Brunssum, The Netherlands – Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC Brunssum) and the University of Maastricht cooperated to organise the second International Institutional Law Conference in Maastricht, 15 and 16 February, 2023.
the University gains practical insight on how international law is applied by an international organisation such as our Command
General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, Commander JFC Brunssum, and Professor Jan M. Smits, University of Maastricht Dean of the Faculty of Law, jointly hosted the event.
Approximately 35 legal advisors and other officials from a variety of NATO Agencies, commands and headquarters, as well as representatives from the ministries of defence of several NATO countries, the United Nations (UN), other international organisations and from across the academic realm, gathered for two days. They discussed their thoughts on institutional law pertaining to NATO and to other international organisations, as well as NATO/UN relationships and NATO’s international obligations regarding EU legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As a result, the participants proposed establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on the subject on International Institutional Law.
At the start of the conference, General Miglietta delivered a welcome address, saying that the connection between NATO and academia is a very important one.
“On one hand, JFC Brunssum receives updates from Maastricht University on the latest developments and thinking in international law,” General Miglietta said. “On the other hand, the University gains practical insight on how international law is applied by an international organisation such as our Command.”
As the conference came to a close, representatives from both JFC Brunssum and the University of Maastricht agreed to continue exchanging ideas in the field of international institutional law.
Cooperation between JFC Brunssum and Maastricht University began in 2018, which has since provided internship opportunities for dozens of university students at Headquarters JFC Brunssum.
