Paradigm of State Consent in the Law of Treaties

This insightful book offers a comprehensive account of the conceptual challenges facing state consent in the framework of treaty making. It highlights the relevant discursive patterns and pinpoints the increasing antagonism between treaty bodies and state parties over the ownership of treaty evolution, with the author warning of the repercussions of treaty institutionalization. Showcasing the broad and encompassing nature of treaties, the author highlights the surrounding conflicts through chapters on the theory and concept of treaty and case studies on the flexibility of consent to be bound means, treaty withdrawal, the automatic succession doctrine and the law of reservations. The last part of the book explores how the invocation of the collective interest ideal, the institutionalization of treaties and the recurrence of formalism can endanger the legitimacy and effectiveness of treaty regimes. This book offers an original perspective on the role of state consent in the law of treaties and will be of great interest to academics, researchers and practitioners of international law seeking further knowledge about this complex topic.

'This is a study of the law of treaties as it is molded by the forces of communitarianism and contractualism. It identifies patterns where the tension is most evident and examines vexed issues in the law of treaties such as succession and reservations. The legal analysis is rich, insightful and articulate. Dr Pergantis' excellent study will help scholars and practitioners alike to better understand the practical and conceptual dimensions of the law of treaties and will stimulate further debate.' --Nicholas Tsagourias, University of Sheffield, UK'State consent remains an enigmatic concept. However, Dr Pergantis' monograph offers an original take on this topic in the context of the law of treaties, and in doing so brings a new clarity. Notably, he highlights the politics of the ongoing battle of influence between states and treaty organs within treaty regimes. Tackling a vast amount of material, the book combines a solid theoretical analysis with illuminating jurisprudential applications, and thereby presents an impressive synthesis on the phenomenon of consent. This is a must-read for international lawyers, both academics and practitioners, and it also represents an important theoretical contribution to the sources doctrine.' --Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Vassilis Pergantis, American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece