the Court and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (Annex).

Recommends that. if a judge, for the purpose of holding himself permanently at the disposal of the Court, resides in some country other tmtn his own, he should be accorded diplomatic privileges and immunities during the period of his residence there.

~- Recommends that judges should be accorded every f_.cility for leaving the country where they may happen to be, for entering the country where the Court is sitting, and again for leaving iL On journeys in connection with the exercise of their functions, they should, in all countries through which they may have to pass, enjoy all the privileges, immunities and facilities granted by these countries to diplomatic envoys.

l;'his provision should also apply to the Registrar and to any officer of the Court acting as Registrar.

Recommends that:

Officials of the Court should enjoy in any country where they may be on the business of the Court, or in any country through which they may pass on such business, such privileges, immunities and fac;ilities for residence and travel as may be necessary for the independent exercise of their functions.

The Registrar, and any officer of the Court acting as Registrar, should, while on the business of the Court, be accorded diplomatic privileges and immunities.

Inasmuch as these privileges and immunities are granted to officials of the Court in the interests of the International Court of Justice, and not for the personal benefic of the individuals themselves, the Registrar of the Court, with the President's approval, should have the right and the duty to waive the immunity in any case where, in his opinion, the immunity would impede the course of justice, .and can be waived without prejudice to the interests of the CourL In the case of the Registrar, the Court should have the right to waive immunity.

'Document A/105. est etabli, soit dam tout autre pays, a invite la Cour, au cours de sa premiere session, a examiner tions au Secretaire general.

La Cour, donnant suite a cette invitation, a COUTS de sa premiere session tenue a La Haye ses conclusions a l'Assemblee generale.1 mandations de la Cour au cours de la deuxieme de la Sixieme Commission2.

L' Assemblee generale, Cour internationale de Justice et le Gouvernemem des Pays-Bas, tels qu'ils ont ete consignes

des Pays-Bas (annexe) .

~- Recommande que si un juge, en vue d'etre a tout moment a la disposition de la Cour, jouir pendant la duree de sa residence, des privileges et immunites diplomatiques.

~- Recommande que les juges aient toutes

afferents a l'exercice de leurs fonctions, ils de! vront beneficier, dans tousles pays qu'ils doivent traverser, de !'ensemble des privileges, immunites et facilites reconnus dam ces pays awe agents diplomatiques.

Cette disposition devrait ~tre egalement applicable au Greffier et a tout fonctionnaire de la Cour faisant fonction de Greffier.

Recommande que:

a) Les fonctionnaires de la Cour jouissent de leur service ou dans cewc qu'ils traversent a cctte fin, des privileges, immunites et facilites de sejour et de voyage qu'exige l'exercice independant de leurs fonctions.

faisant fonction de Greffier jouM1Sent dans l'exernitcs diplomatiques.

b) internationale de Justice dans l'interet de celle-ci

bation du President, de lever l'immunite dans cherait que justice soit faite et pourra etre levee l'egard du Greffier, la Cour devra avoir qualite

'Document A/105- 177

Recommends that:

(i) .fhe agents, counsel and advocates before the Court should be accorded, during the period of their missions, including the time spent on journeys in connexion with their missions, the privileges and immunities provided fo1 in article IV, sections 11, u and l!J of the Convention on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations under the conditions of article IV, section 15, of that Convention.

Assessors of the Court should be accorded, during the period of their missions,

including the time spent on journeys in connexion with their missions, the privileges and immunities provided for in article VI, section u, of the Convention on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.

iii

Witnesses, experts and persons performing missions by order of the Court should be accorded, during the period of their missions, including the time spent on journeys in connexion with their missions, the privileges and immunities provided for in article VI, section 22, of the Convention on the privileges and immunities of the United Nations.

Inasmuch as the privileges and immunities referred to above under (a) are granted in the interests of the good administration of justice and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves, the appropriate authority should have the right and the duty to waive the immunity in any case where, in its opinion, the immunity would impede, and can be waived without prejudice to, the course of justice.

