Annual General Meeting 2025

,

The Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) devoted its Annual General Meeting of 7 November 2025 to the theme: ‘State Immunity in Civil Proceedings Comparative Notes and Critical Analysis’.

The recording of the meeting, hosted by Leiden University, can be viewed here. Speakers were:

  • 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 was introduced and moderated by Prof. Aukje van Hoek, President KNVIR.

    KNVIR Annual Meeting 2025 Annoucement

    State 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.r1766902705ivnk@1766902705tcatn1766902705oc1766902705 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!

    Annual General Meeting 2024

    The Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR) devoted its Annual General Meeting of 1 November 2024 to the theme: ‘Missing Links in the Migration Law Debate’.

    The recording of the meeting, hosted by Leiden University, can be viewed here. Speakers were:

    • Dr Carolus Grütters, Fellow, Centre for Migration Law, Radboud University
    • Dr Karen Geertsema, Assistant Professor, Centre for Migration Law, Radboud University
    • Prof. Klara Boonstra, Professor of International Labour Law, VU Amsterdam
    • Dr Nawal Mustafa, Assistant Professor, Cultural Studies Department, University of Amsterdam
    • Prof. Ian Sumner, Professor of Family Law and Private International Law, Tilburg University
    • Prof. Susan Rutten, Professor of Islamic Family Law in a European Context, Maastricht University

    The meeting was introduced and moderated by Prof. Aukje van Hoek, President KNVIR.

    KNVIR AGM discussion statements

    With reference to the invitation for this year’s AGM – please see below – kindly note that the discussion statements can be found here.

    Read more

    KNVIR Annual Meeting 2024 Annoucement

    Missing Links in the Migration Law Debate

    Annual General Meeting of the
    Royal Netherlands Society of International Law
    Friday 1 November 2024 at 1.30 p.m.

    Campus Den Haag, Leiden University, Turfmarkt 99, 2511 DP Den Haag

    This year’s theme is international migration law. Are the definitions, legal framework and theoretical foundations used fit for purpose? What difficulties arise when we try to “regulate” migration?

    SPEAKERS:

    Carolus Grütters and Karen Geertsema

    will present their paper

    Migration? It is the economy stupid! The missing link in the migration law debate

    followed by reflections by:

    Klara Boonstra
    Paradoxes in Labour Migration

    Nawal Mustafa
    Historical Roots and Postcolonial Remnants

    Ian Sumner and Susan Rutten
    All in the family? Private International Law Aspects of Migration Law

    The meeting starts at 1.30 pm with a members-only administrative session. At 2 pm, the presentations and discussion will start, open to all, followed by drinks. The two-yearly KNVIR François Prize will also be awarded during the meeting.

    REGISTRATION: Please email gro.r1766902705ivnk@1766902705tcatn1766902705oc1766902705 by 28 October 2024.

    Non-members can receive a copy of the paper (book format, 64 pages) by joining the Society (€35/€20 per year) or by ordering the book from Asser Press (€15 excl. postage).

    We hope to welcome you on 1 November!

    Annual General Meeting 2023

    The Society devoted its Annual General Meeting of 3 November 2023 to the theme: ‘Energy Security in International Economic Law: Balancing Legal Ambitions and Geopolitical Realities’. The recording of the meeting, which was hosted by Leiden University, can be viewed here. Speakers were: Dr Anna-Alexandra Marhold, Assistant Professor, Grotius Centre of Leiden University and Dr Louise van Schaik, Head of Unit EU & Global Affairs/Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute. The meeting was introduced and moderated by Prof. Willem van Genugten (President KNVIR).

    Wisseling van voorzitter / Change of President KNVIR

    ,

    For English, please see below.

    Op 3 november 2023 hield de Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Internationaal Recht (KNVIR) haar Algemene Ledenvergadering in Den Haag. Tijdens deze vergadering trad Prof. Willem van Genugten af als voorzitter van de KNVIR na deze functie 12 jaar te hebben vervuld. Het bestuur van de vereniging heeft de leden aanbevolen om Prof. Aukje van Hoek, hoogleraar Internationaal Privaatrecht en Burgerlijk Procesrecht aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam, te benoemen tot nieuwe voorzitter, hetgeen met consensus is gebeurd. Het Bestuur is Prof. Van Genugten erkentelijk voor al het werk dat hij in de Vereniging heeft geïnvesteerd en wenst Prof. Van Hoek het allerbeste in haar nieuwe rol, die zij vanaf 1 januari 2024 zal vervullen.

