A first edition of this book was published in French nearly 20 years ago (Brussels, Bruylant, 2006) and an updated version was later published in English (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011). After more than a decade, the time has come to revisit the commentaries in order to incorporate the latest evolutions in the law of treaties. Recent practice has been marked by important developments relating, among others, to the interpretation of treaties, the formulation of reservations, the withdrawal from treaties, the practice of States affirming that they will not become parties to previously signed treaties. The new commentaries include these developments, international and, to the extent possible, national case law, as well as notable doctrinal work published in the last years, particularly by the International Law Commission on the provisional application of treaties, peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens), or subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties. As in the first edition, the presentation of the commentaries remains as uniform as possible, each commentary including a section dealing with the provision’s object and purpose and its— possible— customary status and a section devoted to the discussion of specific issues of interpretation. This two-volume book is made of contributions from over 120 authors from more than 30 different countries. It is the hope of the editors that it will provide the readers with accurate and practical information on each of the provisions of the Vienna Conventions on the Law of Treaties as well as a range of reflections from diverse perspectives on the numerous questions of interpretation raised in relation to these Conventions. 

You can access the preface here and the table of contents here.

You can also access an overview and a description of the book as well as all practical details about its publishing on the website of the Oxford University Press here.