For this purpose, the competent authority in the case of agents, counsel and advocates representing a State will be the State concerned. In other cases (including those of assessors of the Court, persons performing missions by order of the Court and witnesses or experts), the competent authority will be the International Court of Justice or, when the Court is not sitting, the President of the Court.

Recommends that:

The authorities of Members should recognize and accept United Nations laissez-passer, issued by the International Court of Justice to the members of the Court, the Registrar and the officials of the Court, as valid travel documents,

taking into account the provisions of sub-paragraph (b).

Applications for visas (where required) from the judges of the Court and the Registrar should be dealt with as speedily as possible. All other holders of laissez-passer should receive the same facilities when the applications for visas are accompanied by a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the Court. In addition, all holders of laisse1.-passer should be granted facilities for speedy travel.

Similar facilities to those specified in subparagraph (b) should be accorded to experts

Recommande que:

a) i) Les agents, conseils et avocats devant missions, y compris le temps passe en voyage pour l'accomplissement de 1eurs missions, des privileges et immunites prevus a !'article IV, privileges et immunites des Nations Unies,

110us les conditions posees a !'article IV, section 15, de ladite Convention;

ii) Les assesseurs de la Cour jouissen~,

pendant la duree de leur mission, y compns le temps passe en voyage pour l'accomplissemunites prevus a !'article VI, section 22, de la des Nations U nies.

Cour jouissent, pendant la duree de leur mission, y compris le temps passe en voyage pour l'accomplissement de leurs missions, des privileges et immunites prevus a !'article VI, secimmunites des Nations Unies.

l'interet de la bonne administration de la justice et non a l'avantage personnel des interesses,

avis, cette immunite empecherait que justice soit faite et pourra etre levee sans porter prejudice a la bonne administration de la justice.

A ces fins, l'autorite competente a l'egard des agents, conseils et avocats representant un Etat, sera l'Etat interesse. Dans les autres cas, sonnes accomplissant des missions sur ordre de competente sera la Cour internationale de Justice ou son President, si la Cour ne siege pas.

Recommande que:

a) Les autorites des Etats Mcmbres reconnaissent et acceptent les laissez-passer delivres

de la Cour, comme titre valable de voyage, compte tenu des dispositions de l'alinea b).

b) Les demandes de visas (lorsque des visas

delai possible. Tous les autres titulaires de laissez-passer devraient recevoir les memes avantages lorsque leurs demandes de visas seront accompagnees d'un certificat attestant qu'ils des facilites de voyage rapide doivent etre accordecs aux titulaires de ces laissez-passer. mentionnees a l'alinea b) soient accordees aux

178. and other persons who, though not the holders of United Nations laissez-passer delivered by the International Court of Justice, have a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the Court.

Fi/ ty-fif th plenary meeting,

11 December 1946

Annex ExchanCJe of Letters between the President of the International Court of Justice and the Minister for ForeiCJn Affairs of the Netherlands

The Hague, 26 June 1946. Monsieur le Ministre,

As Your Excellency is aware, the General Assembly of the United Nations, on 19 January 1946, instructed its Sixth Committee to consider the question of the privileges, immunities and facilities to be granted to the United Nations. In accordance with these instructions, the Sixth Committee prepared a number of draft resolutions. One of these relates to the adoption of a General Convention containing an Article V, in which the privileges, immunities, exemptions and facilities to be enjoyed as a general rule by the officials of the Organization are set -out.

A3 regards the International Court of Justice, the Sixth Committee devoted to it a special resolution. After considering the question of the privileges and immunities to be accorded to members of the Court, to the Registrar and the Court's staff, and to the agents, counsel and advocates of the parties, the resolution recommended that, to ensure that the Court shall enjoy the privileges, immunities and facilities necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfilment of its purpose, in the country of its seat and elsewhere, the Court shall make recommendations, to be forwarded to the Secretary• General.

