Artikel 94: Precedence of the international legal order over national law

Artikel 94

Statutory regulations in force within the Kingdom shall not be applicable if such application is in conflict with provisions of treaties or of resolutions by international institutions that are binding on all persons.

In andere talen:

English

Statutory regulations in force within the Kingdom shall not be applicable if such application is in conflict with provisions of treaties or of resolutions by international institutions that are binding on all persons.

Français

Les dispositions légales en vigueur dans le Royaume ne sont pas appliquées si leur application n'est pas compatible avec des dispositions de traités ou de décisions d'organisations de droit international public qui engagent chacun.

Deutsch

Innerhalb des Königreichs geltende gesetzliche Vorschriften werden nicht angewandt, wenn die Anwendung mit allgemein verbindlichen Bestimmungen von Verträgen und Beschlüssen völkerrechtlicher Organisationen nicht vereinbar ist.

Español

Los preceptos legales en vigor dentro del Reino no serán de aplicación, si la aplicación de los mismos fuere incompatible con estipulaciones de tratados y de acuerdos de organizaciones internacionales de derecho público que obligan a toda persona.

Toelichting

Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect. 

It is possible that national statutory regulations conflict with international provisions. In such cases, the international provisions take precedence. For example, the absence of a widower's pension in the (now defunct) General Widows and Orphans Act was contrary to the principle of equality under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

This precedence does not apply to unwritten international law, because the application of treaties and decisions of international organizations must be made public by means of publication (Article 93). This is not the case with unwritten law.