Vesna Lazić elected to Scientific Council of the European Association of Private International Law (EAPIL)

Vesna Lazić, senior researcher in the strand ‘Public interest(s) inside/within international and European institutions and their practices’, has been elected to the prestigious Scientific Council of the European Association of Private International Law (EAPIL) at their general assembly 3 June 2022.

‘It is an honour to be elected by my colleagues to the Scientific Council. I am excited to participate in a number of interesting and important EAPIL projects which will have a real impact on the scholarship in the field of private international law. In particular, the focus is on the European Union enactments of private international law aimed at making it easier for EU citizens and business to transact across border with increased legal certainty,’  elaborated Vesna on her election.

EAPIL is a key organisation in the driving and coordinating the process of harmonisation of private international law. This type of harmonisation is critical to streamline transnational activities in an increasingly connected Europe and works set up clear procedures on jurisdiction, choice of law, the recognition and enforcement of judgments and international judicial assistance. The matters covered include contracts, torts, intellectual property, insolvency, divorce, the protection of children, family maintenance, succession upon death and the property regimes of international couples.

Legal harmonisation crucial for single European market

Harmonisation is important to increase legal certainty and helps to reduce difference in treatment that are a consequence of national laws. The relevance of legislation on private international law has increased due to the European internal market, which has amplified and will further improve cross-border commercial activities.

Following a conference held in Berlin in 2018 entitled How European is European Private International Law?  a group of private international law scholars from all over Europe decided to found a European Association of Private International Law (EAPIL) to facilitate this harmonisation of legislation in Europe.

A resource for European lawmakers

EAPIL impacts the development of international private law through conferences and working groups. The working groups address specific problems of private international law and are often used to support the work of European lawmakers and translated into instruments (such as position papers or legislative drafts).

She has been elected to the Scientific Council together with other prominent colleagues in the field of private international law: Apostolos Anthimos, Gilles Cuniberti, Pedro De Miguel Asensio, Morten M. Fogt, Agniezska Frąckowiak-Adamska, Pietro Franzina, Susanne Gössl, Thomas Kadner Graziano, Bettina Heiderhoff, Marion Ho-Dac, Alexander Layton,Tobias Lutzi, Johan Meeusen, Ralf Michaels, Dário Moura Vicente, Marta Requejo Isidro, Giesela Rühl, Veronica Ruiz Abou-Nigm and Jan Von Hein.

Learn more about European law at the Asser Institute

Join us for the presentation of the findings of an important legal harmonisation project in the Western Balkans -  “Bridging the gap between formal processes and informal practices that shape judicial culture in the Western Balkans” 21 June 2022.

Vesna is leading the JUDGTRUST research project which seeks to identify best practices and provide guidelines in the interpretation on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (Regulation Brussels Ia).