On 9 January 2025, Mr Axel Voss, MEP, spoke at the Trier Talks on Law and Digitalization. Mr. Voss has been a member of the European Parliament since 2009 and focuses on digital policy. He was significantly involved in the DSM Directive. As part of the Trier Talks in the current winter semester, Mr. Voss spoke about “The future of EU digital law”.

On November 8, 2024, Prof. Dr. Antje von Ungern Sternberg spoke at the 29th Würzburg European Law Days on the topic of “AI and Discrimination”. The event on the topic “Sustainable regulation of artificial intelligence by the EU?” took place from November 8 to 9, 2024 at the Würzburg Residence.

The Institute for Digital Law Trier (IRDT) hosted its annual international conference on 26.09. and 27.09.2024 on the following topic Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Rights - Impact of the new European Union's AI Act

Artificial intelligence applications often intersect with fundamental rights, forming a landscape that requires legal understanding and technical expertise. The AI Act aims to protect fundamental rights while creating a legal framework that encourages innovation. Our academic conference explored whether this delicate balancing act has been achieved.

On Monday, May 6, 2024, a legal policy colloquium gave Prof. Dr. Roland Rixecker (Commissioner for Jewish Life in Saarland and against Antisemitism and President of the Constitutional Court of Saarland) and Daniel Botmann (Managing Director of the Central Council of Jews in Germany) the opportunity to discuss the question of whether and how legal means can be used to combat hatred and agitation in general and growing antisemitism in particular.

The colloquium, organized by the Institute for Legal Policy at the University of Trier (IRP), took place from 18:00-19:30 in HS 1 of the University of Trier. We would like to give thanks for the interesting presentations and an engaging exchange. A report of the event is available here.

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On May 2, 2024, Prof. Dr. von Ungern-Sternberg participated in the discussion and exchange between society and science as an expert in the “Club der drängenden Fragen.” The first edition of the new event series, which was launched by the "Wissenschaftsallianz Trier" in cooperation with the TUFA, explored, among other things, the question of what the state of freedom, democracy and the rule of law is in the anniversary year of the German Constitution.

What makes this new series of events special is that the audience takes the lead and is expressly invited to actively participate in the discussion. The invited experts are part of the audience and give a short introductory statement. The focus of the events is on discussion and exchange.

In addition to Prof. Dr. von Ungern-Sternberg, Prof. Dr. Uwe Jun (political scientist at the University of Trier) and Prof. Dr. Stephan Laux (historian at the University of Trier), among others, took part in the event. Thomas Roth (Trierischer Volksfreund) and Prof. Dr. Eva Martha Eckkrammer (President of the University of Trier) moderated the event. The project “Trierer Freiheitsbaum” was also briefly presented.

The evening information and discussion took place at the TUFA Trier (exhibition room 2nd floor). Admission was free. Further information can be found here. A report can be found here.

On March 14, 2024, Prof. Dr. Antje von Ungern-Sternberg spoke at a workshop organized by the Wissenschaftsforum zu Köln und Essen on the topic of “Discrimination risks through artificial intelligence”. The forum promotes interdisciplinary exchange between teachers, students and representatives from various sectors of society in order to discuss and overcome social challenges. The program included topics such as online communication, care robots, loans and health apps, and ranged from public events with discussions to workshops.

Further information can be found here.

The third working group of TWON - TWin of an Online Social Network - took place from March 11 to 13, 2024, in Trier this time!

We are pleased that Prof. Dr. Antje von Ungern-Sternberg, Prof. Dr. Benjamin Raue and Prof. Dr. Thomas Rüfner from the Institute for Digital Law Trier (IRDT) were able to support the workshop as experts on risk assessment and risk reduction measures in large social networks.

TWON is a project funded by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) that investigates how social networks influence democratic debate and the spread of misinformation online. A digital twin of social networks is created by generative AI. This makes it possible to elucidate how social networks threaten liberal democracies in Europe.

Experts from the Universiteit van Amsterdam, the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the University of Belgrade, the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), the Research Center for Information Technology (FZI), DialoguePerspectives e.V. and the University of Trier are came together for this purpose.

In the winter semester of 2023/24, the Trier talks on law and digitization were dedicated to the topic of digital sovereignty. Under the overarching theme “Digital Sovereignty: Data”, Prof. Dr. Marion Albers (University of Hamburg) provided an insight into the topic “The new Data Act - Does data protection prevent data-driven innovation?” on February 6, 2024.

The European Union's Data Act pursues the ambitious goal of facilitating the use of data and thereby promoting innovation – for example, through intelligent solutions for traffic flows, precision agriculture or the efficient repair and maintenance of machines. At the same time, however, the (high) level of protection of personal data remains in place. How do the goals of the Data Act and data protection go together, and where do problems arise? Prof. Dr. Marion Albers (University of Hamburg), a recognized expert in data and data protection law, discussed these questions at the Trier Colloquium.

On January 16, 2024, the Institute for Digital Law Trier (IRDT) welcomed Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Jäckel for an IRDTlecture and subsequent discussion.

The topic of the lecture was “The End of Mass Media - A Journey Through Time”.

