This work, the outgrowth of a joint reflection by French and German international lawyers, attempts to reconceptualize the doctrine of hierarchy in international law by emphasizing that a clear distinction should be drawn between primary rules, which encapsulate precepts for the protection of the basic values of the international community, and secondary rules, which determine the regime of legal consequences flowing from a breach of such rules of conduct.

Foreword Christian Tomuschat and Jean-Marc Thouvenin; I. L'identification des regles fondamentales - un probleme resolu ? Paul Tavernier; II. Jus Cogens, Obligations Erga Omnes and other Rules - The Identification of Fundamental Norms Stefan Kadelbach; III. An Example of Jus Cogens: The Status of Prisoners of War Stefanie Schmahl; IV. Un exemple remarquable d'application du jus cogens, le statut de prisonnier de guerre Philippe Weckel; V. Ius cogens and the Law of Treaties Wladyslaw Czaplinski; VI. The Duty Not to 'Recognize as Lawful' a Situation Created by the Illegal Use of Force or Other Serious Breaches of a Jus Cogens Obligation: An Obligation Without Real Substance? Stefan Talmon; VII. L'obligation de non-reconnaissance des situations creees par le recours illicite a la force ou d'autres actes enfreignant des regles fondamentales Theodore Christakis; VIII. La specificite des reparations pour crimes internationaux Elisabeth Lambert-Abdelgawad; IX. Do Damages Claims Arising from Jus Cogens Violations Override State Immunity from the Jurisdiction of Foreign Courts? Thomas Giegerich; X. L'immunite des Etats Isabelle Pingel; XI. Limits of International Law Immunities for Senior State Officials in Criminal Procedure Torsten Stein; XII. The Right of Third States to Take Countermeasures Christian Hillgruber; XIII. Special Jurisdiction of the ICJ in the Case of Infringements of Fundamental Rules of the International Legal Order? Matthias Ruffert; XIV. La saisine de la Cour internationale de Justice en cas de violation des regles fondamentales de l'ordre juridique international Jean-Marc Thouvenin; XV. Violations of Fundamental Norms of International Law and the Exercise of Universal Jurisdiction in Criminal Matters Andreas Zimmermann; XVI. La competence universelle en matiere penale Michel Cosnard; XVII. Universal Jurisdiction in the Area of Private Law - The Alien Tort Claims Act Georg Nolte; XVIII. Competence civile universelle et droit international general Jean-Francois Flauss; XIX. Conclusions Alain Pellet; XX. Reconceptualizing the Debate on Jus Cogens and Obligations Erga Omnes - Concluding Observations Christian Tomuschat; The Contributors; Index; Table of Cases / Index de jurisprudence.