The Assembly's reason for dealing separately with the case of the International Court of Justice and for asking it to formulate proposals was that the Court's Statute, which is annexed to, and forms an integral part of, the Charter, provides in Article 19, that, when engaged on the business of the Court the members of the Court shall enjoy diplomatic privileges; while Article 42 lays down that the agents, counsel and advocates of tht parties before the Court shall enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary to the independent exercise of their duties. Another reason was, doubtless, that the Court is an organism whose members with their small staff, perform duties of a special character and whose requirements are consequently different from those of the other organs of the United Nations. d'un laissez-passer des Nations Unies delivre par la Cour internationale de Justice, seront porteurs d'un certificat attestant qu'ils voyagent pour k wmpte de la Cour.

Cinquante-cinquier.~e seance pleniere,

le 11 dicembre 1946.

Annexe Cc.ur l■ternationale de Justice et le Mlnlstre des Affaires ,tran9eres des Pays-Bas

Monsieur le Ministre,

charge sa Sixieme Commission d' examiner la question des privileges, immunites et facilites a accorder a !'Organisation des Nations Unies. S'acquittant de cette tache, la Sixieme Commission a elabore un certain nombre de projets de resolutions. L'un d'eux vise !'adoption d'une Conven~on ·generale, qui comporte un article V ou sont determines les privileges, immunites, exemptions et facilites dont devront jouir d'une fa~on generale les fonctionnaires de !'Organisation.

En ce qui concerne la Cour internationale de Justice, la Sixieme Cominission lui a consacre

membres de la Cour, au Greffier et fonctionnaires

elle-meme soit invitee, en vue de s'assurer le benefice des privileges, immunites et facilites necessaires a l' exercice de ses fonctions et a l'accomplissement de sa tache, soit dans le pays oil son siege sera etabli, soit dans tout autre pays, a formuler des recommandations qui seraient communiquees au Secretaire general. a traite separement le cas de la Cour intema-

annexe a la Charte dont il fait partie integrante, bres de la Cour jouissent, dans l'exercice de

Gour jouiront des privileges et immunites necessaires a l'exercice independant de leurs fonctions. ganisme dont les membres, assistes d'un personnel restreint, exercent des fonctions de caractere

Nations Unies.

179. In any case, as regards Netherlands territory, negotiations have taken place between representatives of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry and representatives of the Court, with a view to giving effect in the most satisfactory way possible to the above mentioned Assembly resolution. In accordance with the excellent relations that have always existed between international judicial bodies and the Government of the Netherlands, these conversations Jed to an agreement on the general principles that should govern the matter.

Those principles are set out in the appendix to the present note. In communicating this document to Your Excellency, I have the honour to ask you to confirm that its content is in accordance with the agreement reached.

I would add the following: In the report in which the Court forwards its recommendations on privileges and immunities, the Secretary-General is requested to ask the General Assembly to declare the agreement reached between the Netherlands Government and the Court to he satisfactory. Special mention is made of the traditional liberality of the Netherlands in this matter.

On the other hand, I trust that you will agree with me that the question of precedence, formerly dealt with in paragraph IV of the General Principles annexed to the letters exchanged on 22 May 1928, between the President of the Permanent Court of International Justice and the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs, remains outside the present agreement. I should be grateful if you would confirm your agreement on this point.

Signed

J. G. GUERRERO President of the International Court of Justice.

As concerns the privileges, immunities, facilities and prerogatives, within the territory of the Netherlands, of members and staff of the International Court of Justice of other than Dutch nationality:

The members of the Court will, in a general way, be accorded the same treatment as heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands.

As regards the privileges, immunities and facilities above-mentioned, this provision applies also to the Registrar of the Court and to the Deputy Registrar when acting for the Registrar.

