Call for Abstracts
The European Union as a world leader
in the transition to sustainability
Annual workshop of the Jean Monnet Module - 'Consumer and Market Law in the European Circular Economy'
On July 15th 2025, the Department of Legal Sciences of the University of Udine (Italy) willhost a workshop on 'The European Union as a world leader in the transition tosustainability'. The workshop is one of the activities of the Jean Monnet Module 'Consumer and Market Law in the European Circular Economy', co-financed by the European Commission and organized in cooperation with a consortium including University of Essex (UK), De Montfort University (UK), University of West Timisoara (Romania), East Anglia University (UK), University of Rijeka (Croatia), University of Belgrade (Serbia) and University of Szeged (Hungary).
The European Union's actions on sustainable development are designed to meet the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their own. Sustainable development is built upon three leading principles—social, economic, and environmental—which must work together and consolidate each other to foster a sustainable and durable society. The EU's commitment on environmental transition is reflected in its external action. In this regard, the Union positions itself as a global leader, in a context where the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change are the fundamental pillars for international cooperation. As a key actor in the international framework to enhance and support in the environmental protection area, the EU has concluded numerous international and regional agreements addressing a wide range of issues, including nature and biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, the fight against transnational air and water pollution
Furthermore, its commitment to and sustainability extends to trade policy, where the EU and its partners seek to implement environmental agreements such as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, promote the transition to a circular and efficient economy, encourage practices such as corporate social responsibility, and combat the illegal trade in threatened and endangered species.
This workshop aims to deepen the understanding of the EU's commitment to promoting sustainable development in its external actions. Key areas of interest include, among others, free trade agreements, environmental conditionality, trade policies with neighbouring and candidate Countries, the EU-AU cooperation, combating climate change, cooperation with international organizations, association agreements with third Countries, the Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP+), development aid, the promotion of a sustainable circular economy, sustainable investments, protection and conservation of biodiversity, marine environmental protection, sustainable forest management, due diligence policies, and the EU's role in climate diplomacy.
Abstract Submission
The call is open to all scholars interested, but Assistant Professors, Postdocs, PhD Candidates and young researchers are particularly encouraged to apply. The conference language is English. Co-authorship is allowed. We invite to submit an abstract of no morethan 1000 words and a short CV, both in separate PDF documents, by 15 April 2025 to ip.europeanlaw.uniud@gmail.com, to the attention of Prof. Elisabetta Bergamini, Academic Coordinator of the Module. Selected participants will be notified by 30 April 2025 and are expected to send a draft paper due on 30 June 2025. University of Udine will cover the costs of travel and will provide accommodation (max. 2 nights) upon request. Reimbursement of travel costs is conditional on the submission of draft papers. There is no registration fee. We have partnered with the Italian journal Quaderni AISDUE to provide for a publication possibility, subject to a successful double blind review process.
Should you have any question, please contact ip.europeanlaw.uniud@gmail.com.
