Synergy #33 Spring edition 2003 - European Law Students ...

Academic
Activities
Academic Activities is different from
the other key areas in that it aims to
developing our members while producing
a result that contributes to legal
education in general. This is especially
true of the two projects currently on
our menu:
For starters we have ELSA SPEL. A
project that has been in ELSA has gone
through many incarnations, developing
in pace with the association. It is now
an online publication that is freely
available to everyone. The second
edition has been published recently. It
is the perfect outlet for ELSA Members
to publish their academic works
concerning European Law; allowing them
to show their academic prowess to the
whole world.
The main course is the ELSA Moot
Court Competition on WTO Law. It is
quite a big meal – involving 38 teams
from all over, but mostly from ELSA;
over 20 academics and experts in
WTO law; and one big budget. 5
National Rounds are also spread around
as a fancy side dish. The feast itself
will be taking place in Geneva where the
12 best teams will meet, argue and be
grilled by the judges to find the best
team of the competition.
If these only serve to whet your
appetite without satisfying you, no fear,
we are working on preparing even more
dishes. Everything for your personal
satisfaction. It’s just that they take
some time to prepare when there are
soo few cooks helping in the kitchen.
Oh well, with the number projects
currently in the kitchen, cooking… we
have something for all tastes - to make
sure you won’t starve. So, please, if
you really must insist on going hungry,
please tell us why. Please. Nothing is
more disappointing to the cook than the
guest who won’t eat his food.
All this talk of food has got me hungry.
I’m going to eat, see you….
12
Mark Refalo
Vice President
Akademic Aktivities
ELSA International
Magazine of The European Law Students’ Association
The end
of the beginning
Though it is yet too early to reflect upon the
issues that have arisen while organising our ELSA
Moot Court Competition on WTO Law (EMC2),
it is about time to sum up the efforts channelled
towards the implementation of this project. This
article pays tribute to the members of ELSA,
to the staff of various law faculties (schools)
and their students who acknowledged the
merit of EMC2, as well as to those academics
and practicing lawyers who have undertaken
a enormous task of Judging EMC2.
Teams
Once the final draft of the rules was approved
and an approximate budget presented in Coruña
the 2002 – 2003 EMC2 had a rough start.
From the very beginning it was determined
that 12 teams would participate in the Finals
in Geneva, selected either by their written
memorials or by competing in one of the 5
National Rounds: Hungary, Norway, Malta,
Portugal and Romania. The dream was to
have 32 teams participating. Few people
believed in this target… until enquiries
began arriving from every corner of the
world (even Australia!), which translated
into 38 teams from Europe and 2 from US.
Judges
The year started out with an impressive list
of experts providing their support and advice
to the EMC2. This expanded even more
impressively after the International and Local
organising committees met in Geneva and
things began to fall in place.
The EMC2 requires a substantial
commitment from judges - assessing teams’
performances during both oral and written
rounds are strenuous and time consuming
tasks, not to mention all the work which has
to be carried out in preparing from the case.
ELSA will always be in debt to these judges
who have devoted their time and effort in
making the Competition possible in the first
place. Further, there is no doubt, that ELSA
could not have been able to ensure such the
high quality of EMC2 in its launch year if it
was not for the people listed herein.
The mayhem in the ELSA House and in
Geneva
The astounding results of the EMC2 were
extremely gratifying except for the fact that
there was tons of work to be carried out by
the International Organising Committee, Local
Organising Committee and the ELSA groups.
Ieva Zebryte
Director for
Moot Court Competition
ELSA International
The results of the work done by the various
ELSA groups with their teams will only be seen
after the EMC2 runs its course; however
some groups have already arranged matters
such that their teams would have most of
their expenses covered and others are preparing
in case of success during their National
rounds.
As regards the IOC… None at the
ELSA House could fail to notice the sudden
influx of emails, the hard copies of memorials
blocking passage ways and the thousands
of charts, tables, and systems trying to
make the allocation of memorials a piece of
cake. As the “outgoing” memorials and incoming
marks had to be tracked, the deadlines
were approaching fast, a conference was
yet to be organised, judges’ schedules had
to be coordinated and an ICM had to be
survived.
Prospects of the EMC2
With all of the above in mind it was time to
think of the future of the EMC2 as well. There
have already been some concerns, expressed
by the network, specialists and organisers,
as to the structure of the EMC2. Being the
pilot year of the EMC2 this was, of course,
expected. Therefore new proposals based on
the present experience started coming in and
a number of possibilities are to be examined
over the next two council meetings. For the
EMC2 to develop into a flagship for the
network however, greater commitment must
be shown by the ELSA groups in planning and
implementing the 2003 – 2004 Competition.
In conclusion...
The geography of EMC2 teams and judges
illustrates the truly global nature of the
competition, though only 12 lucky ones will
enjoy the Swiss hospitality and the company
of eminent lawyers in the field of WTO Law.
All in all, in order to ensure both quality and
popularity greater commitment of ELSA
groups is expected in planning and implementing
the 2003 – 2004 Competition. The
EMC2 is an international project to improve
the practical law skills and knowledge in international
trade law for and by ALL OF ELSA.
This will be most effective only if the global
rather than European perspective is upheld.
While some changes are inevitable and
professionalism in the organisation is yet to
be attained, it is not too optimistic to expect
the success of the EMC2 worldwide.