The concept of a-national law has gained a lot of attention in recent years. It is a theory that states that law can exist outside the scope of a specific state, and this could undermine the dichotomy between national law and international law. While it is theoretically possible, its practical applications remain largely unknown.

This approach involves establishing common rules in national laws and devising compromise solutions to problems arising in international trade. It draws on existing international law and conventions. The Geneva Convention and the Hague Convention are the most important of these. The European Union’s judicial system has some similarities to national laws, but the two are fundamentally different.

Although national law is not an international legal system, it is still binding in many jurisdictions. States can incorporate international norms and treaties into their own national laws through specific “transformational” devices. General transformation is the automatic incorporation of ratified treaties through a constitutional provision, while special transformation requires legislation to give treaties domestic effect. States determine their international obligations by examining whether they are self-executing or waiting until legislation is passed.

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