CALL FOR PAPERS
Global challenges for consumer law and policy in contemporary Europe
1st European conference of the International Association of Consumer Law (IACL)
17-18 September, Girton College Cambridge (UK)
and honouring the work of Prof. Iain Ramsay
The Board Members of the International Association of Consumer Law/Association Internationale de Droit de la Consommation (IACL-AIDC) are pleased to announce its first regional event dedicated to contemporary consumer protection across Europe. This event aims to encourage established and early career scholars to share their new research on 21st century challenges that consumers face and debates about legislative and regulatory responses to advance consumer protection in Europe. This regional conference will contribute to fostering connections made at biennial IACL-AIDC conferences, as well as help to build new communities of interest in consumer law, policy and regulation.
Our Conference Theme
The first quarter of the 21st century is an era of huge change in consumer protection with 2024 alone witnessing significant European reform initiatives to improve consumer rights. In February, the Member States of the European Union extended the Digital Services Act to all online platforms, with hopes of curbing online misinformation practices and facilitating better consumer decision-making and the European Parliament and the European Council finally reached a political agreement on the new consumer repair rights, which should boost the movement for sustainable consumption. Throughout the year, credit providers in Europe are adapting their practices to the newly adopted Consumer Credit Directive (EU) 2023/2225, intending to decrease financial information asymmetry while the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has made implementation of the Consumer Duty by July 2024 a top priority. The UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill is also expected to become law by the end of this year updating consumer protection against unfair commercial practices to the digital economy, and potentially introducing a collective consumer law action regime (alongside the existing regime in competition law). With these and so many other important developments in the field of consumer law, now is the time to take stock of the themes, tendencies, and trends of consumer law in 21st century Europe and identify future directions and priorities.
Building our community at the Regional level also gives us the opportunity to recognise landmark contributions to consumer protection as a field of law. During this event, the Board of IACL-AIDC will honour and celebrate the work of Prof. Iain Ramsay. Throughout his career, Professor Ramsay’s dedication and passion for advancing consumer empowerment led to many ground-breaking and thought-provoking publications, especially in the areas of consumer finance and consumer protection theory and policy.
Conference Themes and Streams
The conference will be divided into three sessions, each devoted to an evolving consumer protection field where we will reflect on advancements and remaining obstacles to consumer protection:
- Digital environments
- Financial services
- Sustainable consumption
Submit a proposal
We invite researchers to submit proposals for papers in the above-mentioned key themes. We welcome submissions that reflect on EU consumer law in the themes and/or national experiences. Papers reflecting on or responding to the work of Prof. Iain Ramsay are also welcome for the financial services stream. If you would like to present your work at the conference, please submit a 350 words abstract to [email protected] by 30th April 2024. Please do state the stream you wish to be included in. We aim to review all proposed submissions and inform authors whose submissions have been accepted by 15th May 2024.
Conference package
The conference will take place at Girton College, University of Cambridge.
The full conference fee is £195, to include refreshments, lunch and dinner on the 17th September and refreshments and a sandwich/takeaway lunch on the 18th.
Modular rates for attendees wishing to participate in some of the event are:
Tuesday 17th only, full day with drinks and dinner 145.00
Tuesday 17th day session only, without drinks and dinner £90.00
Tuesday 17th afternoon session (from 2:00pm) with drinks and dinner £115.00
Wednesday 18th September only (including lunch) £60.00
Registration opens at the end of April
Contact details
IACL-AIDC organising team (Toni Williams): [email protected]
+44(0)1223764069
About our location
Girton College, Cambridge
Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0JG, UK
Arriving by Train:
There are regular train services to/from Cambridge, further guidance can be found on the National Rail website.
The links below provide the most up to date train times, prices and ways to save money on a train ticket:
Arriving by Air:
London-Stansted is the closest airport to Cambridge. Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton airports are within two hours drive.
Accommodation
Some on-site (single-room ensuite) accommodation is available and we are finalising preferential rates at hotel about 15 mins walk away. Details will be available by the end of April 2024.