völkerrechtlich

Völkerrechtlich is a German adjective and adverb derived from Völkerrecht, the field of law governing relations between states and other international actors. As an adjective it is used to describe matters governed by international law (völkerrechtliche Verpflichtungen, völkerrechtliche Normen, völkerrechtliche Beziehungen). As an adverb it means “in terms of international law” or “under international law” and is used to qualify statements, actions or norms (etwas völkerrechtlich relevant, völkerrechtlich bindend).

In practice, der Begriff signals that a rule, obligation or analysis rests on sources and principles of international law rather than domestic law. The main sources of Völkerrecht are treaties, customary international law, general principles recognized by civilized nations, and, as subsidiary means, judicial decisions and scholarly writings (per the Statute of the International Court of Justice). Key areas include the regulation of sovereignty and non-intervention, the law of treaties, state responsibility, use of force, human rights, refugees and asylum, and international humanitarian law.

Völkerrechtlich relevant issues arise in diplomacy, international negotiations and dispute settlement, and often require balancing national sovereignty with international obligations. The term is common in legal scholarship, policy documents and media commentary when distinguishing actions or norms as belonging to the international legal order rather than to national law. For translators and jurists, völkerrechtlich is a concise way to indicate the international-law dimension of a topic.