About ELI

The European Law Institute (ELI) is an independent, democratic, membership-based organisation of distinguished founding. It was established as an ‘Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif’ (AISBL) under Belgian law on 1 June 2011. The idea for a European Law Institute was inspired by the activities of the American Law Institute (ALI), founded in 1923. ELI serves a similar purpose within the European legal context, focusing on European legal development in a global context.

ELI’s mission is to initiate, conduct, and facilitate research, make recommendations, and provide practical guidance on European legal development. Its extensive intellectual resources are dedicated to the law not as it is, but as it should be. The Institute organises its work around projects, which can be long-term in nature or focused on timely responses to proposed legislation. Its activities span all branches of the law: substantive and procedural; private and public. In its quest for better law-making, the Institute strives to understand and bridge the oft-perceived tensions and gaps between different legal cultures, as well as between public and private law and between scholarship and practice.

To accomplish its tasks, ELI operates primarily on its own initiative but is also available for consultation by institutions involved in law development at the European, international, or national level.

In furtherance of its commitment to comprehensiveness, the Institute canvasses insights from as broad an audience as possible. ELI’s projects undergo extensive consultation both within its broad network of 1,700+ Individual Members, 160 Institutional Members as well as externally. Notable Institutional Members are the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), several supreme courts in Europe, law firms, faculties and professional associations, including the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE), the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) and the Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union.

Since its inception, the Institute has developed strong collaborative ties with the ALI, the United States Uniform Law Commission (ULC) and the Uniform Law Conference of Canada (ULCC). Additionally, it maintains close working relationships with the European legislature, national ministries of justice, key non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other sector-specific stakeholders.

The Institute's Individual Members represent a diverse spectrum of the legal community, including members of the bar, judiciary, academia, and other legal professions. This diversity mirrors the rich tapestry of legal traditions, disciplines, and professional frameworks across Europe and beyond. ELI's Individual Members are highly regarded and include prominent legal professionals, such as the Presidents of both supranational and national courts. 

ELI's collaborative approach, integrating the achievements of various legal cultures and perspectives, uniquely positions it to offer well-considered recommendations and practical guidance on critical legal issues. The Institute's work has influenced the European legislature and laws at both national and international levels, impacting the lives of millions in Europe and beyond.

The Institute’s Statute and other key documents are available here.

ELI receives significant support from European Union institutions and the University of Vienna, where its Secretariat is based. Further information on its sources of funding is available  here.