The Deputy Registrar of the Court will,

in a general way, be accorded the same treatment as counsellors attached to diplomati<:

missions at The Hague.

The higher officials of the Court-first secretaries and secretaries-will, in a general way,

be accorded the same treatment as secretaries attached to diplomatic missions at The Hague.

Quoi qu"il en soit, en.vue de donner au mieux dlet en ce qui concerne le territoire neerlandais, a la resolution de I' Assemblee mentionnee plus sentants du Ministere des Affaires etrangeres cntretiens, tenant compte des excellentes rela- 1 ions tradiuonnelles entre les organismes judici;iires internationaux et le Gouvemcment de) Pays-Bas, ont abouti a une entente sur Jes principes generaux qui devraient regir la matiere. formules dans J'appendice a Ja presente note. En rnmmuniquant ce document a Votre Excellence, j'ai J'honneur de Ja prier de me confirmer que ,.a teneur correspond bien a l'entente interve11ue.

Jc voudrais ajouter cc qui suit. Dans It: rapport ou Ja Cour, en transmettant ses recom• mandations relatives aux privileges et immunites, prier l'Assemblee generale de declarer satisfaisante J'entente intervenue entre le Gouvernement mention de Ja liberalite des traditions neerlandaises en Ja matiere.

D'autre part, j'espere que vous voudn.z bien

des Principes generaux, annexes aux lettres echangees entre le President de Ja Cour permancnte de Justice internationale et le Ministre 1928, reste en dehors du present accord. Je vous serais reconnaissant de bien vouloir me confirmer aussi votre accord sur cc point.

President de la Cour internationale de justice.

En ce qui concerne Jes privileges, immudes Pays-Bas, des personnes non neerlandaises de la Cour intcrnationale de Justice:

a) Les membres de Ja Cour beneficient,

d'une maniere generale, du meme traitement que les chefs de mission diplomatique accredites pres Sa Majeste Ja Reine des Pays-Bas.

leges, immunites et facilites susvises, est egalement applicable au Greffier de Ja Cour ainsi qu'au Greffier adjoint, quand celui-ci remplace le Greffier.

b) Le Greffier adjoint de la Cour beneficie,

d'une maniere generale, du meme traitement que Jes conseillers attaches aux missions diplomatiques a La Haye.

Les fonctionnaires superieurs de Ja Cour - premiers secretaiies et secretaires - beneficient, d'une maniere generale, du meme traitement que Jes secretaires attaches aux missions diplomatiques a La Haye.

180. (c) The other officials of the Court will be treated as officials of comparable rank attached to diplomatic missions at The Hague.

Members of the Court, the Registrar and higher officials of the Court who are of Netherlands nationality are not answerable to the local jurisdiction for acts per_fo~med by _th~m in the~ official capacity and w1thm the hmllS 0£ their duties.

Netherlands nationals of whatever rank are exempt from direct taxation on the salaries allotted to them from the Court's budget.

lS· "I:he wives and unmarried children of members of the Court, the Registrar and the higher officials of the Court, when of non-Netherlands nationality shall receive the same treatment as the head of the family, if they live with him and are without profession. The household of the family (governesses, private secretaries, servants, etcetera) occupy the same position as is accorded in each case to the domestic staff of diplomatic persons of comparable rank.

Privileges and immunities are granted in the interests of the administration of international justice and not in the personal interest of the beneficiary.

As concerns officials of the Registry, the Registrar, with the President's approval, may withdraw their immunities, with due regard to the principle laid down in the previous paragraph. In the case of the Registrar, this duty shall rest with the Court.

The assessors of the Court and the agents, counsel and advocates of the Parties, shall be accorded such privileges, immunities and facilities for residence and travel as may be required for the independent exercise of their functions.

Witnesses and experts shall be accorded the immunities and facilities necessary for the fulfilment of their mission.

