International standards for the right to freedom of association: classification criteria

In the legal literature has long been a classification of legal phenomena. International standards on the right to freedom of association are not an exception, which is due to both cognitive reasons and practical importance. However, to date, sufficient generally accepted, generally accepted criteria for their classification have not yet been found in the theory of constitutional law.  The classification of international standards for the right to freedom of association is the basis for classifying international human rights standards as a method of cognition. The latter makes it possible to evaluate the holistic view of the classification of international standards on the right to freedom of association, its internal quality, comparing its essential and formal characteristics. At present, there are no uniform criteria for classifying international standards on the right to freedom of association, and therefore it is not possible to establish a single classification. At the same time, in view of the application of international standards on the right to freedom of association in the law and law practice in Ukraine, the most important criteria for their classification are the content and legal significance of the legal norm - the standard. Accordingly, international standards on the right to freedom of association are divided into: 1) factual and nominal; 2) mandatory and advisory. However, it is obvious that without consideration of other criteria it will not be possible to delineate qualitatively the essence of the investigated question. Integrating the criteria proposed by domestic researchers for the classification of international human rights standards, which are also acceptable for the classification of international standards on the right to freedom of association, we refer to others: 1) subject of their establishment - UN, Council of Europe, European Union, etc. ; 2) by scope - standards of general action and special action; 3) depending on the ways of their implementation - those that are self-implemented and those that are not self-implemented and require special measures for their implementation; 4) in the form of implementation - international treaties, documents of international organizations; 5) by territory - world (national, requirements of international acts of universal character) and regional (in particular, continental). The above list of varieties of international standards for the right to freedom of association is certainly not exhaustive, as other criteria for their classification are possible.