The NRW Justice Portal:  II. Development

The number of the countries participating in the IEEI constantly grew in the past eight years. At present 46 insolvency experts from 25 countries work in the network. They are judges of all instances, attorneys, officials of ministries and representatives of international institutions like the World Bank and INSOL INTERNATIONAL. We have held nine colloquia so far. The first three colloquia were organized by North Rhine-Westphalia at its Academy of Justice. The following colloquia were held at Vienna, Helsinki, Ljubljana, Rome, Berlin, Cairo and Dubrovnik. The next colloquium will be held in May 2010 in Prague/Czech Republic.

During the first colloquium in January 2001 the participants reported on their national insolvency law systems in short and problem-oriented speeches. The online-participants sent appropriate contributions and named websites, which contain more information on the respective national insolvency laws. Immediately after these initial reports the meeting developed a not foreseen, but most welcome momentum, which since then shapes the character of the colloquia:
By the initial speeches problem-zones were opened, which were recognized by the other participants as relevant for their own national laws. Here for the first time in the IEEI the fascinating nature of comparative law appeared, which is characterized by the fact that despite different law systems the practical questions are identical or at least similar. After the first reports the participants of the first colloquium - under post-ponement of the original agenda - fell into intensive discussions over those just "discovered" common legal problems. First solutions were developed and introduced in the evening by email to the online-participants. Their statements, reports and resuming questions were present on the next morning and formed the basis for the continuation of the discussion and the transition to the next topic.

The order "short introductory reports - problem oriented discussion among the personally present members - involvement of the online-participants - continuation of the discussion" forms the rhythm of the colloquia of the IEEI since the first meeting. The subjects of the colloquia were - among others - questions of reorganization and restructuring, insolvencies of corporate groups, insolvency labour and employment law, the rights of secured creditors, the discharge of debts, the publication of insolvency decisions, remuneration and costs and the law of avoidance as well as the Finnish Ombudsman. Besides that the opportunity always existed for the discussion of current international and national law developments and problems.