Annual General Meeting

Traditionally, the Annual General Meeting is held in the afternoon of the first Friday in November.

The meeting consists firstly of a brief session devoted to the Society’s domestic affairs. During this part of the meeting the internal affairs of the Society are discussed by the members and the Executive Board, new Board members are appointed and a report of the Society’s finances is provided. This is followed by a public session, covering most of the afternoon, which is open also to non-members. Every year, the Board of the Society invites at least two persons to write a paper on a subject of public international law or private international law that is relevant to practice and scholarship in The Netherlands. These papers are sent to the members in September or October. At the meeting a brief introduction by the authors is followed by a discussion of the contents of the papers. In most cases, reports are made of the discussions (see below).

The Annual General Meeting of
the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law
will take place on Friday 6 November 2026.
More information will follow in the fall of 2026.

State Immunity in Civil Proceedings
Comparative Notes and Critical Analysis

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

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 printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen November 2025

“Missing Links in the Migration Law Debate”

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

Speakers

  • Dr Carolus Grütters
    Fellow, Centre for Migration Law, Radboud University
    &
    Dr Karen Geertsema
    Assistant Professor, Centre for Migration Law, Radboud University
    On their paper: ‘Migration? It is the economy stupid! The missing link in the migration law debate’
  • Prof. Klara Boonstra
    Professor of International Labour Law, VU Amsterdam
    On: ‘Paradoxes in Labour Migration’
  • Dr Nawal Mustafa
    Assistant Professor, Cultural Studies Department, University of Amsterdam
    On: ‘Historical Roots and Postcolonial Remnants’
  • 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
    On: ‘All in the family? Private International Law Aspects of Migration Law’

The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

The discussion statements can be found here

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen November 2024

“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

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

​

The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen November 2023

“Shaping International Accountability around Mega-Sporting Events”

This year the Society dedicated 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?

A video recording of the speakers’ presentations and the discussion of the Collected Papers can be viewed here.

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 printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2022

Global Health Law Disrupted: COVID-19 and the Climate Change Crisis

On 5 November 2021, the Society held its Annual General Meeting which explored the theme ‘Global Health Law Disrupted: COVID-19 and the Climate Change Crisis’. A video recording of the speakers’ presentations and the discussion of the Collected Papers can be viewed here.

Speakers

  • prof. mr. dr. Birgit Toebes and Meaghan Beyer, LL.M.
    The Origins and Scope of Global Health Law
  • dr. Katrina Perehudoff and dr. Jennifer Sellin
    Innovation and Access to Medicines
  • Marlies Hesselman, LL.M.
    Climate Change as a Global Health Threat in International Climate Law and Human Rights Law
  • dr. Pedro Villarreal
    International Health Law and Pandemics – Will COVID-19 be a Watershed?
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

International Law for a Digitalised World

The Society devoted its Annual General Meeting of November 6, which was held online, to the theme: ‘International Law for a Digitalised World’. The recording of the discussion of the Collected Papers can be viewed here. (Please note that the video starts rather abruptly, while for technical reasons the parts on the voting on the propositions have been left out.)

Speakers

  • dr. Marjolein Busstra and ms. Wieteke Theeuwen, LL.M.
    International Law in the Context of Cyber Operations
  • prof. mr. dr. Ybo Buruma
    International Law and Cyberspace – Issues of Sovereignty and the Common Good
  • prof. dr. Dan Jerker B. Svantesson
    Is International Law Ready for the (Already Ongoing) Digital Age? Perspectives from Private and Public International Law
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

Living Up To International Criminal Law

State of Affairs, Prospects And Mandates

Speakers

  • prof. mr. dr. Göran K. Sluiter
    Twenty-Five Years Of Contemporary International Criminal Justice
  • prof. dr. Stephan Parmentier
    Transitional Justice: Reframing International Law In Times Of Violent Conflict
  • dr. Antoine Duval And dr. Eva Kassoti
    The Past, Present And Future of Corporations Under International Criminal Law
  • mr. Fons A.M. Orie
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here, and a digital copy of the addendum can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2019

Climate Change

Options and Duties under International Law

Speakers

  • prof.dr. E. Hey and dr. F. Violi
    The Hard Work of Regime Interaction: Climate Change and Human Rights
  • prof. mr. dr. J. Spier
    Private Law as a Crowbar for Coming to Grips with Climate Change?
  • prof. mr. dr. A.H.A. Soons
    An Ocean under Stress: Climate Change and the Law of the Sea
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here, and a digital copy of the addendum can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2018

Protecting The Rights of Families And Children In A Changing World

Speakers

  • prof.dr. B. de Hart
    Modern Family -
Transnational Families in Nationality Law and Migration Law
  • prof. dr. T. Liefaard
    Access to Justice for Children
  • Ms. L. Martínez-Mora, LL.M.
    of the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on
 Private International Law The Cross-Border Recognition of Parent-Child Relationship Statuses (Parentage),
 including International Surrogacy Arrangements -
An Update on the Work of the HCCH
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2017

UN Declaration on the Right to Development 1986-2016

Ways to Promote Further Progress in Practice

Speakers

  • prof. dr. C.J.M. Arts
    Revitalizing the Right to Development in International Law
  • prof. dr. K. De Feyter
    The Right to Development: A Treaty and Its Discontents
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2016

Settlement of International Trade Disputes

Achievements and Challenges

Speakers

  • prof. dr. P.L.H. Van den Bossche
    The WTO at 20: A Glass Half Full, Half Empty … or Broken?
  • mr. dr. F. Baetens
    Investment Chapters Including Dispute Settlement Mechanisms in Bilateral Trade Agreements
  • prof. mr. dr. M.C.E.J. Bronckers
    Is Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Superior to Litigation before Domestic Courts? An EU View on Bilateral Trade Agreements
  • prof. dr. G.A. Van Calster
    Multa, Multi et Distinta
    The Adjudication of International Trade Disputes Seen from a Conflict of Laws Perspective
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2015

Refining human rights obligations in conflict situations

Speakers

  • prof.dr. Paolo Palchetti
    International responsibility for conduct of UN peacekeeping forces: The question of attribution
  • prof.dr. Wouter Vandenhole
    Human rights obligations in peace operations: The perspective of the European Convention on Human Rights
  • dr. Louwrens R. Kiestra and prof.dr. Jannet A. Pontier
    The role of human rights law in private international law cases in matters related to tort
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2014

One Century Peace Palace, from Past to Present

Speakers

  • prof.dr. Randall C.H. Lesaffer
    The Temple of Peace. The Hague Peace Conferences, 
Andrew Carnegie and the Building of the Peace Palace (1898-1913)
  • dr. Hans van Loon and Stéphanie De Dycker LL.M.
    The Role of the International Court of Justice 
in the Development of Private International Law
  • mr. Jeroen Vervliet
    Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes 
and the History and Legacy of the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions
The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2013

Preadvies 2013
dr. J.H.A. van Loon and S. De Dycker
The Role of the International Court of Justice in the Development of Private International Law

International Law and the Fight against Corruption

The printed version of the papers has been published by T.M.C. Asser Press in The Hague.

A digital copy of the papers can be found here.

Members have received the papers via regular mail.

KNVIR Preadviezen October 2012