Maastricht European Private Law Institute
The Maastricht European Private Law Institute (M-EPLI) conducts fundamental research in the field of European private law, covering not only the law of contract, property and tort, but also European procedural law, European legal theory and European legal history. Special focus is on exploring the consequences of Europeanisation and globalisation in the field of private law.
M-EPLI’s research takes place in the following streams:
1. Values
2. Institutions
3. Markets
Research
M-EPLI conducts fundamental research in the field of European private law and related areas. Our belief is that in an age of Europeanisation and globalisation law should be studied as an international phenomenon. M-EPLI crosses borders between both national jurisdictions and the classical areas of law. A post-national legal science cannot take the distinction between public and private law as a starting point, but has to question the relevance of this distinction. Where useful, it also involves other disciplines (such as political science, economics and psychology).
M-EPLI’s research covers both the ‘integration’ and ‘interaction’ poles of the Faculty’s research programme. M-EPLI has three research lines 1. Convergence and divergence of private law, 2. Transnational legal method and 3.Changing conceptions of private law.
Visit M-EPLI's research
Meet our M-EPLI coordinators, Marta and Caroline
News
Honorary Doctorate for Professor Marta Pertegás Sender
Lund University honours UM professor for work in private international law.
M-EPLI Co-Director Marta Pertegás Sender Awarded Honorary Doctorate
Professor Marta Pertegás Sender, Co-Director of M-EPLI, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Lund University Law Faculty in recognit
Welcome Valerio D'Alessandro as a visiting researcher
Valerio is a YUFE Postdoctoral Researcher in Private Law at Tor Vergata University of Rome and he recently joined M-EPLI as a visiting re
ERC Starting Grant for Anna Beckers on CHAINLAW
- UM news
The faculty welcomes the excellent news that our colleague Anna Beckers has been awarded a prestigious ERC Starting Grant for her researc
M-EPLI Blog
Comparative Insights on the Role of Values in Contract Law
- Law
M-EPLI welcomed Dr. Timothy Dodsworth on 19 February as a speaker in the M-EPLI Talks series. Dr. Dodsworth’s talk entitled, The Underlying Values of German and English Contract Law, focused on looking at German and English court decisions to extract insights into how legal systems balance competing values in contract law.
Clarifying the Legal Status of Online Logistics Platforms in Europe
- Law
Our recent study (with Prof. Wouter Verheyen University of Antwerp) explores the legal uncertainties associated with the rise of online logistics platforms, which optimise the flow of goods through digital procurement mechanisms but lack a clear regulatory framework akin to international transport conventions. By investigating the legal classification of these platforms and examining their intermediary role and liability across different legal systems, the study offers new insights into contract creation in a digitalised logistics context.
Breaking Legal Boundaries: How Private International Law Can Keep Up With Global Value Chains
- Law
On Wednesday 29th January, M-EPLI welcomed Prof. dr. Toshiyuki Kono, Professor at the Graduate School of Law at Kyushu University, Japan. The event was moderated by Dr. Daniel On, followed by an insightful commentary by Prof. dr. Marta Pertegas and discussion with the participants.
The Anti-SLAPP Directive as a Roadmap for SLAPP Targets and the Obstacles Along the Way
- Law
To uphold the right to freedom of expression and information, it is essential that ‘public watchdogs’, including journalists, academics, bloggers, human rights activists, and NGOs can expose and highlight social issues, such as corruption and violations of fundamental rights. However, there has been an increase in lawsuits aimed at silencing these persons, known as strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), which are usually initiated by wealthy or influential individuals or companies.
The Withdrawal of the AI Liability Directive: A Critical Reflection on AI Liability in the EU
- Law
On September 28, 2022, the European Commission proposed the AI Liability Directive (AILD) as part of its strategy to create a unified regulatory framework for AI technologies in Europe. The Product Liability Directive (PLD), proposed at the same time, has since garnered acceptance and was adopted into EU law in October 2024. The AILD Directive suffered a very different fate, resulting in its recent withdrawal.
