About ELI

Introduction

The European Law Institute (ELI) is an independent, democratic, membership-based organisation of distinguished founding. It was established as an ‘Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif’ (AISBL) under Belgian law on 1 June 2011. Inspired by the activities of the American Law Institute (ALI), established in 1923, ELI serves a similar purpose within the European legal context, focusing on European legal development in a global context.

Mission and Objectives

ELI’s mission is to initiate, conduct, and facilitate research, make recommendations, and provide practical guidance on European legal development. It is committed to shaping law not just as it is, but as it should be. The Institute organises its work around projects, which can be long-term or responses to emerging legislative developments, covering all branches of law, substantive and procedural, public and private. In its quest for better law-making, the Institute strives to understand and bridge the oft-perceived tensions between different legal cultures, as well as between scholarship and practice.

Collaboration and Membership

To accomplish its tasks, the Institute operates primarily on its own initiative but is also consulted by European, international, and national bodies. Its inclusive approach involves wide consultation within its network of about 1,800 Individual Members and 180 Institutional Members. Notable Institutional Members are the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), several supreme, supreme administrative and supreme constitutional courts in Europe, law firms, faculties and professional associations, including the International Bar Association (IBA), the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE), the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ), the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN), the Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

The Institute works closely with EU legislators, ministries of justice, regulatory authorities and civil-society organisations. It has been granted observer status with, and/or cooperates closely with, the European Court of Human Rights and a number of Council of Europe committees. Its partnerships extend to leading law-reform bodies, including the UK Law Commission, the American Law Institute (ALI), the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) and the Uniform Law Conference of Canada (ULCC). ELI is also a Partner of the World Bank’s Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development and works with development banks internationally.

ELI’s Individual Members include court presidents, senior judges, leading academics and experienced practitioners from 64 jurisdictions worldwide. The Institute’s Secretariat is based at the University of Vienna and receives significant support from the University, EU institutions and the City of Vienna.

Impact

Through its integrative approach, ELI has made a measurable impact on legislation at both the European and national levels. Its work influences legal practice and policy, touching the lives of millions across Europe and beyond.

Governance and Support

Key documents, including ELI’s Statute, are publicly available (here). ELI receives significant support from the University of Vienna, where its Secretariat is located, the EU institutions, and the City of Vienna. More details about its funding can be found here.