ERA Conference: Complete agenda spring and summer 2009

In our previous posts we have informed about the ERA conferences for the spring 2009 titled ”Annual Conference on European Insurance Law 2009” and ”
Cross-Border insolvency proceedings”. Here are the rest of the conferences for the spring and summer 2009:

Successions and Wills in a European context, Prague, 20-21 Apr 2009

From the conference website: The Czech Ministry of Justice in the framework of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU organizes in cooperation with ERA (Dr Angelika Fuchs) a conference titled ”Successions and Wills in a European context”.

The conference will provide an in-depth discussion of the most topical issues regarding succession and wills in a European context. The draft Regulation on Succession and Wills, expected to be issued soon, will serve as the basis of the discussion. A case-study will be presented. The conference will then address the following highly current issues:

Scope of the instrument: The Regulation will cover jurisdiction, recognition and choice of law. To what extent should property rights be covered? Will foreign property rights unknown to a legal system (e.g. trust) have to be recognised?

Choice of law: Will the testator be free to choose the governing law? If yes, will there be restrictions to the freedom to choose? What will be the relationship to the rules of compulsory heirship of the legal system otherwise applicable?

Choice-of-law rule for succession to movable and immovable property: What is the appro-priate connecting factor? Will there be one rule for movables and immovables? Will there be exceptions to that rule? How will the habitual residence test be defined?

Relationship to dispositions inter vivos: If, and to what extent, will the Regulation affect the validity of dispositions disposed of inter vivos?

Registration of wills and European Certificate of Inheritance: Will there be a compulsory or an optional system of registration of wills? What will be the scope of a European Certificate of Inheritance?

Practical Issues of Cross-Border Mediation and Mediation Techniques, Trier, 14-15 May 2009

From the conference website: Dr Angelika Fuchs (ERA) organizes in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN), the Council of the Bars and Law Societies of the European Union (CCBE) and the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE) a conference titled ” Practical Issues of Cross-Border Mediation and Mediation Techniques”.

This conference will concentrate on practical issues of cross-border mediation:

Interaction between mediation and civil proceedings, especially the impact of the Directive on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters in the Member States. Topics include the Directive’s scope; cross-border disputes: the inter-State requirement; voluntary or compulsory nature of mediation; mediation’s effect on limitation and prescription periods, and recognition and enforcement of mediation agreements.

Encouraging mediation. The role of the legal professions, especially the cooperation between lawyers, notaries and judges.

Quality of mediation services. A practical and continuing training of mediators is required: life-long learning is essential. In cross-border situations, co-mediation is particularly important. Quality control mechanisms and the added value of the (voluntary) European Code of Conduct for Mediators will be discussed.

Mediation procedure. The conference will further concentrate on fundamental minimum procedural guarantees for a fair mediation procedure. The European Code of Conduct for Mediators will be looked at in detail.

The conference will include workshops which will address specific areas such as family mediation and consumer mediation.

Summer Course on European Private Law, Trier, 29 Jun-3 Jul 2009

From the conference website: Dr Angelika Fuchs organizes a Summer Course on European Private Law.

Participants will gain an introduction to the following topics:

European civil procedure: The summer course will present the status quo of civil procedural law on a European level, including the most recent developments. Special attention will be paid to EC legislation and the case law of the European Court of Justice.

Private international law, especially the new Rome I & Rome II Regulations on the applicable law in contractual and non-contractual obligations.

Consumer protection, concerning e.g. unfair commercial practices, e-commerce, consumer rights, product safety, product liability.

This course should prove of particular interest to lawyers who wish to specialise in or acquire an in-depth knowledge of European private law. A general knowledge of EU law is suitable but no previous knowledge or experience of European private law is required to attend the course.

Participants will have the opportunity to prepare in advance through an e-learning course via the ERA website, and to deepen their knowledge through case-studies and workshops during the summer course.

A visit to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg with the opportunity to attend a hearing is an integral part of the programme.