Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

The Promise and Limits of International Courts and Tribunals – Exploring the Conditions for Effective International Adjudication

Final Report Summary - SHANYEFFECTIVECOURTS (The Promise and Limits of International Courts and Tribunals – Exploring the Conditions for Effective International Adjudication)

The project on assessing the effectiveness of international adjudication led to the development of a new analytical framework for the performance of international courts, which emphasizes the overall degree in which such courts fulfill the expectations of the key constituencies which created them and facilitate their continued existence. The model developed has both theoretical and practical significance. It allows us to better understand international adjudication, the various elements comprising it, and the relations between international courts and international politics. It also allows assessing the effectiveness of specific international courts, such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Such performance assessment can facilitate reforms in the operation of international courts, and influence the design of future judicial institutions.