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INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Fisheries Jurisdiction (United Kingdom v. Iceland)

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United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Iceland

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Provisional measures
Questions of jurisdiction and/or admissibility

Overview of the case

On 14 April and 5 June 1972, respectively, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany instituted proceedings against Iceland concerning a dispute over the proposed extension by Iceland, as from 1 September 1972, of the limits of its exclusive fisheries jurisdiction from a distance of 12 to a distance of 50 nautical miles. Iceland declared that the Court lacked jurisdiction, and declined to be represented in the proceedings or file pleadings. At the request of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic, the Court in 1972 indicated, and in 1973 confirmed, provisional measures to the effect that Iceland should refrain from implementing, with respect to their vessels, the new regulations regarding the extension of the zone of its exclusive fishing rights, and that the annual catch of those vessels in the disputed area should be limited to certain maxima. In Judgments delivered on 2 February 1973, the Court found that it possessed jurisdiction ; and in Judgments on the merits of 25 July 1974, it found that the Icelandic regulations. constituting a unilateral extension of exclusive fishing rights to a limit of 50 nautical miles were not opposable to either the United Kingdom or the Federal Republic, that Iceland was not entitled unilaterally to exclude their fishing vessels from the disputed area, and that the Parties were under mutual obligations to undertake negotiations in good faith for the equitable solution of their differences.

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

Institution of proceedings

Application instituting proceedings

14 April 1972

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Written proceedings

Request for the Indication of Interim Measures submitted by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

19 July 1972

Procedure(s): Provisional measures

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Memorial on Jurisdiction submitted by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

13 October 1972

Procedure(s): Questions of jurisdiction and/or admissibility

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Memorial on the Merits submitted by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

31 July 1973

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Oral proceedings

Verbatim record 1972

Oral arguments on Request for the Indication of Interim Measures of protection, Minutes of the public sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 1 and 17 August 1972, President Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan presiding

Procedure(s): Provisional measures

Available in:

Original Language

Verbatim record 1973

Oral Arguments on Jurisdiction of the Court - Minutes of the Public Sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 5 January and 2 February 1973, President Sir Muhammad Zaffrulla Khan, presiding

Procedure(s): Questions of jurisdiction and/or admissibility

Available in:

Original Language

Verbatim record 1974

Oral Arguments on the Merits of the dispute submitted by the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Minutes of the Public Sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 25 and 29 March and 25 July 1974, President Lachs, presiding

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Original Language

Other documents

Written answers of the United Kingdom to the questions posed by the Court

3 August 1972

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Written answers of the United Kingdom to the question posed by Judge Petrén on 29 March 1974

2 April 1974

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Written answers of the United Kingdom to the questions posed by Judge Petrén

14 May 1974

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Orders

Order of 17 August 1972

Provisional Measures

Procedure(s): Provisional measures

Available in:

English French Bilingual

Joint declaration of Vice-President Ammoun and Judges Forster and Jiménez de Aréchaga (as appended immediately after the order) English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Padilla Nervo English French Bilingual

Order of 18 August 1972

Fixing of time-limits: Memorial and Counter-Memorial

Available in:

English French Bilingual

Joint Dissenting Opinion of Judges Bengzon and Jiménez de Aréchaga English French Bilingual

Order of 15 February 1973

Fixing of time-limits: Memorial and Counter-Memorial

Available in:

English French Bilingual

Order of 12 July 1973

Continuance of interim measures of protection

Procedure(s): Provisional measures

Available in:

English French Bilingual

Declaration by Judge Ignacio-Pinto (as appended immediately after the order) English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Gros (translation) English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Petrén (translation) English French Bilingual

Judgments

Judgment of 2 February 1973

Jurisdiction of the Court

Procedure(s): Questions of jurisdiction and/or admissibility

Available in:

English French Bilingual

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

Separate Opinion of Judge Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice
(bilingual version) Bilingual

Dissenting opinion of Judge Padilla Nervo English French Bilingual

Judgment of 25 July 1974

Merits

Available in:

English French Bilingual

Declaration of President Lachs (as appended immediately after the judgment) English French Bilingual

Declaration by Judge Ignacio-Pinto (as appended immediately after the judgment) English French Bilingual

Declaration by Judge Nagendra Singh (as appended immediately after the judgment) English French Bilingual

Joint Separate Opinion of Judges Forster, Bengzon, Jiménez de Aréchaga, Nagendra Singh and Ruda English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of Judge Dillard English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of Judge de Castro (translation) English French Bilingual

Separate Opinion of Judge Sir Humphrey Waldock English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Gros (translation) English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Petrén (translation) English French Bilingual

Dissenting Opinion of Judge Onyeama English French Bilingual

Summaries of Judgments and Orders

Summary 1972/1

Summary of the Order of 17 August 1972

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Summary 1973/2

Summary of the Judgment of 2 February 1973

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Summary 1973/6

Summary of the Order of 12 July 1973

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Summary 1974/1

Summary of the Judgment of 25 July 1974

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Press releases

Press release 1972/10
(French version only)

20 July 1972

Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) - Le Royaume-Uni demande des mesures conservatoires (French version only)

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Press release 1972/12
(French version only)

31 July 1972

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Composition des délégations (French version only)

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Press release 1972/13
(French version only)

4 August 1972

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Audiences du 1er et 2 août 1972 (French version only)

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Press release 1972/14
(French version only)

11 August 1972

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - L'arrêt sera rendu le 17 août 1972 (French version only)

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Press release 1972/16
(French version only)

17 August 1972

La Cour internationale de Justice indique des mesures conservatoires dans les affaires de la Compétence en matière de pêcheries (French version only)

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Press release 1972/18
(French version only)

22 August 1972

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Ordonnances du 18 août 1972 (French version only)

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Press release 1972/20
(French version only)

9 December 1972

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Les audiences en vue d'entendre les plaidoiries sur la question de la compétence de la Cour auront lieu les 5 et 8 janvier 1973 (French version only)

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Press release 1973/1
(French version only)

4 January 1973

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Composition des délégations (French version only)

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Press release 1973/2
(French version only)

9 January 1973

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Audiences du 5 et 8 janvier 1973 (French version only)

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Press release 1973/3
(French version only)

30 January 1973

Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) (République fédérale d'Allemagne c. Islande) - Les arrêts sur la compétence seront rendus le 2 février 1973 à 10 heures (French version only)

Available in:

Press release 1973/4
(French version only)

2 February 1973

La Cour internationale de Justice se déclare compétente dans l'affaire de la Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) (French version only)

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Press release 1973/7
(French version only)

15 February 1973

Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) (République fédérale d'Allemagne c. Islande) - Date d'expiration des délais pour la procédure écrite sur le fond (French version only)

Available in:

Press release 1973/27
(French version only)

12 July 1973

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Maintien en vigueur des mesures conservatoires (French version only)

Available in:

Press release 1974/1
(French version only)

15 March 1974

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Date des audiences en vue d'entendre les plaidoiries sur le fond (French version only)

Available in:

Press release 1974/3
(French version only)

29 March 1974

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Audiences des 25, 28 et 29 mars 1974 (French version only)

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Press release 1974/8
(French version only)

18 July 1974

Compétence en matière de pêcheries - La Cour rendra ses arrêts sur le fond le jeudi 25 juillet 1974 (French version only)

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Press release 1974/9
(French version only)

25 July 1974

Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) - La Cour rend son arrêt sur le fond du différend (French version only)

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Correspondence

Correspondence

14 April 1972

Correspondence

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