The United Nations serves as the universal forum for addressing worldwide issues in the new millennium. The evolving needs of the international community have significantly influenced the United Nations and its institutions. This publication, edited by the directors of the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, Germany, constitutes the first scholarly yearbook to focus on activities of the United Nations in the field of international law. It recognizes the recent increased impact of the development of the World Organization, its Specialized...

Now in its fifth year, the Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law is becoming a much sought-after forum for essays by the most distinguished professors in international law. These essays cover a variety of topics related to the activities of the United Nations: from the role of the Security Council to UN treaties, from environmental issues to humanitarian law. The Yearbook also contains essays e.g. on the World Bank, the IAEA, and the WTO. Volume 5 focuses in particular on the international dispute settlement system with articles on the activities of international courts and...