Creating a French Antenna of ELI

Bénédicte Fauvarque-Cosson, vice-president of the European Law Institute (ELI), opened the meeting by placing it under the sign of dialogue and cooperation between European lawyers in order to inform and discuss the Institute and create an antenna for French jurists to meet and become a driving force.

Jean Marc Sauvé, Vice-Chairman of the French Conseil d'Etat said that French legal community should find its place within the ELI accordance with the wishes of Sir Francis Jacobs, president of ELI, to create national "hubs". He added that the division between legal professions should be overcome.

Carole Aubert de Vincelles, a professor at the University of Cergy Pontoise (France) presented the Institute and its structures to the participants. Then Marc Clement, Judge at the Administrative Court of Appeal of Lyon (France) presented the functioning of the projects carried out by ELI. He explained how to intervene or participate in projects that are on two levels:
- The "statements" (or views) that focus on short-term projects
- Instruments that focus on medium and long term.
Members can then create projects that will be evaluated by the Board of ELI, a body voting on the proposed projects.

Bénédicte Fauvarque-Cosson then developed the actions of the International relations committee. She spoke of joint projects with the American Law Institute (ELI inspirer). She said that ELI is a member of the global project on justice launched by the World Bank, an observer member of UNCITRAL.

On this occasion, Françoise Andrieux, general secretary of the UIHJ spoke to indicate that the UIHJ is also involved in these structures and proposed to coordinate the European actions of ELI and UIHJ in these organizations.

Philippe Denis, a lawyer and professor at the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) raised two important points on the predictability of instruments adopted in Europe and their consistency.

Bernard Reynis, honorary president of the Superior Council of Notaries explained what the different categories of members of the ELI were and reminded that lawyers should unite because unity is strength and that in order to be strong, it is important to be numerous.
 
After a quick overview of the completed and on-going projects the creation of the French antenna of ELI was implemented. Its members will be ELI emissaries and ambassadors, immediately joined by our colleague Françoise Andrieux.