2027 ESIL Research Forum: The EU, the Council of Europe, and Other Regional Organisations in a Changing World

The 2027 ESIL Research Forum will take place on 22-23 April 2027, hosted by the Faculty of Law, University of Maribor, Slovenia. The Research Forum is a scholarly conference of the European Society of International Law (ESIL) that promotes engagement with research in progress by members of the Society in the early stages of their careers.

It has a small and intensive format: a maximum of 25-30 papers will be selected, and presenters will receive detailed feedback on their presentations from members of the ESIL Board and invited experts.

The 2027 Research Forum addresses the topic "The European Union, the Council of Europe, and Other Regional Organisations in a Changing World". The relationship between regional organisations (including the EU and the Council of Europe) and international law is being reshaped in response to broader transformations in the international legal order, including the redistribution of normative authority, the fragmentation of international law into specialised regimes, and regulatory diffusion through measures with extraterritorial effects.

The organisers invite submission of papers on aspects of the theme, including the following:

• Trade, Environment, and Sustainable Development
• Human Rights, Security, and Sanctions in the EU and International Practice
• Migration and the Limits of International Law
• Investment Protection
• Emerging Technologies, Digital Regulation, and Global Norm-Making
• Regional Organisations and the Transformation of International Law

The Research Forum targets early-career scholars, namely:

• Postgraduate law degree candidates;
• PhD candidates, or those who defended their PhD no more than three years prior to the abstract submission deadline;
• Individuals in the first five years of their career following their most recent non-PhD degree, who have published legal research.

Participation requires ESIL membership. Most participants will be eligible for a reduced ESIL membership fee.

Submit an abstract (maximum 650 words) to esil-rf.2027@um.si by 30 September 2026 (12:00 CET). Submissions should include: name, affiliation, email address, whether you are an ESIL member, and a one-page curriculum vitae. The organisers also welcome proposals for poster presentations.

Successful applicants will be notified by email by 1 November 2026. The deadline for submission of the complete drafts (3,500-4,000 words) to be discussed at the Research Forum is 28 February 2027. As a general rule, priority is given to applicants who have not spoken at the most recent Annual Conference or Research Forum.

There are no registration fees to attend the Research Forum. Lunch is offered on both days, and a dinner for participants is hosted on 22 April 2027. Speakers bear the costs of their own travel and accommodation.

A limited number of ESIL travel grants and carers' grants are available to offer partial financial support to ESIL members who have exhausted other funding sources. The deadline for grant applications is 15 January 2027.

Email your abstract (max 650 words) and one-page CV to esil-rf.2027@um.si by 30 September 2026 (12:00 CET). For general queries and Interest Group workshop proposals, contact the ESIL Secretariat at esil.secretariat@eui.eu.