The Hague, 26 June 1946 Monsieur le President,

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of Your Excellency's letter of 26 June, in which you draw my attention to the resolution of the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, concerning privileges and immunities to be granted to the International Court of Justice.

I was much pleased to note that Your Excellency was good enough to mention that the conversations that took place between representatives of the Court and representatives of my Ministry were marked by a continuance of the excellent relations that prevail by tradition between international judicial organizations and Her Majesty's Government, and I hasten to assure Your Excellency that Her Majesty's Government also has a happy recollection of the c) Les autres fonctionnaires de la Cow soIH traites comme les ionctionnaires de rang comparable attaches aux missions diplomauq ues a La Haye. fonctionnaucs superieurs ·de la Cour de nationalue ncerlandaise n'om pas a repondrc dcvant la Jutid1Llion locale des actes qu'ils accomphssent leurs attributions.

Les ressort1ssants neerlandais, de quelque rang qu'lls soient, sont exoneres des impots directs budget de la Cour.

naues supcrieurs de la Cour de nationalite non 11eerlanda1se, partagent la condition du chef de sion. La suite privee (institutrices, secretaires particuliers, domestiqucs, etc.) beneficie de la suite privee des personnes d1plomatiques de rang comparable dans chaque cas. dans l'interet de !"administration de la justice internationale et non dans l'interet personnel des beneficiaires. Grelie, il appartient au Grellier, avec !'approbaimmunites, en tenant compte du principe torfier, la Cour exercera cette ionction. agents, conseils et avocats des parties, benciicient des privileges, immunites et facilitcs de sejour et de voyage qu'exige l'exercice indcpendant de leurs foncuons. nites et facilites necessaires a l'accomplisscment de leur mission.

Monsieur le President,

J'ai l'honneur d'accuser reception de la lettre laquelle Elle a bien voulu attirer mon attention mission de l'Assemblee des Nations Unies, concernant les privileges et immunites a accorder a la Cour internationale de Justice.

j'ai ete heureux de constater que Votre Excellence a bien voulu mentionner que les entretiens Cour et des representants de mon Ministere ont tenu compte des excellentes relations traditionnelles entre les organismes judiciaires inter- Reine d'autre part, et je m'empresse d'assurer a Reine lui aussi garde un bon souvenir des rela-

relations that existed between it and the Permanent Court of International Justice.

In accordance with Your Excellency's request, I .wish to confirm that the Appendix attached to your above-mentioned letter fully corresponds to the agreement reached during the conversations and exactly reproduces the Netherlands Government's views on the subject.

I note with much satisfaction that in the report in which the Court forwards its recommendations concerning privileges and immunitiesrequesting the Secretary-General of the United Nations to beg the General Assembly to declare the agreement reached between the Netherlands Government and the Court entirely satisfactory -special ·mention is made of the liberal traditions of the Netherlands in this matter.

With reference to the last paragraph of Your Excellency's letter above-mentioned, I beg to confirm that it is understood that the question of precedence formerly dealt with in paragraph IV of the General Principles attached to the letters exchanged between the President of the Permanent Court of International Justice and the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs, dated 22 May 1928, remains outside the present Agreement.

Signed

J. H. VAN ROYEN Minister for Foreign Affairs.

' DOCllment A/202.

• Document A/202.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTEJlNA·

LETTRE DU PRESIDENT DE LA CoUR lNn:JlNA· TIONALE DE JUSTICE AU MINISTRE DES AFFAIR.ES TIO!"AL CoURT OF JUSTICE TO THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS ETRANGERES DES PAYS-BAS

(Signe) J. G. GUERRERO

APPENDIX APPENDICE

LETTER FROM THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN

LErnu: DU MINJSTRE DES AFFAIRES £TRANGERES DES PAYS-llAS AU PRESIDENT DE LA CouR AFFAIRS OF Th.E NETHERLANDS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE INTERN A TI ON ALE DE JUSTICE

(Signe) j. H. VAN ROYEN

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