ECSL News
ECSL-Latin America Network
The ECSL-Latin America has existed for over 10 years, with a specially dedicated section of our website devoted to providing resources in the field of space law to our counterparts in Latin America. In March 2017, an Acta de Comrpomiso was signed among key space players in the region to develop a network of universities relating to space law education and teaching. The ECSL supports efforts in this endeavour and we look forward to strengthening our ties and capacities with universities and other institutions in the region concerned with space law and policy. This Acta de Compromiso can be viewed on our ECSL-LatAm portal at: https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/ECSL/Acta_de_Compromiso2.pdf
New ECSL Executive Secretary
As of 15 June 2017, the new Executive Secretary of the ECSL will be Ms. Mari Eldholm. Mari, who has been an active ECSL member, will be joining the ECSL from the Norwegian Space Centre where she currently works as an Advisor. She will replace Nicholas Puschman whose two-year post comes to an end this year.
Passing Away of Professor Laurence Ravillon
The ECSL regrets to announce that Professor Laurence Ravillon has passed away. Professor Ravillon was a long time member of the ECSL and had actively participated in and contributed to the success of many of its initiatives.
A Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Burgundy from 2009-2014 and Director of the Research Centre on Markets and International Investment Law (CREDIMI), Laurence was a leading international authority on the private law aspects of space activities. Among other subjects, she taught private law and international commercial law in Dijon as well as in institutions abroad and other universities in France, notably the Institute of Space and Telecommunications Law (IDEST) in Paris. Always willing to help students and encourage their interest in this field, Laurence was as kind an educator as she was a friend and colleague to many in the ECSL and ESA community.
A skilled expert in the field with a passion for creating opportunities for exchange and dialogue among the academic community and space industry, Professor Ravillon presided over the French Society of International Law's Space Commission for a number of years, represented the French Space Law branch of the International Law Association, edited the French Review of Air and Space Law and was a member of numerous institutions including the International Institute of Space Law, the ECSL and the Association for the Development of Space Law in France. Many in the space community will remember Laurence as someone who was supportive, caring and quick to offer guidance.
The thoughts and prayers of the ECSL are with Laurence's family at this difficult time. An online condolence page (in French) is available at: http://www.libramemoria.com/avis/le-bien-public/cote-d-or/2017/02/03/avis-laurence-ravillon
Passing Away of Dr. Gabriel Lafferranderie
The ECSL regrets to announce that Dr. Gabriel Lafferranderie passed away on 8 December 2016. Gabriel Lafferranderie served as Head of Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel at ESA for more than three decades, and played a major role in the development of space law worldwide. The ECSL's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Space Law was granted to him recently, and the Honorary Chairmanship conferred by the Board.
With an interest in creating a forum to promote space law for students, industry and academia, Gabriel Lafferranderie led the creation in 1989 of the European Centre for Space Law, and as ESA Legal Counsel ensured the continuous support of ESA. As the first Chairman, he developed and set the founding principles of the Centre which has allowed it today to be an invaluable resource for space law in Europe.
The thoughts of the entire ECSL community are with him, his family, friends and former colleagues.
To read the obituary published by ESA, please visit: http://www.esa.int/fre/ESA_in_your_country/France/Deces_de_Gabriel_Lafferranderie
ECSL support of the 2nd European Space Generation Workshop - March 2017
The ECSL is pleased to be supporting the 2nd SGAC European Space Generation Workshop taking place at ESA HQ in Paris from 24 to 25 March 2017. The ECSL will be organising a Space Insight Day, also at ESA HQ, on 23 March to which all SGAC delegates are warmly invited. Information on the SGAC Workshop can be accessed at: http://www.spacegeneration.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1699&catid=51&Itemid=2796.
