About APEC

Prepared by Peter Li-Chang Kuo ( Chinese ) The " Helsinki Rules, " adopted by the International Law Association (ILA) at its 1966 conference in Helsinki , Finland , are a set of highly authoritative but non-binding international guidelines. These rules govern the fair and reasonable use of transboundary rivers, laying the foundation of modern international water law. They emphasize equitable and reasonable utilization, cooperation and consultation, and the principle of no significant harm to other riparian states. The " 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses " builds upon the main principles of the " Helsinki Rules ." It further clarifies the primacy of equitable and reasonable utilization and elaborates supporting mechanisms such as dispute resolution and information exchange. The Helsinki Rules’ core doctrine—that no riparian state shall cause substantial harm to another—was enshrined as a...