State Immunity in Dutch Civil Proceeding

Acknowledgements V
List of Abbreviations XV

Part One: Introduction 3
Chapter I Background 5

Chapter II Methodology 7
A Research Questions 7
B Approach of this Study 8

Part Two: The Foundations 11
Chapter III State Immunity in Customary International Law 13
A The Term ‘State Immunity’ 13
B Some Remarks on Terminology 14
C Historical Development 15
1 From Personal Immunity to State Immunity 17
a The Beginnings 18
b Absolutism 20
c The Early 19th Century 22
2 State Immunity as Customary International Law 24
3 Reach of State Immunity 27
a Areas Never Covered 27
b Adoption of the Restrictive Doctrine 28
aa Influences from Outside the Legal World 28
bb The Courts Spring into Action 31
cc Landmarks on the Way to the Restrictive Doctrine 35
dd The Case for the Restrictive Doctrine 39
c Outline of the Restrictive Doctrine 42
D The Contemporary Rationale of State Immunity 45
1 Equality of States 45
2 Dignity of States 48
3 Comity of Nations 49
4 Sovereignty and Independence of States 50

Chapter IV The United Nations Convention 53
A Historical Background 53
1 Attempts for International Codification 54
a Non-Governmental 54
aa Institut de Droit International 54
bb Harvard Research 57
cc International Bar Association 59
dd International Law Association 61
b Inter-Governmental 65
aa Union of American Republics 66
bb Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee 67
cc Organization of American States 68
2 European Convention on State Immunity 70
3 Summary and Implications for the United Nations Convention 73
4 The Drafting Process 74
5 Peculiarities of Interpretation 76
B Prospects 77
C The Convention’s Most Relevant Provisions 79
1 Basic Principle 79
2 Provisions 81

Chapter V The Dutch View 85
A Concise Political History 85
B Dutch Civil Proceedings 86
1 The Courts 87
2 Principles of Civil Procedure 88
3 How it Works 89
a The Dagvaardingsprocedure 89
b The Verzoekschriftprocedure 92
c The Kort Geding 94
d Measures of Constraint 96
aa Post-Judgement 96
bb Pre-Judgement 98
4 The Application of Public International Law 102
C The Netherlands and State Immunity 102
1 Use of Terms 103
2 A Difficult Start 103
3 Early Practice: In Search of Uniformity 105
a First Legislation 106
b Judicial Implementation 108
c Assessment of the Early Dutch Practice 109
4 Later Practice: The Restrictive Doctrine Prevails 110
a Restrictive Immunity from Adjudication 111
aa Restrictive Tendencies in Treaties 112
bb The Hoge Raad Gives its Blessing 113
cc Distinguishing Between Foreign States’ Acts 115
b Restrictive Immunity from Measures of Constraint 116

Part Three: The Convention’s Pending Entry into Force 121
Chapter VI Introduction to Part Three 123

Chapter VII Exceptions from Immunity from Adjudication 125
A Commercial Transactions 126
1 The Convention’s Regulations on Commercial Transactions 127
a The Definition of ‘Commercial Transaction’ 127
b Dealing with Commercial Transactions 129
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 10 UNCSI 130
B Contracts of Employment 133
1 The Convention’s Regulations on Contracts of Employment 133
a The Basic Principle 134
b The Counter-Exceptions 135
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 11 UNCSI 139
a The Exception from Immunity 139
b The Counter-Exceptions 140
aa Exercise of Governmental Authority 141
bb Diplomatic Immunity 144
cc Reinstatement, Recruitment and Renewal of
Employment 147
dd Defendant States’ Security Interests 149
ee Nationals of the Employer State 154
ff Agreement in Writing 157
c Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 11 UNCSI Summarised 157
C Personal Injuries and Damage to Property 158
1 Personal Injuries and Damage to Property in the Convention 158
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 12 UNCSI 162
a The Judgements 163
b Introducing Article 12 UNCSI into Dutch Procedural Law 165
3 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 12 UNCSI Summarised 167
D Ownership, Possession and Use of Property 168
1 Ownership, Possession and Use of Property in the Convention 168
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 13 UNCSI 170
E Intellectual and Industrial Property 172
1 The Conventions’ Regulations on Intellectual and Industrial Property 173
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 14 UNCSI 174
F Participation in Companies or other Collective Bodies 175
1 Participation in Collective Bodies in the Convention 175
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 15 UNCSI 178
G Ships Owned or Operated by a State 179
1 State Ships in the Convention 180
a The Regulation of State Ships 180
b The Regulation of Cargo Carried on Board State Ships 183
c Procedural Rules Concerning State Ships 184
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 16 UNCSI 184
a Dutch Case Law 184
b Introducing Article 16 UNCSI into Dutch Procedural Law 187

Chapter VIII Immunity Regarding Measures of Constraint 191
A Pre-Judgement Measures of Constraint 193
1 Pre-Judgement Measures of Constraint in the Convention 193
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 18 UNCSI 194
B Post-Judgement Measures of Constraint 197
1 Post-Judgement Measures of Constraint in the Convention 197
2 Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 19 UNCSI 200
3 Specific Categories: Additional Guidance 202
a Diplomatic Property 202
b Military Property 205
c Property of Central Banks 207
d Cultural Heritage and Archives 209
e Property in Exhibitions 210
4 Additional Categories in Dutch Case Law 211
a Tax Receivables of Foreign States 211
b Development Aid Funds 212

Chapter IX Procedural and General Issues 215
A Procedural Issues 215
1 Service of Process 215
a Service of Process in the Convention 215
b Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 22 UNCSI 217
c Introducing Article 22 UNCSI into Dutch Procedural Law 220
2 Procedural Incidents Affecting Immunity 221
a Default Judgements 221
aa Default Judgements in the Convention 221
bb Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 23 UNCSI 222
(1) Formalities and Time Limits 223
(2) Dutch Courts’ Duty to Examine State Immunity 224
cc Problems Regarding Default Judgements Summarised 226
b Consent 227
aa Express Consent 227
(1) Express Consent in the Convention 227
(2) Express Consent in Dutch Civil Proceedings 228
bb Participation in Proceedings 230
(1) The Convention’s Regulation of Participation in Proceedings 230
(2) Dutch Civil Proceedings and Participation Therein 231
cc Counterclaims 233
(1) Counterclaims in the Convention 233
(2) Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 9 UNCSI 234
dd Arbitration Agreements 235
(1) The Convention and Arbitration 235
(2) Dutch Civil Proceedings and Article 17 UNCSI 237
B General Issues 239
1 Safeguarding the Convention’s Effects 240
a Dutch Procedural Law’s Existing Instruments 240
b General Safeguarding in Dutch Procedural Law 243
2 Judicial Costs and Expenses 244

Chapter X Summary and Findings 247
A Dutch Courts’ Positive Perception of the Convention 247
B The Discrepancies 248
C Implications 250
Part Four: Concluding Remarks 253

Chapter XI Conclusion 255

Chapter XII Completion 259

Bibliography 261
Appendix 1: Glossary of Frequently Used Dutch Terms 307
Appendix 2: Table of Cases 309
Appendix 3: United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional

Immunities of States and Their Property 316