On the first day, 12 panelists gave presentations dealing with different aspects in the field. The first session was dedicated to ‘Generalia and Fundamentalia’, explicating the significance of Roman Law, the growing autonomy of administrative procedural law in Hungary and the impact of EU administrative law on Member States. The second session dealt with ‘The Right to Good Administration’. Speakers focused on fundamental principles and rights in administrative procedural law, the legal consequences of a breach of Article 41 European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as well as on the obligation of the administration to give reasons for its decisions and recent Italian case law. The third session on ‘Administration in Action’ covered topics such as the recognition and enforcement of foreign administrative acts, the power of independent networks and administrative transparency through access to documents and data in Italy. Finally, the last session included presentations regarding the topic of ‘Environment and Migration,’ such as the review of EU soil management legislation, the application of the ECHR by Greek judges and the relevance of Public International Law in the management of migrants.
All in all, the Conference offered Members of the Administrative Law SIG a chance to catch up on the SIG’s foci, partly set at the September 2016 Annual Conference in Ferrara, while demonstrating how diverse the field of administrative law is.
The evening was closed with a warm reception at the Austrian Ambassador, HE Elisabeth Ellison-Kramer’s, residence. As a former law student herself, the Ambassador understood the importance of lawyers and their role in maintaining order, and therefore expressed an affinity for the SIG’s work. While enjoying a barbecue, participants were given the chance to continue their discussions, converse with one another and speak with Ambassador HE Elisabeth Ellison-Kramer in person.
On 8 June, the ELI Administrative Law Conference continued. Participants were also invited to visit the Kúria, which included a guided tour providing a detailed historical overview of the building and its former judges. This was followed by an opportunity to meet and pose questions to President, Dr Péter Darák. Participants were greatly interested in the power of the Supreme Court, the differences eg in comparison to the Austrian system and the prospective impact of digitalisation with regards to Court proceedings.
