Diversion of Water from the Meuse Case

Case Relating to the Diversion of the Water from the Meuse
Court	Permanent Court of International Justice
Full case name	Case Relating to the Diversion of the Water From the Meuse (Netherlands v. Belgium)
Decided	June 28, 1937
Claim	Belgium violated a 1863 treaty on the use of the Meuse River
Ruling
Belgium did not commit any violation in developing the river resources as it had been doing
Court membership
President	José Gustavo Guerrero (President) Sir Cecil Hurst (Vice-president)
Associate judges	Michał Jan Rostworowski Henri Fromageot Willem van Eysinga Demetre Negulesco Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirven Rafael Altamira y Crevea Harukazu Nagaoka Dionisio Anzilotti Cheng Tien-Hsi Charles de Visscher

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.