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Book Review: L. d’Avout’s La Cohérence Mondiale Du Droit (Brill)
The general course in private international law delivered at the Hague Academy of International Law by Louis d’Avout during the 2022 Summer Session was published in the Academy’s Pocket Books Series (1 032 pages). Louis d’Avout is Professor at Université Paris Panthéon-Assas. In addition to his numerous scholarly works, readers of this blog may recall that his special course on “L’entreprise et les conflits internationaux de lois” was also published in the Academy’s Pocket Books Series in 2019. The general course is title « La cohérence mondiale du droit » (“The Global Coherence of Law”). The publication of a general course in private international law—particularly in the Academy’s Pocket Books Series—deserves the attention of the readers of this blog. The aim of this review is, modestly, to offer a glimpse into this important work so readers who are sufficiently francophone may be encouraged to read it directly, while those who are not are offered a brief overview of the author’s approach. Read more
Trial Supervision System No Longer Impediment in Hong Kong’s Recognition and Enforcement of Chinese Mainland Judgments
1. Introduction
For more than 20 years after the handover, Hong Kong courts had regularly noted difficulties with the ‘trial supervision system’ 
(also known as ‘retrial procedure’ 
) in the Chinese Mainland when attempting to recognise and enforce Mainland judgments under the common law, as the trial supervision system was thought to mean that these judgments fail to meet the ‘final and conclusive’ requirement. Such thinking was criticised by scholars as problematic.[1] To address the issue, statutory regimes on the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments between the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong have been implemented. More recent studies documented changes in the judicial attitude of Hong Kong courts,[2] but there was a lack of definitive rulings to clarify the legal position. This article focuses on the most recent Hong Kong cases which confirmed that the trial supervision system in the Chinese Mainland has no automatic impact on the recognition and enforcement of Mainland judgments in Hong Kong. A party alleging that the trial supervision system has affected the finality and conclusiveness of a Mainland judgment must prove the likelihood of a retrial being ordered through factual and/or expert evidence.
REFLECTIONS ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AFRICAN PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW
I. INTRODUCTION
This is the second symposium relating to private international law in Africa to be hosted on this blog, following a series that has run consistently since 2 February 2026. The first symposium, which focused on private international law in Nigeria, took place on 14 December 2020 and was jointly hosted on Afronomics and this blog. It was organised by Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong and me.
Professor Beligh Elbalti and I are deeply grateful to the scholars who agreed to participate in this symposium at short notice, including Dr Solomon Okorley, Dr Theophilus Edwin Coleman, Dr Elisa Rinaldi, Miss Anam Abdul-Majid, Mr Kitonga Mulandi, Dr Boris Awa, and Dr Abubakri Yekini.
The idea for this second symposium originated with my dear colleague, Professor Beligh Elbalti, and I am thankful to him for involving me in the leadership and organisation of this project. The symposium finds its true genesis in a larger edited volume we are currently preparing on the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in Africa, which examines developments across no fewer than twenty-six African jurisdictions. Read more
News
University of UdineCalls Open: Summer School and Workshop on Consumer Law and Green Rights in the EU
The University of Udine, together with its partners, has announced two exciting opportunities for students, researchers and practitioners interested in European consumer and market law, with a particular focus on sustainability and the circular economy.
The first call invites participants to register for the Summer School “Consumer and Market Law in the European Circular Economy” to be held at the University of Udine, from 8 to 17 July 2026. This programme offers a unique chance to engage with leading scholars and experts, explore the evolving legal framework surrounding sustainable markets and deepen understanding of how EU law is adapting to support the transition toward a circular economy. The Summer School promises an interdisciplinary and international learning environment, making it especially valuable for those looking to expand both their academic knowledge and professional networks. The organisers have provided the Call for applications – Udine Summer School 2026 and the Brochure – Udine Summer School 2026.
In parallel, a second call has been launched for abstracts for the Workshop “Judicial Protection and Enforcement of ‘Green’ Rights in the EU”. This workshop aims to bring together researchers and practitioners to discuss critical issues related to environmental rights enforcement, judicial protection mechanisms and the role of courts in advancing the EU’s green transition. Contributors are encouraged to submit abstracts that engage with current challenges and emerging developments in this rapidly evolving field. The workshop will be held at the University of Udine, on 14 July 2026. The organisers have provided the Call for Abstracts – Workshop Udine Summer School 2026.
Registration is now open for the Summer School, and interested participants are encouraged to apply promptly. At the same time, those wishing to present at the workshop can submit their abstracts for consideration.
Both initiatives reflect a growing commitment within the European academic and legal community to address sustainability challenges through legal innovation and collaboration. For more information on the programmes, application procedures and deadlines, please visit the official project website.
Activities are co-funded by the EU Erasmus+ Programme.
Internships at the HCCH
Applications are now open for three- to six-month legal internships at the headquarters of the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH in The Hague, for the period from September 2026 to February 2027!
Interns work with our legal teams in the Family and Child Protection Law Division, the Transnational Litigation and Apostille Division, and the Commercial, Digital and Financial Law Division.
Duties may include carrying out research on particular points of private international law and/or comparative law, taking part in the preparation of HCCH meetings, and contributing to the promotion of the HCCH and its work.
Applications should be submitted by Monday, 20 April 2026 at 18.00 (CEST). For more information, please visit the Internships Section of the HCCH website.
This post is published by the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference of Private International Law (HCCH).
TDM Call for Papers: Special Issue on “International Arbitration and the Space Industry”
Transnational Dispute Management (TDM) has kindly shared the following Call for Papers with us.
We are pleased to announce a forthcoming Transnational Dispute Management (TDM, ISSN 1875-4120, www.transnational-dispute-management.com) special issue on “International Arbitration and the Space Industry.”
This Special Issue will be edited by Alexandra van der Meulen, Kate Gough, Joshua Kelly, Annie Pan and Veronika Timofeeva (Freshfields LLP).
