Welcome to the website of
Royal Netherlands Society of International Law
Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Internationaal Recht
The Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) was founded in 1910 as the Netherlands Society of International Law and as the Dutch Branch of the International Law Association (ILA).
KNVIR Annual Meeting 2025 Annoucement
Front Page, Annual General MeetingState Immunity in Civil Proceedings
Comparative Notes and Critical Analysis
Annual General Meeting of the
Royal Netherlands Society of International Law
Friday 7 November 2025 at 14.30 hours
Campus Den Haag, Leiden University, Turfmarkt 99, 2511 DP Den Haag
This year’s theme is State Immunity in Civil Proceedings. Can immunity from jurisdiction of a foreign State regard private parties in civil proceedings in which the foreign State is not even mentioned as a party to the proceedings? To what extent does customary international law provide for immunity of execution of assets belonging to a foreign State? And is the Netherlands in need of an immunity act?
SPEAKERS:
Cathalijne van der Plas and Thom Dieben
will present their paper
Immunity from jurisdiction in civil proceedings
in which a foreign state is not named as a party
and Max van Leyenhorst
will present his paper
Immunity from execution. A quest for the rule of (customary International) law
followed by reflections by
Jure Vidmar
The meeting starts at 14.30 hours with a members-only administrative session. At 15.00 hours, the presentations and discussion will start, open to all, followed by drinks.
REGISTRATION: Via gro.r1761795484ivnk@1761795484tcatn1761795484oc1761795484 by 4 November 2025. Please indicate whether you attend in person or online.
Non-members can receive a copy of the paper by joining the Society (€40/€20 per year).
We hope to welcome you on 7 November!
International Food Law Symposium
Front Page, Other EventJOINT EVENT
ORGANISED BY THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW (KNVIR) WITH WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY & RESEARCH (WUR) AND THE FOOD LAW ACADEMICS NETWORK (FLAN)
International Food Law Symposium
TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2025 13.30 – 17.00
CAMPUS LEIDEN UNIVERSITY, WIJNHAVEN, ROOM 3.16, TURFMARKT 99, THE HAGUE AND ONLINE
The International Food Law Symposium is a joint event organized by the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR), Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and the Food Law Academics Network (FLAN).
The symposium combines introductory, fundamental and critical perspectives, both international and European, with contributions on special topics. For more information on the topics presented at the symposium, please see the full programme here. At the end of the event there will be room to discuss how International Food Law and International Law relate to each other, and the work of KNVIR. The meeting is followed by drinks.
Registration: please send an email to gro.r1761795484ivnk@1761795484tcatn1761795484oc1761795484 by Tuesday 18 November 2025 indicating whether you would like to attend the meeting in person or online.
François Prize 2026 Invitation
Front Page, François PrizeThe Board of the
ROYAL NETHERLANDS SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
INVITES
those who are students at a Dutch university, or have obtained a Master’s degree from a Dutch University after 31 December 2023, to submit their Master’s thesis on a subject of Public International Law or Private International Law to compete for the
FRANÇOIS PRIZE 2026
Please note that submissions written by more than one author will not be accepted. Neither will be theses that have been adapted, for example with a view to publication.
The submissions will be judged by a jury chaired by Prof. Dr C.M.J. Ryngaert, Professor of Public International Law at Utrecht University. The other two members of the jury are Dr O. Spijkers, Assistant Professor of International and European Law at Leiden University College, and Dr Vesna Lazic, Associate Professor at Utrecht University and Senior Researcher at the Asser Institute. Submissions should be sent to the Secretariat of the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law, in triplicate and anonymized, addressed as follows:
c/o Ms. I.W.C. Hogervorst
P.O. Box 778
2300 AT LEIDEN
Each submission must be accompanied by a completed and signed entry form and should reach the Secretariat no later than 31 December 2025. The entry form may be found here. The François Prize Bye-laws may be consulted here.
The François Prize, named after Prof. Mr J.P.A. François (1889-1978), was created in 1975 by the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law with a view to encouraging the study of Public International Law and Private International Law.
The prize consists of an award of € 2,000 and a certificate.
Spring Meeting 2025
Front Page, Spring MeetingINTERNATIONAL LAW AND NATIONALISM:
HISTORIES OF A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP
On 3 June 2025 the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) held its Spring Meeting on: ‘International Law and Nationalism: Histories of a Complicated Relationship’. The main speaker was Prof. Ingo Venzke, Professor of International Law and Social Justice, University of Amsterdam. Dr. Misha Plagis, Assistant Professor, Leiden University, and Luca Pasquet, Assistant Professor, Utrecht University, commented on the topic from a contemporary perspective. Prof. Aukje Van Hoek (President KNVIR) moderated the meeting. The meeting was hosted by Leiden University. The recording of the presentations and the Q&A can be viewed in the video below.