The “Supremacy Clause” of Article 103 of the UN Charter and European Ordre Public

Öz

This article examines the “supremacy clause” of Article 103 of the United Nations (UN) Charter that forces the obligations under the Charter above other treaty duties, consequently backing the UN`s target to universality and preponderance among other international legal regimes. However, the author argues that regional international organizations have the equal right to claim the autonomy of their ordre public. Through the scrutiny of the relevant cases of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), it is affirmed in this paper that the European public order implicitly recognizes the “supremacy clause” of article 103 that virtually proclaims the hierarchy of the UN among international organizations. At the same time, it is asserted that article 103 does not intentionally allow the UN to set aside other treaty obligations of its member states and in particular, in the area of human rights. In this regard, the “harmonious interpretation” which was chosen by the ECtHR in the analyzed cases is evaluated as a wise compromise that aims to retain the autonomous nature of different legal regimes from one side, as well as to guard a unique historical mission of the UN that is primarily responsible for maintenance of international peace and security, from another.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• supremacy clause
• UN Charter
• ECtHR
• regime interaction
• human rights

Kaynakça

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