ABSTRACT
The unity of the law of the international civil service and the need to give the staff of international organisations a particular status are regularly questioned. While recognising the diversity of the laws governing the employment of the different international organisations and the fact that every organisation has its own categories of staff, this chapter shows that the law of the international civil service, understood broadly (i.e. as the law governing the relationship between international organisations and their staff, also understood broadly), has common threads (Section I). The dynamics of this law are three-dimensional: a predominantly administrative-law dimension (vertical), an increasingly contract-law dimension (horizontal), which could threaten the good functioning of international organisations in the long run, especially if pursued, and a general supportive international-law dimension (deep), the law of the international civil service being part of international law (Section II). One of the fundamental principles governing this branch of international law is the principle of independence, which is still being put to the test (Section III).