Details of the ECSL Space Insight Day will be updated at: http://www.esa.int/About_Us/ECSL_European_Centre_for_Space_Law/Space_Insight_Day
ESA is Hiring for the Next ECSL Executive Secretary
ESA is now hiring for the next Young Graduate Trainee (YGT) in the International Law division of the Legal Services Department. The primary purpose of this position will be to serve as the next Executive Secretary of the ECSL. It will also involve providing legal support in the field of international law. The full job description can be found at: http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/Young_Graduate_Trainee_Opportunities
The application deadline is 15 December 2016.
2017 Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition - European Rounds
The ECSL is pleased to announce that the 2017 European Rounds will be hosted by the University of Helsinki, Finland and will take place from 10 - 12 May 2017. Registration for the competition is now open and interested teams have until 31 January 2017 to register. Further information is available on the ECSL website.
Export Control and International Trade Law Workshop - French NPOC - 21 and 22 November 2016, Caen, France
The ECSL is pleased to support a conference being organised by the French NPOC along with other partners including the University of Caen-Normandie, the University of Kyoto, ThalesAleniaSpace and Airbus Defence. This conference will be on the theme of export control and international trade law. It will take place from 21 to 22 November 2016 in Caen, France. The programme is available at: https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/ECSL/Colloque_INGEER_flyer.pdf. To register your attendance, please visit: http://ingeer2016.eventbrite.fr
New National Points of Contact (NPOC)
In line with its Charter, the ECSL is keen to encourage the setting up of NPOC networks within ESA Member and Cooperating States. NPOCs play a vital role in communicating the ECSL's message and ensuring that its objectives are met at the national level. The ECSL is pleased to announce the creation of two new ECSL NPOCs, now bringing the total number of NPOCs to 16. These are from Norway (represented by the Norwegian Space Centre) and Slovakia (represented by the Slovak Space Policy Association).
75th ECSL Board Meeting and New Initiatives
The ECSL Board held its 75th Board meeting on 21 October 2016 in Paris. In addition to welcoming the newly elected Board members, Sarah Moens and Maria-del-Carmen Munoz Rodriguez, the Board welcomed the Student Representative elected for 2016-17, Victoria Schebek. The Board confirmed the theme and arrangements for a number of the ECSL's core activities, and approved the establishment of some new initiatives, information on which will be communicated to Members and posted on the ECSL website in due course. These include the establishment of an ECSL Journal, and the organization of an Insight Day to take place in March 2017 during the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) European Workshop.
ECSL in Guadalajara and European Manfred Lachs Team Wins the 2016 World Finals
The ECSL Executive Secretary and members of the Board attended this year's International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Mexico. During this conference, the World Finals of the Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition took place at the University of Guadalajara. After winning the Semi-Finals against the team from the Asia-Pacific region, the winners of the European Rounds - the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece - competed against the team from the African region in the World Finals. The ECSL is pleased to announce that Europe won this year's competition, the first time the region has won since 2004. The ECSL Board would wish to congratulate the team from Athens, represented by Ms. Filareti Koumtzi-Filaretou, Ms. Georgia-Eleni Exarchou and Ms. Sofia Stellatou, and their faculty advisor Prof. George Kyriakopoulos and assistant Ms. Georgia-Maria Kalogirou.
25th Summer Course on Space Law and Policy - Warsaw, Poland - 29th August to 10th September 2016
The 25th ECSL Summer Course took place in Warsaw, Poland from 29 August - 10 September 2016. 51 participants, including students and young professionals, from Europe and further afield took part in this two-week course. In addition to the Summer Course, the ECSL co-organised with the Polish Space Agency an industry breakfast get-together. This provided a valuable opportunity for both participants on this year's course and the wider space industry Poland, legal community and government representatives to network and discuss the development of this sector. The ECSL would wish to thank the co-organiser of this year's course, the University of Lazarski Institute of Air and Space Law, as well as other sponsors: Wardynski & Partners, the Polish Space Agency, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency and the Polish Space Research Centre.
