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Berlin Accord Represents Diplomatic Effort
Eight sovereign nations, an international organization and numerous German companies signed the Joint Statement of the Berlin Accords on claims for slave labor and reparations on July 17, 2000. As a result, it constitutes a diplomatic effort that justifies applying treaty law as opposed to federal common law in litigation over the disputed enforcement by private parties of interest payments due under the terms of the accord, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit determined in Elly Gross et al. v. The German Foundation Industrial Initiative et al., docket number 07-3726, on December 10, 2008. Ultimately, the court agreed with the District Court that the treaty-like agreement affords no private cause of action. -- Clemens Kochinke, Berliner, Corcoran & Rowe, LLP, Washington, DC.
Wed, / Embassy Law Link