Vilnius University Faculty of Law became a member of the European Public Law Organisation (EPLO).
EPLO is an International Organisation that has been active in the field of public law and governance for several decades. It aims to develop knowledge and strengthen European values in the fields of national law, comparative law, human rights, environmental protection and other areas, and to contribute to the training of lawyers and the improvement of democratic institutions.
Founded in 2007 in Athens, Greece (as a continuation of the European Centre for Public Law, which had been in operation since 1995), the organisation today brings together dozens of universities and other institutions from around the world, and counts among its members a number of countries. The EPLO has observer status in international organisations or bodies, such as the United Nations General Assembly, the International Organisation for Migration, the International Labour Organisation and others, and has offices at the United Nations in Geneva, Vienna and New York.
EPLO’s wide network of offices ranges from academic, research, training and consultancy activities to study programmes and international cooperation projects. To achieve its objectives, the EPLO has developed a multifaceted structure: the organisation is made up of more than 20 different units, including the Hellenic Centre for European Studies and Research, the European School of Law and Governance, the European Academy of Public Law, and a large number of institutes.
Dr Florentin Blanc, Head of EPLO’s Institute for Regulatory Innovation, Delivery and Effectiveness (IRIDE), visited the VU Law Faculty at the end of April to discuss areas of cooperation and to meet with the Head of the Vilnius University’s International Relations Department. The IRIDE Institute’s activities are aimed at improving the regulation of public governance and services in the interest of efficiency and on the basis of good practice.
EPLO runs study programmes (e.g. LLM Degree on International Economic Law and Policy), organises seminars and summer schools, publishes the European Review of Public Law and other publications.
The decision of Vilnius University Faculty of Law to join EPLO was taken in October 2023, when the head of EPLO, Prof. Dr. Spyridon Flogaitis, visited Vilnius University and the Faculty of Law and discussed the possibilities of cooperation.
We look forward to a promising cooperation in the EPLO, which offers many opportunities.