Fisheries Jurisdiction (Spain v. Canada) - Jurisdictional phase: closure of the written proceedings

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Communiqué
uncfficial
fer immediate releaae

No. 96/18
lü May 1996

Fisheries Jurisdiction

(Spain ''·Canada)

Jurisdictional phase: closure of the written proceedings

The following information is communicated to the Press by the Registry of the International
Court of Justice:

The Memorial of Spain and the Counter-Memorial of Canada on the question of the

jurisdictionof the Court to entertain the above case were deposited within the time-limits of
29 September 1995 and 29 February 1996 respective!y, as fixed by the Order of the President of
the Court dated 2 May .1995.

The Spanish Government subsequently expressed its wish to be authorized to file a Reply;
the Canadian Govemment opposed this.·

By an Order of 8 May 1996, the Court, considering that it was

"sufficiently informecl, at this stage, of the contentions of fact and law on which the
Parties rely with respect to its jurisdiction in the case and whereas the presentation, by
them, of other written pleadings on that question therefore does not appear necessary",

decided, by fifteen votes to two, not to authorize the filing of a Repby the Applicant and a
Rejoinder by the Respondent on the question of jurisdiction.

Judge Vereshchetin and Judge ad hoc Torres Bernardez voted against; the latter appended
lidissenting opinion to the Order.

The written proceedings in the jurisdiciional phase having thus come to an end, the
subsequent procedure was reserved for further decision.