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INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

North Sea Continental Shelf (Federal Republic of Germany/Denmark)

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Germany
Denmark

Proceedings joined with North Sea Continental Shelf (Federal Republic of Germany/Netherlands) on 26 April 1968

Overview of the case

These cases concerned the delimitation of the continental shelf of the North Sea as between Denmark and the Federal Republic of Germany, and as between the Netherlands and the Federal Republic, and were submitted to the Court by Special Agreement. The Parties asked the Court to state the principles and rules of international law applicable, and undertook thereafter to carry out the delimitations on that basis. By an Order of 26 April 1968 the Court, having found Denmark and the Netherlands to be in the same interest, joined the proceedings in the two cases. In its Judgment, delivered on 20 February 1969, the Court found that the boundary lines in question were to be drawn by agreement between the Parties and in accordance with equitable principles in such a way as to leave to each Party those areas of the continental shelf which constituted the natural prolongation of its land territory under the sea, and it indicated certain factors to be taken into consideration for that purpose. The Court rejected the contention that the delimitations in question had to be carried out in accordance with the principle of equidistance as defined in the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf. The Court took account of the fact that the Federal Republic had not ratified that Convention, and held that the equidistance principle was not inherent in the basic concept of continental shelf rights, and that this principle was not a rule of customary international law.

This overview is provided for information only and in no way involves the responsibility of the Court.

Institution of proceedings

Special Agreement

20 February 1967

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Written proceedings

Memorial submitted by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany

21 August 1967

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Counter-Memorial submitted by the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark

20 February 1968

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Reply submitted by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany

31 May 1968

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Common Rejoinder submitted by the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kingdom of the Netherlands

30 August 1968

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Oral proceedings

Verbatim record 1968

Minutes of the Public Hearings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, from 23 October to 11 November 1968 and on 20 February 1969, the President, M. Bustamante y Rivero, presiding

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Original Language

Other documents

Documents submitted to the Court after the closure of the Written Proceedings (Documents filed by the Parties on their own initiative)

2 October 1968

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Documents submitted to the Court after the closure of the Written Proceedings (Documents filed by the Parties at the Request of the Court)

5 November 1968

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Orders

Order of 8 March 1967

Fixing of time-limits: Memorial and Counter-Memorial

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English French Bilingual

Order of 1 March 1968

Fixing of time-limits: Reply and Rejoinder

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English French Bilingual

Order of 26 April 1968

Joinder of cases, fixing of time-limit: Common Rejoinder

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English French Bilingual

Judgments

Judgment of 20 February 1969

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English French Bilingual

Declaration of Judge Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan (as appended immediately after the judgment) English French Bilingual

Declaration of Judge Bengzon (as appended immediately after the judgment) English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of Judge Jessup English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of President J. L. Bustamante y Rivero English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of Judge Padilla Nervo English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of Judge Fouad Ammoun English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Vice-President Koretsky English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Tanaka English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Morelli English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Lachs English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Sorensen English French Bilingual

Summaries of Judgments and Orders

Summary 1969/2

Summary of the Judgment of 20 February 1969

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Press releases

Press release 1967/2
(French version only)

9 March 1967

Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark/République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Désignation des agents (French version only)

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Press release 1967/3
(French version only)

23 March 1967

Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark/République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Fixation des dates d'expiration des délais pour le dépôt des pièces de procédure écrite (French version only)

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Press release 1967/9
(French version only)

21 August 1967

Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (République fédérale d'Allemagne/Pays-Bas) - Dépôt du mémoire de l'Allemagne (French version only)

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Press release 1968/1
(French version only)

12 March 1968

Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark/République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Fixation des dates d'expiration des délais pour le dépôt des pièces de procédure écrite (French version only)

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Press release 1968/4
(French version only)

3 May 1968

Affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark/République fédérale d'Allemagne; Pays-Bas/République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Ordonnance sur la cause commune (French version only)

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Press release 1968/7
(French version only)

2 October 1968

Affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark/République fédérale d'Allemagne; Pays-Bas/République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Début des audiences publiques le 23 octobre 1968 (French version only)

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Press release 1968/8
(French version only)

21 October 1968

Affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark/République fédérale d'Allemagne; Pays-Bas/République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Déclaration solennelle des juges ad hoc (French version only)

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Press release 1968/10
(French version only)

5 November 1968

Affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark c. République fédérale d'Allemagne; Pays-Bas c. République fédérale d'Allemagne) - Audiences publiques (French version only)

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Press release 1968/11
(French version only)

12 November 1968

Clôture de la procédure orale dans les affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (Danemark c. République fédérale d'Allemagne; Pays-Bas c. République fédérale d'Allemagne)(French version only)

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Press release 1969/1
(French version only)

15 February 1969

Affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord (République fédérale d'Allemagne/Danemark; République fédérale d'Allemagne/Pays-Bas) - Rendu de la décision de la Cour (French version only)

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Press release 1969/2
(French version only)

20 February 1969

Affaires du Plateau continental de la mer du Nord - Rendu de l'arrêt (French version only)

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Correspondence

Correspondence

20 February 1967

Correspondence

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