RENFORCE - The Utrecht Centre for Regulation and Enforcement in Europe

On 11 & 12 November 2021, the on-campus conference ‘Global implications of migratory movements: Human mobility beyond the Eurocentric perspective’ organized by Centre for Global Challenges in cooperation with DAMR, RENFORCE and the Focus Area Migration and Societal Change will take place!

For more information and registration: https://www.uu.nl/en/events/conference-global-implications-of-migratory-movements

The Utrecht Centre for Regulation and Enforcement in Europe (RENFORCE), the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) and the Centre for Global Challenges, in cooperation with the Universities of Carthage (Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences) and VIT-AP Law School, are extremely delighted to invite you to an Initiative on the International Refugee Day on Monday the 21st of June, from 12:30-15:00.

In an attempt to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, experts and practitioners from different world regions convene online to reflect on the global challenges to the refugee protection regime and to shed some light on migratory crises beyond Europe.

Registration is free of charge and can be done by sending an email to [email protected]. See our website for more information!

Refugee protection across the Globe: Challenges and Prospects Utrecht University's Initiative on International Refugee Day: experts and practitioners from different world regions convene online to reflect on challenges.

Just out on our blog: Pauline Phoa discusses the legal background of the EU Commission’s report on new genome editing techniques, as well as some concerns about the way forward. Worth a read!

The EU Commission’s report on new genome editing techniques: a treasure trove for sustainable CRISPR food – or a Pandora’s box? | RENFORCE Blog The EU Commission’s report on new genome editing techniques: a treasure trove for sustainable CRISPR food – or a Pandora’s box? Genome editing in plants can deliver beneficial crop properties such as drought and pest resistance, but the resulting products are also feared by some to lead to hea...

The EU as a Circular Economy -Command & Control?

Join us for a half-day conference on 30 April to discuss the circular economy, and the role the EU takes to achieve it: an enforcing police officer or only a supportive mechanic?

Register here:

The European Union as a Circular Economy: Command & Control? Utrecht University is organising a half a day interdisciplinary international conference on public procurement and the rules on circular products in the EU.

It's time to put EU legislation in the limelight, say Ton van den Brink and Dorin-Ciprian Grumaz. Read their post on RENFORCE Blog here:

Time to put EU legislation in the limelight | RENFORCE Blog Time to put EU legislation in the limelight Ton van den Brink and Dorin-Ciprian Grumaz EU legislation has long been the forgotten stepchild in EU law and the study thereof. Given the major transformations it has undergone and an ever more complex relation to national law, it is time to put EU legisl...

Kick out Hungary and Poland on rule of law grounds? For Kees Cath, the EU is "stuck in the middle with you". Read his post today on RENFORCE Blog

“Stuck in the middle with you”, the case for keeping illiberal Hungary and Poland within the EU (for now) | RENFORCE Blog “Stuck in the middle with you”, the case for keeping illiberal Hungary and Poland within the EU (for now) Kees Cath Poland and Hungary’s threatening to block the EU budget because of the link between the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) and the rule of law, in combination with their cont...

On 26/1 the UU Special Interest Group 'Principles by design: towards good data practice' was delighted to host Sandra Wachter’s talk on 'The (im)possibility of algorithmic fairness'. Didn’t catch it? Catch up with the reflections of Machiko Kanetake et al:

Reflection on the GDS webinar by Sandra Wachter: ‘The (im)possibility of algorithmic fairness’ | RENFORCE Blog Reflection on the GDS webinar by Sandra Wachter: ‘The (im)possibility of algorithmic fairness’ Machiko Kanetake, Lucky Belder and Karin van Es © iStockphoto.com/PayPau What regulatory frameworks does the EU have to detect and rectify biased algorithms? Unfortunately, some of the celebrated lega...

Crises like Covid-19 herald loud calls for solidarity within the EU. But is solidarity a "working" legal principle or "just a pivotal political aspiration"? Read Anne Joppe's view today on RENFORCE Blog:

Solidarity during the Covid-19 crisis within the European Union – a legal principle or just a pivotal political aspiration? | RENFORCE Blog Solidarity during the Covid-19 crisis within the European Union – a legal principle or just a pivotal political aspiration? Anne Joppe The principle of solidarity is called upon mostly in times of crisis, as happened, for example, during the Eurozone crisis and the refugee crisis. During the curre...

Given the growth of potent hypernudging techniques "it is the right time", says Viktorija Morozovaite, "to take future-proof steps in stopping the emerging harms - and increased transparency in digital advertising is only one of them". Read her thoughts on the DMA/DSA reforms here:

Setting the dark on fire | RENFORCE Blog Setting the dark on fire Viktorija Morozovaite This blogpost is part of a series of short commentaries on the European Commission’s proposals for a Digital Markets Act and a Digital Services Act, released on 15 December 2020. Stay tuned for more. Digital advertising has become the bread and butter...

'If the product is free, you are the product' - what vision of humanity emerges from the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts? Read Pauline Phoa's take on RENFORCE Blog:

‘If the product is free, you are the product’ – A vision of humanity in the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts | RENFORCE Blog ‘If the product is free, you are the product’ – A vision of humanity in the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts Pauline Phoa This blogpost is part of a series of short commentaries on the European Commission’s proposals for a Digital Markets Act and a Digital Services Act, released on ...

What will the Digital Services Act mean for the future enforcement of EU consumer protection law through and against platforms? Bram Duivenvoorde shares his initial thoughts - as part of our ongoing mini-series - over at RENFORCE Blog:

The DSA and future enforcement of EU consumer protection law | RENFORCE Blog The DSA and future enforcement of EU consumer protection law Bram Duivenvoorde This blogpost is part of a series of short commentaries on the European Commission’s proposals for a Digital Markets Act and a Digital Services Act, released on 15 December 2020. Stay tuned for more. On 15 December 2020...

"Will the DMA make the digital sector more contestable or should we keep relying on innovation?" asks Lisanne Hummel in her new post on RENFORCE Blog. Read it here:

Contestability in the digital sector: the Digital Markets Act vs. disruptive innovation | RENFORCE Blog Contestability in the digital sector: the Digital Markets Act vs. disruptive innovation Lisanne Hummel This blogpost is part of a series of short commentaries on the European Commission’s proposals for a Digital Markets Act and a Digital Services Act, released on 15 December 2020. Stay tuned for m...