Constituent Instruments of the Contemporary Intergovernmental Organizations

The research on the law of intergovernmental organizations is closely related to the research on the fundamental institutions of contemporary international law. The subject matter of this article, i.e. the legal bases for establishing and functioning of intergovernmental organizations, is a good example of the type of research being conducted in this area and is closely connected with the concept of subjectivity in international law and the law of treaties. There is no doubt that international agreements are the predominant constituent instruments of contemporary international organizations. However, this classic approach undergoes changes in legal practice. Constituent instruments other than treaties have been used more frequently, and they elevate the newly created international organization to the status of a new subject of international law. The article discusses this legal practice, which marks the beginning of a new stage in the evolution of international organizations and the law of international organizations.