European Institute of Legal Studies

We are seeking an outstanding doctoral dissertation in European private law or European public law.
The dissertation to be awarded the prize should address a topic within the scope of the European Legal Studies Institute. The dissertation should contribute to the further development of law in the European Union and/or the harmonization of the legal systems of its member states, as well as address the interactions between these two levels. Theses on intra-European comparative law, private international law, European constitutional law, and the foundations of European integration under international law are also eligible.

 All information about the doctoral prize (PDF, 1.05 MB)

The Osnabrück European Legal Studies Institute is pleased to announce a Call for Papers for the 2026 edition of the Young Research Forum on European Legal Studies, which will be held at Osnabrück University on 3-4 December 2026. The Forum is dedicated to interdisciplinary and legal scholarship focusing on current topics and developments in various fields of law in the European Union. We are currently seeking submissions from PhD students, Postdocs and junior faculty interested in presenting papers at the Forum.

The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2026.

 Weitere Informationen (PDF, 475 kB)

Once again this year, the University of Osnabrück will participate in the European Law Moot Court (ELMC)—a simulated proceeding before the European Court of Justice. Students from across Europe will compete against one another in the field of EU law, both in a brief-writing phase and in oral arguments. Anyone interested in representing the University of Osnabrück in this international competition is invited to apply now!

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The European Legal Studies Institute will host a lecture series on “Law & Technology” in cooperation with the Osnabrück branch of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. Professors and practitioners working in the fields of AI, autonomous robots, AR, big data, digital twins, and the Internet of Things will share their knowledge and insights with us and will be happy to answer your questions.
The next lecture will be on the topic "Concept of personal data in EU data protection law: lastest developments and critical reflections" given by Prof. Dr. Nadezhda Purtova, Utrecht University.
Thursday, 2 July 2026, 6-8 p.m., room 44/E04

 Program (PDF, 162 kB)

On June 15 and 16, 2026, the 19th Constitutional Law Moot Court was held at the ELSI premises. In this competition, second- and fourth-semester students once again competed against one another in a simulated hearing before the Federal Constitutional Court. In numerous closing arguments, they presented creative arguments to convincingly address the constitutional classification of an artistically oriented assembly. In a thrilling final round, Catherina Amberg, Liv Brengelmann, Tabea Feldhaus, and Matthew von Fintel ultimately emerged victorious. Tabea Feldhaus was also recognized as the best speaker and rewarded with an internship at the law firm Hengeler Müller.

The next ELSI Lecture, on June 10, 2026, will be delivered by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schroeter of the University of Basel. He teaches and conducts research in Swiss, German, and European contract law, national and international commercial law, arbitration law, international treaty law, and financial market law. Prof. Schroeter will speak on the following topic:
The Suitability and Sufficiency of Traditional Contract Law in Times of Digitalization.
Digitalization, including the emerging phenomenon of artificial intelligence, ranks as a major development of our times. Its technical innovations have prompted calls for an “update” of various areas of private law, including contract law. The lecture will critically examine whether digitalization does indeed require legislative changes to existing contract law, or whether traditional contract law is fit for digital purposes as it stands. It places this assessment within a broader discussion about the role of regional legal harmonization, particularly by the EU, and its increasing encroachment on core areas of contract law.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 6:00 p.m. in Lecture Hall 44/E03

On April 30, 2026, the European Commission re-appointed Prof. Dr. Christoph Busch to the Consumer Policy Advisory Group.

The expert group comprises representatives of consumer and business organisations from all EU Member States as well as five academics. Professor Busch has been a member of the expert group since 2021 and has been appointed for a further five years.

The expert group advises the Commission on the implementation of the  Consumer Agenda 2030, adopted in November 2025. The work of the group focuses on issues of consumer protection in digital markets, sustainable consumption and the effective enforcement of consumer rights.

The next IJVO Lecture will be held on 6 May 2026 at 18:00 (s.t.) by Dr. Benedikt Schmitz, LL.M. on the topic: "Other countries, other customs? On the autonomous interpretation of the choice of law barrier in Article 6 Rome I Regulation". He is Assistant Professor of Private International Law and Comparative Contract Law at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. In his lecture, he will highlight the autonomous interpretation of European private international and civil procedural law as an essential element in ensuring uniformity of decisions. This is particularly relevant when the content of a conflict rule has not yet been the subject of a referral to the ECJ. He will deal with the choice of law rule of Article 6(2) of the Rome I Regulation, focusing in particular on the so-called "Dutch method" of separate connection.
The event will take place at the European Legal Studies Institute in room 44/E03.

At the request of the students, the opening hours of the research library in the ELSI will be extended: the library will now open at 8:00 am and close at 6:00 pm. The opening hours will apply from Monday to Friday from 24.11.2025.