ECSL Austria NPOC Symposium - 11th June 2016, Vienna
The ECSL is pleased to promote the Austrian NPOC's upcoming symposium on 11th June 2016 in Vienna titled Looking to the Future: Changing International Relations and Legal Issues Facing Space Activities. This event is being organised with the Beijing Institute of Technology - Institute of Space Law and the George Washington University Space Policy Institute. Further information is available at: https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/ECSL/InvitationViennaConference11June2016.pdf
ECSL Representation at the ESA Clean Space Industrial Days, ESTEC, Netherlands - 26th May 2016
The ECSL will be giving a legal presentation on space debris and active debris removal (ADR) during the ESA Clean Space Industrial Days taking place from 23rd - 27th May in ESTEC, Netherlands. For more information, follow the ESA Clean Space team at: https://twitter.com/esacleanspace
Manfred Lachs European Champions 2016 - University of Athens
The ECSL is pleased to announce that the team from the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens won the 2016 European Rounds of the Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition, the final of which was held in Glasgow, UK on 29th April. The runners-up were from the International Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University. The ECSL is looking forward to supporting the team in their preparation for the World Finals taking place in Guadalajara, Mexico in September. This year's European Rounds saw a record high number of teams take part in the competition which is a very encouraging sign. We would like to thank all teams who took part in the competition this year.
ECSL Events in Glasgow - April 2016
The ECSL will be organising a NewSpace Tech, Business & Regulatory Industry Workshop on 26th April 2016. This will be taking place at the University of Strathclyde who will also be the host of the 2016 European Rounds of the Manfred Lachs Moot Court Competition. The competition will be held from 27th - 29th April 2016.
ECSL General Assembly & 2016 Practitioners' Forum
The ECSL held its triennial General Assembly on 18th March 2016. The results of the new Board elections were announced and the ECSL is pleased to welcome 2 new members to the Board - Dr. Maria-del-Carmen Munoz-Rodriguez from the University of Jaén, Spain, and Ms. Sarah Moens, lawyer at Crowell & Moring LLP in Brussels, Belgium. At this occasion, a number of NPOCs also took to the floor to deliver national updates on ECSL activities. These reports will be made available on the ECSL website in due course.
Young Lawyers' Symposium - 17th March 2016, Paris
In an effort to increase the opportunities available for young lawyers - students and professionals - in the field of space law and policy, the ECSL will be hosting its inaugural Young Lawyers' Symposium on 17th March at ESA HQ in Paris. After a high number of abstracts submitted, 12 have been selected for presentation at this event. The topics to be addressed range from data issues, mega-constellations, ESA industrial policy, natural resources in outer space, institutional frameworks and the status of personnel in space.
Congratulations to the 2nd ECSL Competition Winner
Isis de Moortel from KU Leuven University has been selected as the winner of our 2nd ECSL Essay Competition. Her essay can be accessed here.
Eduational Outreach Programme - 26th February 2016
On 26th February, the ECSL will welcome law students from the University of Caen to the HQ of the European Space Agency in Paris. In pursuit of its objective to promote space law while at the same time reinforcing its ties with the host of the 2015 Summer Course, students will attend lectures given by lawyers from the Agency on topics ranging from space law, the legal framework relating to the ISS to the institutional law aspects of international organisations like employment law and privileges and immunities.
ECSL-UK NPOC Regulatory and Legal Workshop, London
Together with Bird & Bird LLP, the Satellite Finance Network and Access Partnership, the ECSL is organising a Regulatory & Legal Workshop on 4th December 2015 in London. The ECSL is delighted to be collaborating with the UK National Point of Contact in this event which will look a wide variety of issues, such as the regulation of small satellites, insurance and space debris.
Au revoir Edmond! Salut Nicholas!
The ECSL wishes to thank Edmond Boulle (Executive Secretary 2013-2015) for his services to the ECSL. We wish him all the best starting his new job at the Satellite Applications Catapult in the UK. Edmond will be acting as a business adviser to start-ups and universities developing innovative products and services for space applications.
The ECSL welcomes Nicholas Puschman who takes over as Executive Secretary.