Decided June 28, 1937 | End date June 28, 1937 | |
Full case name Case Relating to the Diversion of the Water From the Meuse (United Kingdom v. Belgium) Judge(s) sitting José Gustavo Guerrero(President)Sir Cecil Hurst (Vice-President)Count Michał Jan RostworowskiHenri FromageotAntonio Sánchez de Bustamante y SirvenRafael Altamira y CreveaDionisio AnzilottiNegulescoJonkheer van EysingaHarukazu NagaokaCheng Tien-HsiManley Ottmer HudsonDe Visscher Similar Corfu Channel case, North Sea Continental Shelf cases, Case Concerning Barcelon, Fisheries case, Lotus case | ||
Diversion of Water from the Meuse Case (Netherlands v. Belgium)[1937], P.C.I.J. (Ser. A/B) No. 70. was a judgment of the Permanent Court of International Justice on terms of treaties.
An 1863 treaty between Belgium and the Netherlands regulated water use of the Meuse River to ensure sufficient flow for navigation and irrigation. As the economic use of the river valley developed, increased pressure was placed on the river. In 1937, the Netherlands brought proceedings, alleging that Belgium’s use of the river had expanded beyond the terms of the treaty. Belgium filed counterclaims against expansion projects by the Netherlands.
The Court concluded that the Treaty did not prevent either State from developing the river resources as they had been doing.