    Willem en Aukje

    On 3 November 2023, the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law held its Annual General Meeting in The Hague. During that meeting, Prof. Willem van Genugten stepped down as President of the Society after holding this position for 12 years. The Board of the Society made a recommendation to the members to appoint Prof. Aukje van Hoek, Professor of Private International Law and Civil Procedure at the University of Amsterdam, as the new President, and she was appointed by consensus. The Board is grateful to Prof. Van Genugten for his dedication to the Society over the past 12 years and wishes Prof. Van Hoek all the best in her new role, which she shall take up on 1 January 2024.

    Willem en Aukje

    KNVIR Annual Meeting 2023 Announcement

    “Energy Security in International Economic Law:
    Balancing Legal Ambitions and Geopolitical Realities”

    Annual General Meeting of the
    Royal Netherlands Society of International Law
    Friday 3 November 2023 at 2.30 p.m.

    Campus Den Haag, Leiden University, Turfmarkt 99, 2511 DP Den Haag

    This year the Society dedicates its Annual General Meeting to international energy law. Questions concerning worldwide energy security, available dispute resolution mechanisms and the impact of, inter alia, the war in Ukraine on energy policies, in the EU and beyond, will be addressed.

    SPEAKERS:

    Mr Dr Anna-Alexandra Marhold, Assistant Professor, Grotius Centre, Leiden University

    She will present her paper on Energy Security in International Economic Law:
    Balancing Legal Ambitions and Geopolitical Realities

    Dr Louise van Schaik, Head of Unit EU & Global Affairs/Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute

    She will provide a first reflection on the paper

    The presentations and discussion will be held in English.

    The Annual General Meeting of the KNVIR starts at 2:30 pm with an administrative session reserved for its members. At 15:00 hrs., the presentations and discussion on international energy law will begin, which are open to members and non-members. The event will be followed by drinks.

    REGISTRATION: If you wish to attend the event, please register by sending a message to gro.r1766902705ivnk@1766902705tcatn1766902705oc1766902705 by Monday 30 October 2023 COB.

    Members will receive a digital pre-copy of the paper by email prior to the meeting, and a printed version by post after the meeting. Non-members of the Society can request a copy of the paper when registering for the event via gro.r1766902705ivnk@1766902705tcatn1766902705oc1766902705 (see above).

    We hope to welcome you on 3 November!

    Annual General Meeting 2022

    On 4 November 2022, the Society held its Annual General Meeting, which explored the theme ‘Shaping International Accountability around Mega-Sporting Events’. A video recording of the speakers’ presentations and the discussion of the Collected Papers can be viewed here.

    KNVIR - Annual General Meeting 2022

    KNVIR Annual Meeting 2022 Announcement

    “Shaping International Accountability
    around Mega-Sporting Events”

    Annual General Meeting of the
    Royal Netherlands Society of International Law
    Friday 4 November 2022 at 1.30 p.m.

    The Hague Humanity Hub, Fluwelen Burgwal 58, 2511 CJ, The Hague

    This year the Society dedicates its Annual General Meeting to legal questions that arise in relation to mega- sporting events, such as:

    • Who is responsible for violations of national or international law? The government putting out the tender, the organisers (IOC, FIFA), or the companies contracted to build the stadiums, roads, and hotels? How are these responsibilities divided up and how can different actors be held accountable?
    • What should be done for victims, in particular labour migrants, but also for victims whose property is expropriated or who are subject to “administrative detention”?
    • What should be done in the future to prevent repetition as much as possible? What are the shortcomings of current legislation and how can we, practically speaking, close the (major) gaps between theory and practice?

    SPEAKERS:

    Dr Daniela Heerdt (Asser Instituut) and Dr Lucas Roorda (Utrecht University)
    Human rights abuses at mega-sporting events:
    Exploring the responsibilities of participating states and businesses

    Prof. Geert Van Calster (KU Leuven)
    The private international law aspects of the responsibility and accountability for wrongful acts in the context of mega-sporting events

    The presentations and discussion will be held in English.

    At 13:30 hrs the Annual General Meeting of the KNVIR will be held, to which only members are admitted. At 14:00 hrs the presentation and discussion of the reports will start, followed by the announcement of the 2022 François Prize, at which members and non-members are welcome.

    Non-members of the Society can receive a copy of the papers (book format, 97 pages) in advance, either by becoming a member of the Society (for €35/€20 per year). Or by ordering the book from Asser Press (€20 excl. postage). Members have received or will receive a copy of the papers in the post.

    PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to attend the meeting, you are required to register by sending a message to gro.r1766902705ivnk@1766902705tcatn1766902705oc1766902705 no later than Monday 31 October 2022.

    We hope to welcome you on 4 November!