Human rights and international economic law

Abstract

The customary methods of international treaty interpretation and dispute settlement, as codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, require interpreting treaties and settling disputes ‘in conformity with the principles of justice and international law’, including ‘human rights and fundamental freedoms for all’(Preamble, VCLT). As all member states of the United Nations (UN) have human rights obligations, this article explores the impact of human rights on legal methodology, on the justification of international economic regulation, and on promoting ‘human rights coherence’ of international economic law (IEL) as well as synergies between IEL and human rights law (HRL).