Institute of European and Comparative Law

The IECL-ZEUP members are active in scientific and professional research and have published large number of papers, including three recent books:

1. Pravo tržišnog natjecanja i državnih potpora, Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, 2021.
2. Europsko privatno pravo, Opći dio, Školska knjiga, 2019.
3. Europsko privatno pravo, Posebni dio, Školska knjige, 2021.

Among the most significant activities of IECL-ZEUP is the organization of conferences, the most important of which is a series of international scientific conferences dedicated to Professor Petar Šarčević, initiated by IECL-ZEUP in 2009 and held biannually. So far, we have organised the following conferences in the series in different venues in Croatia:

9th International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Automated Vehicles at the Crossroads: Law, Policy and Deployment in Transition”, 13-14 November 2025, Rijeka. The conference program is available at: PS9 Program

8th International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Cultural Heritage and Legal Regulation: From Global Aspirations to Local Challenges”, 5-6 October 2023, Rijeka. The conference program is available at: PS8 Program

7th International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Consumer Protection in Transition: Digital Transformation and Better Enforcement”, 23-25 October 2021, Opatija. The conference program is available at: PS7 Program

6th International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Intellectual Property Law in the EU: Towards Digitalization”, 18-19 October, Zagreb. The conference program is available at: PS6 Program

5th International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Information and Data: A Glimpse into the Future”, 6-7 October  2017, Opatija. The conference program is available at: PS5 Program

4th International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “EU Competition Rules and State Aid: The Relationship between Public and Private Enforcement”, 9-10 April 2015, Rovinj. The conference program is available at: PS4 Program

3rd International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Family and Children: European Expectations and National Reality”, 20-21 September 2013, Opatija. The conference program is available at: PS3 Program

2nd International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Resolving International Maritime Disputes within the European and International Legal Framework”, 2-3 June 2011, Brijuni. The conference program is available at: PS2 Program

1st International Scientific Conference Petar Šarčević “Regulation Brussels I: Challenges for Croatian Judiciary”, 13-14 November 2009, Opatija. The conference program is available at: PS1 Program

The IECL-ZEUP members are recognized as top experts in their fields and have been invited to prepare legal opinions:

• Supporting the State Attorney’s Office (regarding arbitration proceedings against the Republic of Croatia in connection with lawsuits from banks related to contracts in Swiss francs)
• Supporting the Government of the Republic of Croatia (in matters concerning consumer contracts in Swiss francs and in the INA-MOL cases)
• Supporting various legal entities – public or private law entities (in the fields of competition law, intellectual property law, international private law, arbitration law, etc.)

In addition, members of the IECL-ZEUP prepare documents regarding the content of foreign law at the request of the Croatian courts (for example, the Municipal Court in Rijeka, the Municipal Court in Pazin, and the Municipal Court in Pula) in accordance with the Croatian Private International Law Act.

IECL-ZEUP has participated in numerous international and domestic scientific and professional research projects. The most notable are competitive scientific projects funded under the EU Horizon, Justice or other program:

1. “Development of Medical Intelligent Rehabilitation Platform (MIRA)” (No. IRI S3)
2. “Fair and Innovative Cross-Border Recovery with Out-of-Court Enforcement Titles – Fair-in-Debt” (No. 101251495 — Fair-in-Debt — JUST-2025-JCOO)
3. “Legal and Ethical Implications of the Dehumanisation of the Justice and Public Administration through Legal Technology – TECHNO-IUS” (No. uniri-mzi-25-31 – NextGenerationEU-NPOO) Link
4. “Connecting Croatia: Advancing Sustainable, Green, and Inclusive Transport through Effective Legal Regulation – CroConnect” (No. uniri-iz-25-99 – NextGeneration EU-NPOO) Link
5. “Data Governance and Intellectual Property Governance in Common European Data Spaces – DGIP-CEDS” (br. 101210413 — DGIP-CEDS) Link
6. “Digital Communication and Safeguarding the Parties’ Rights: Challenges for European Civil Procedure – DIGI-GUARD” Link
7. “South And East European Competition Law Center of Excellence, Competition Law” (COE-GAP-101047803, Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2021-HEI-TCH-RSCH)
8. “EU-FamPro (E-training on EU Family Property Regimes)” (No. 101008404— JUST-AG-2020 /JUST-JTRA-EJTR-AG-2020) Link
9. “Train to enforce / Usavršavaj da bi ovršavao – Train2 EN4CE” (No. 854038-JUST-AG-2018/JUST-JTRA-EJTR-AG-2018) Link
10. “Diversity of Enforcement Titles in Cross-Border Debt Collection in the EU – EU_En4s” Link
11. “Facilitating Cross-Border Family Life: Towards a Common European Understanding – EUFams II” (No. 800780-JUST-AG-2017/JUST-JCOO-AG_2017) Link
12. “Personalized Solution in European Family and Succession Law – PSEFS” (No. 800821-JUST-AG-2017/JUST-JCOO-AG-2017) Link
13. “Remedies concerning Enforcement of Foreign Judgements according to Brussels I Recast – BIARE” (No. JUST/2014/JCOO/AG/CIVI/7749) Link
14. “EU Judiciary Training on Brussels IIa Regulation: From South to East” (No. JUST/2014/JTRA/AG/EJTR/6854) Link
15. “Business and Human Rights Challenges for Cross-Border Litigation in the European Union 2014-2016” (No. JUST/2013/JCIV/AG/4661) Link

Members of the IACL-ZEUP are also part of research teams for other international scientific research projects:

1. “Property Rights System over Tangible Goods in the Field of European Private International Law: Aspects of International Jurisdiction and Applicable Law” (PID2020-112609GB-I0) Link
2. “ECPE – Enabling Consumer to Become Prosumer in the Energy Transition era” Link
3. “South And East European Competition Law Center of Excellence, Competition Law (COE-GAP-101047803, Call: ERASMUS-JMO-2021-HEI-TCH-RSCH) 2022-2025

Members of IECL-ZEUP have also participated in domestic scientific projects:

1. HRZZ project “Project for the Career Development of Young Researchers – Training New Doctors of Science” (DOK-01-2020) Link
2. HRZZ project “Legal Aspects of Corporate Acquisitions and Corporate Restructuring Based on Knowledge” Link
3. Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports project “Mechanisms for Efficient Resolution of Domestic and International Consumer Disputes” Link
4. University of Rijeka (UNIRI) project “Effective Regulation of the Digital Market as an Incentive for Innovation in the ICT Sector”
5. University of Rijeka (UNIRI) project “Harmonization, Interpretation, and Implementation of Croatian Private Law in Accordance with EU Law”
6. University of Rijeka (UNIRI) project “Consumer Protection in the Croatian and European Financial Services Market” Link
7. University of Rijeka (UNIRI) project “Transparency and Fairness in a Digital Environment” (uniri-iskusni-drustv-23-101) Link
8. University of Rijeka (UNIRI) project “Legal Information for Citizens in a Digital Environment”
9. University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics (ZIP-UNIRI) project “Institutional Framework for the Functioning of the Wine Sector in the Republic of Croatia” (ZIP-UNIRI-2023-4)
10. University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics (ZIP-UNIRI) project “Macroeconomic Effects of Demographic Changes on Economic Growth and the Necessity of Changes in Demographic Policy” (ZIP-UNIRI-2023-11)

Members of IECL-ZEUP have also been invited to international scientific clusters and research groups, including:

1. “South and East European Research Talks in Copyright Law”
2. “Rule of Law and the ECtHR: Comparative Perspectives from South-Eastern Europe” Link
3. “Transformation of Consumer Law” Link
4. “Covid-19 Consumer Law Research Group” Link
5. “ILA Committee on Intellectual Property and Private International Law” Link
6. “Centre for Private International Law and Transnational Governance, University of Aberdeen” Link