Legal Status of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Germany

The unique structure of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) makes it difficult to grant it a legal status in Germany that matches its importance. The project renders a legal opinion analysing international, national and German rules and practice, and drafts a statutory instrument for endowing IUCN with a privileged status.

The IUCN ist one of the largest environmental organisations world-wide. More than 83 states, 110 government agencies and 800 non-governmental organisations are members of IUCN. In contrast to the situation in Germany, many states grant IUCN a legal status similar to intergovernmental organisations. The project’s objective is to develop options for improving IUCN’s legal status under Germany law.

The legal opinion describes IUCN’s present legal status and the legal options for its improvement. In particular, it analyses the legal requirements for a statutory instrument pursuant to the Germany UNSOrgVorRAbkG and other laws. The main problem is the legal term “organisation created by intergovernmental agreement”. The project analyses the scope of this term by reference to international and German law and practice. In addition, it drafts a statutory instrument to improve the status of the IUCN.