The law of international responsibility plays a fundamental role in the modern system of international law, surpassed by none and paralleled only by the law of treaties. The volume seeks to cover the entirety of the field of international responsibility, with a particular focus on the work of the International Law Commission. It provides detailed discussion and analysis of the historically predominant topics of State responsibility, on which the ILC completed its work in 2001, and the specific sub-topic of diplomatic protection, work on which was completed by the ILC in 2006. However, it also covers both the topic of responsibility of international organizations, on which the ILC's work is ongoing (a set of draft Articles having been adopted on first reading in 2009), and that of liability for harmful activities not prohibited under international law on which the ILC adopted drafts in 2001 and 2006.

The volume comprises contributions on specific issues in the international law of responsibility, authored by an international team of specialists in the field, which provides a comprehensive commentary of all aspects of the topic. The chapters are detailed in their coverage, discussing both international jurisprudence and doctrinal controversies, as well as providing a critical assessment of the relevant work of the ILC. In addition to providing detailed consideration of the general secondary rules of international responsibility, coverage is also included of certain specific systems of responsibility and their relationship with the general rules under a number of specialised regimes, in particular under certain human rights treaties, the WTO, and investment protection treaties.

About the Author:
James Crawford SC, FBA, is Director of the Lauterpacht Centre, University of Cambridge, Whewell Professor of International Law and a Fellow of Jesus College. He was a Member of the United Nations International Law Commission from 1992-2001 and Special Rapporteur on State Responsibility (1997-2001). In addition to scholarly work on statehood, self-determination, collective rights and international responsibility, he has appeared frequently before the International Court of Justice including in the Advisory Opinions on Nuclear Weapons (1996) and the Israeli Wall/Barrier (2004). He has also appeared before other international tribunals, and is actively engaged as an international arbitrator.
Alain Pellet teaches international law at the University of Paris X-Nanterre and was the Director of the Centre de Droit International (CEDIN) from 1991 to 2001. He has received many international decorations and was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1998 for his services to the French state. He is one of the most distinguished French experts on international law and has not only been an advisor to the French Government for many years but has also made a name for himself as the representative of several other states before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He is one of the most active practitioners before the International Court of Justice as a Counsel. In addition, he acts in an advisory capacity to international organisations in issues concerning administration and international legislation. A member of the International Law Commission of the United Nations since 1990, he was their chairman in 1997. Simon Olleson's practice specializes in public international law, providing advice and advocacy in relation to traditional inter-State disputes, including before the International Court of Justice, investment protection disputes, international human rights law, issues of sovereign immunity, State succession and the law of the sea. Prior to coming to the Bar, Simon was a Research Associate and subsequently Fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law of the University of Cambridge, with which he still retains links. He acted as assistant to Professor James Crawford, Special Rapporteur on State Responsibility, in the summer of 2001 during the International Law Commission's final consideration and adoption of the Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts and accompanying commentaries.