ICEL Cross Border Public Procurement Law Conference, Belfast [Hybrid; 17 November 2026]

The Irish Centre for European Law (ICEL) is holding a Cross Border Public Procurement Law Conference on Tuesday 17 November 2026, from 9.30am to 5.15pm, at The Inn of Court, Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast. The listing gives the location as Belfast and online. The conference is supported and funded by the Government of Ireland Shared Island Initiative.

The conference is themed “Public Procurement Law in Northern Ireland: A Unique Jurisdiction?”, with the sub-title UK Reform, EU Legacy and Cross-Border Realities and Challenges. It brings together leading public procurement legal professionals and other experts from across the island of Ireland, who speak on a number of panels through the day.

• The first part examines public procurement law in Northern Ireland.
• The second part examines the particular challenges facing procurement professionals across the island of Ireland who run cross-border public procurements.

Public procurement in Northern Ireland is now primarily governed by UK domestic legislation and policy. EU procurement law nevertheless remains relevant in a number of important ways:

• legacy procurements
• interpretation of EU-derived rules
• cross-border activity
• EU-funded projects
• public law principles
• subsidy control
• the broader legal environment created by the Windsor Framework

One year into the new regime of the Procurement Act 2023, ICEL takes stock of the law and practice of public procurement in Northern Ireland and considers to what extent European Union public procurement law remains relevant.

The conference aims to facilitate North-South collaboration through networking opportunities throughout the event, including structured discussion sessions and a closing reception. These activities are intended to support long-term professional relationships and future collaborative initiatives between stakeholders from both jurisdictions. Participants will be invited to consider the establishment of a Cross Border Procurement Network after the conference, and feedback from the network will be obtained on a bi-annual basis so that each year’s conference stays relevant.

• Date: Tuesday 17 November 2026
• Time: 9.30am to 5.15pm
• Networking reception: 5.15-6pm
• Venue: The Inn of Court, Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast

Tickets can be purchased through the booking link on the listing. The ticket price is not stated on the source page. There are six CPD points available for attendance. The conference programme is on the ICEL website, and queries can be sent to icel@tcd.ie.