ITEM presents research results to Belgian ambassador in the Netherlands
ITEM researcher Martin Unfried presented the research results of the North Sea Port project to the Belgian ambassador to the Netherlands, Mr Dirk Achten, on 17 April 2019.
The research assignment for the North Sea Port project was an assignment for ITEM from the Province of Zeeland and the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations. On April 17th ITEM presented its findings during a boat tour from Ghent to Terneuzen.
North Sea Port has been in existence since 2018 and is a cross-border merger of the ports of Ghent and Zeeland. The objective of this cross-border merger is to strengthen the port's international position and increase its competitiveness.

ITEM has conducted research into the challenges of cross-border entrepreneurship and has made an inventory of the bottlenecks related to regulation in cooperation between the Netherlands and Flanders. This inventory will serve as a basis for the exploration of possible legal solutions, including the promising potential of the Benelux instruments and the option for legal experiments.
In the study, a distinction was made between, on the one hand, bottlenecks that were mentioned by the experts of the port authority and that were experienced today as an obstructing factor. On the other hand, further bottlenecks have been described that could also be detrimental to the development of not only the company, but also the development of the entire port area. ITEM researcher Martin Unfried presented these findings during the event of 17 April.
Also read
-
Globalisation & Law Network seminar with Rodrigo Vallejo Garretón
On 4 July 2025, the Globalisation & Law Network had the pleasure of welcoming Dr Rodrigo Vallejo Garretón, Assistant Professor in Private Law at the University of Amsterdam.
-
Maastricht Montesquieu Institute (MMI) to be discontinued as of 1 September 2025
MMI to be discontinued as of 1 September 2025; research continues elsewhere.
-
Globalisation & Law Network seminar with Christine Frison and Adriana Moreno Cely
On 15 May 2025, the Globalisation & Law Network held a seminar featuring Prof.dr. Christine Frison and Dr Adriana Moreno Cely (University of Liège), who presented their forthcoming article ‘Navigating Chaos: Decolonial and Feminist Methodologies in International Biodiversity Law’ (co-authored with...