TRICI-Law, University of Athens & AthensPIL Conference
The Rules of Interpretation of Customary International Law
12-13 October 2023
Venue: ‘Alkis Argyriadis’ Amphitheater, Faculty of Law, University of Athens
CONFERENCE DAY 1 (12 October 2023):
10:00-10:30 Arrival & Registration
10:30-11:00 Welcome & Opening of the Conference by the Organisers
Prof. Alexander-Linos Sicilianos (Dean of the Faculty of Law, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens);
Prof. Photini Pazartzis (Constantine G. Karamanlis Chair in Hellenic and European
Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; Director AthensPIL);
Prof. Panos Merkouris (Professor of International Law, University of Groningen)
11:00-12:30 Panel 1: From Identification to Interpretation of Custom: Theory, Limits and Interactions
Chair: Prof. Hélène Ruiz Fabri (Professor, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)
• Identification and Interpretation of Customary International Law in the Jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice
Dr. Maria Telalian (Legal Adviser to the Prime Minister of Greece on Public International Law Matters)
• Interpretation of Customary Law: Not the Bogeyman but an Irreplaceable Tool
Prof. Panos Merkouris (Professor of International Law, University of Groningen, TRICILaw PI)
• Customary International Law and the Interpretation of Treaties: Beyond the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
Prof. Malgosia Fitzmaurice (Professor of International Law, Queen Mary, University of London)
• The Distinction between Interpretation & Modification of Customary International Law
Dr. Andre de Hoogh (Associate Professor, University of Groningen; CAVV member)
12:30-14:30 Lunch Break
14:30-16:00 Panel 2: Interpretation of Customary Rules for the Protection of Humans & their Environment
Chair: Prof. Frans Nelissen (Professor of International Environmental Law, University of Groningen)
• The Interpretation of International Customary Law of the Sea in Light of the Recent ICJ Nicaragua-Colombia cases (2022 and 2023)
Dr. Efthymios Papastavridis (National & Kapodistrian University of Athens)
• Indirect Dialogue between International Courts and Treaty-Bodies: The Interpretation of the Obligation of Environmental Impact Assessment
Prof. Seline Trevisanut (Professor of International Law and Sustainability, University of Utrecht)
• Interpretation of Customary Rules of International Humanitarian Law: Much Ado
About Nothing?
Prof. Vaios Koutroulis (Professor of Public International Law, Université libre de Bruxelles)
• Interpretation of Customary Rules in the Context of Protection of the Environment During Armed Conflict
Dr. Stavros Pantazopoulos (Post-doc Researcher ‘Toxic Crimes’ Project - Erik Castrén Institute; Researcher, Asser Institute)
16:00-16:30 Coffee/Tea Break
16:30-18:00 Presentation & Open Discussion of TRICI-Law Draft Guidelines on CIL Interpretation with Commentaries
Presentation by the TRICI-Law team (Panos Merkouris, Sotirios-Ioannis Lekkas,
Marina Fortuna, Nina Mileva)
19:30 Dinner for Speakers & Chairs
CONFERENCE DAY 2 (13 October September 2023):
9:00-10:30 Panel 3: Interpretation of Customary Law: Modern Challenges & Approaches
Chair: Prof. Marcel Brus (Professor of Public International Law, University of Groningen)
• The Importance and Utility of CIL Interpretation in the Context of Sea-Level Rise
Prof. Patrícia Galvão Teles (Professor of International Law, Autonomous University of Lisbon; ILC member) [ONLINE]
• Interpretation of Customary Space Law
Dr. Georgios Kyriakopoulos (Associate Professor, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens)
• How does the European Union Interpret Customary International Law?
Prof. Jan Wouters (Jean Monnet Chair, and Full Professor of International Law and International Organizations at KU Leuven; CAVV member)
• Interpreting the Customary on Rules of Responsibility: Text, No Text, Hypertext
Dr. Andreas Kulick (Visiting Professor, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg)
10:30-11:00 Coffee Break
11:00-12:30 Panel 4: Interpretation of Immunities
Chair: Dr. Jenny Stavridi (Head of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece)
• The ILC Draft Articles on Immunities of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction and Customary International Law: Between Identification and Interpretation
Prof. Concepción Escobar Hernández (Professor, Universidad Nacional de Educación a
Distancia; former ILC member & Special Rapporteur)
• Identification and Interpretation of Customary Immunity Rules by the Greek Domestic Legal System
Prof. Maria Gavouneli (Professor, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens)
• Between Systemic Interpretation and the Emergence of New Customary Rules: the
Role of Italian Judiciary in the Jurisdictional Immunities of the State Saga
Prof. Alessandra Gianelli (Professor, Sapienza University of Rome)
• Interpretation of the Customary International Law on Diplomatic and Consular Immunities
Dr. Anastasios Gourgourinis (Assistant Professor, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens)
12:30-12:45 Concluding Remarks & Closing of Conference