In 2024, the Society for Legal Policy (gfr) and the Institute for Legal Policy at the University of Trier (IRP) organized the Bitburg Discussions. The topic of the 67th discussions on January 11 and 12, 2024 in Mainz was: “The reform of public broadcasting - status and perspectives”. The topics presented and discussed included the role of public media, their legal framework, the causes of a crisis of legitimacy and prospects for reform.

The Bitburger Gespräche are by invitation only. The presentations will be published as soon as possible in a conference volume (C.H.Beck) and a conference report for the interested public.

Information on the program can be found here. The press release for the 67th Bitburger Gespräche can be found here. A conference report has been published in the JuristenZeitung (JZ 2024, 343) and is available here (Mohr Siebeck Verlag).

On December 15, 2023, the ESV Academy invited guests to the event “40 Years of the Census, 40 Years of Informational Self-Determination” in Berlin. Prof. Dr. von Ungern-Sternberg also took part in this event. The content was about the history of the impact of the BVerfG ruling of December 15, 1983.

Further information can be found here.

On December 12, 2023 at 5:00 p.m., Ann-Sophie Weber presented her dissertation project “Entitlement to Information on Electronic Text Messages from Members of the Government” at an IRDT colloquium.

The content of electronic text messages from members of the government usually remains hidden, as the SMS affair of the EU Commission President with the Biontech CEO regarding the acquisition of vaccines shows. But what are the record-keeping obligations and how and when can a subjective claim to information be asserted on such messages?

Afterwards, Ralf Michael Gitzen presented his dissertation project “The government in social networks – public relations and neutrality under new auspices” at 6:00 p.m.

What are members of the government allowed to do on Facebook, Instagram, X and Co.? Would a “red card” against “cranks” be “a bad day for democracy” at this point? How comparable statements in social networks and their use for public relations work are to be classified under constitutional law requires further specification, which also once again brings the Federal Constitutional Court's understanding of neutrality into focus.

On Monday, May 22, 2023 (3 p.m.), the Institut für Recht und Digitalisierung (IRDT) invited to an IRDT Lecture by Prof. Dr. Ivana Jelić, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights, on the topic "Freedom of Speech in the Digital Sphere".

The event took place at the University of Trier (Room E 51) and was open to the public. It provided an excellent opportunity for lawyers, academics, and students interested in human rights issues to engage in conversation with a leading expert in the field. Following the lecture, participants had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in dialogue with Prof. Dr. Jelić. The event was held in English.

On May 3, 2023, the Institut für Rechtspolitik (IRP) invited Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) to give an online lecture on electoral law reform. In addition, Mr. Michael Frieser (MdB und Justiziar der CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfranktion) contributed a co-lecture. After the presentations there was the possibility for discussion.

This winter semester 2022/23 the Institute for Digital Law Trier (IRDT) invites again for the Talks of Trier about Digital Law (Trierer Gespräche). Those are concerning the topic: „Sicherheitslücken“ („security holes“)

On the 17^th January 2023 Prof. Dr. Thomas Wischmeyer (Universität Bielefeld) will talk about security holes approved by the state. On the 7^th January 2023 will follow a presentation by Prof. Dr. Christian Gomille (Universität des Saarlandes) with the title: „Der Feind im eigenen Haus? – (Vertragliche) Ansprüche auf Sicherheits-Updates“ (The enemy in your own house? – (Contractual) Claims for security updates“).

Just like last year, the IRDT will also hand out certificates for participations for those students who attended both events and participated actively in the discussion (at least one contribution per event).

On January 12 and 13, 2023, the Stiftung Gesellschaft für Rechtspolitik (gfr) and the Institut für Rechtspolitik an der Universität Trier (IRP) invited to Trier for the 66th (hybrid) Bitburger Gesprächen under the title „Strategic Litigation - the Enforcement of Collective Interests before German Courts".

On October 13 and 14, 2022 the Institute of Digital Law Trier (IRDT) held an international conference on content regulation in the European Union. The aim of the conference was to discuss the impact of the Digital Services Act (DSA) on the regulation of hate speech, fake news and other content on digital platforms in Europe.
Download program

The conference was open to the public and free of charge. Please find more information here.

Also in the summer semester 2022, the Institute for Law and Digitization Trier (IRDT) invited to the Talks of Trier on Law and Digitization on April 6, 2022 and June 29, 2022.

Dr. Heiko Richter LL.M. (Columbia) focused on the topic of data reuse and Prof. Dr. Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider on the topic of data access.

On June 21, 2022, the Institute for Legal Policy at the University of Trier (IRP) invited to an online colloquium. The topic was the EU's economic sanctions against Russia and their limits under international law. The first speaker was international economic law expert Prof. Dr. Isabel Feichtner (Würzburg). A second perspective was provided by economist and Eastern Europe expert Dr. Janis Kluge from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik). This was followed by a discussion with the participants.

On May 19 and 20, 2022 Thomas Burri (University of St. Gallen) and Antje von Ungern-Sternberg (Institute of Digital Law Trier) organised a conference on “Information Warfare – An International Law Perspective” in Trier. The participants from Europa, America and Asia discussed papers on such diverse issues as non-intervention and state sovereignty, cyberwarfare, the notion of “lawfare”, and the reach of international human rights law. And they enjoyed one of the first in-person events since the pandemic started.

Please find further information here.