Nordic Commercial Law Days

Wednesday April 24 - at the University of Iceland Ceremonial Hall on the 2nd floor of the Main Building, Saemundargata 2, 102 Reykjavik

Thursday April 25 - at Hotel Hilton Reykjavík Nordica meeting room on the 2nd floor, Suðurlandsbraut 2, 108 Reykjavik

Friday April 26 - at the University of Iceland Ceremonial Hall on the 2nd floor of the Main Building, Saemundargata 2, 102 Reykjavik

Presentations:

Simen McAdam Lium, Norway (s.m.lium@jus.uio.no): Sluttavtaler i arbeidsforhold

Lara Ann Waters, Denmark (lara.ann.waters@jur.ku.dk): Aftaleindgåelse med anvendelse af blockchain og smart contracts

Andrea Algård, Sweden (andrea.algard@har.lu.se): Ansvarsformer: Skadestånd vid avtalsbrott

Måns Dunfjäll, Danmark (mdun@jur.ku.dk): Ökad insyn i företag: Genomförande av EU:s direktiv om hållbarhetsredovisning bland nordiska börsnoterade företag

Moderator: Johan Giertsen, Norway (giertsen@uib.no) 

This topic will explore the influence of public law within several areas of commercial law. For example, are the rules on good practice applicable to financial institutions of significance when it comes to their obligations towards customers, liability, the creation of contracts etc.? Other areas of public law, such as competition law, tender law, and marketing law, respectively, also interact with commercial law. The ultimate question is if it remains relevant to distinguish between the rules of public law and commercial law, or else if the close interaction between these rules of public and private law now in fact means they should be examined comprehensively as a whole.

Presentation (30-45 min.): Mads Bryde Andersen, Denmark (mads.bryde.andersen@jur.ku.dk) 

Panel discussions (5-10 min. hver):

• Eiríkur Jónsson, Iceland (eirikurj@hi.is)
• Jori Munukka, Sweden (jori.munukka@juridicum.su.se) 

Moderator: Eyvindur G. Gunnarsson, Iceland (egg@hi.is) 

A working group has been tasked with creating a platform for discussions and cooperation within commercial law between and among the Nordic states. Here, the working group will present some of the most pressing tasks ahead, including examining the possibility of establishing a Nordic research school, if and how resources can be shared between the higher education institutions in the Nordics, and how cooperation can be increased. The working group would like to point out that everyone interested in the increased cooperation within Nordic commercial law is most welcome to participate. Those interested will be able to raise questions and ideas to the working group, and learn about how to participate.

Working group:

• Mads Bryde Andersen, Denmark (mads.bryde.andersen@jur.ku.dk)
• Johan Barlund, Finland (johan.barlund@helsinki.fi)
• Birgitte Hagland, Norway (birgitte.hagland@jus.uio.no)
• Johnny Herre, Sweden (johnny.herre@lexmerc.se)
• Víðir Smári Petersen, Iceland (vidir@hi.is) 

This topic will explore some of the various manifestations of how politics can influence the rules of commercial law. This will include recent seminal judgments rendered by Nordic national courts on e.g. to which extent one can deviate from statutory law such as the Contract Act (U 2011.2602), and if standard terms should apply even if they have not been referred to in a contract of the disputing parties (NJA 2022 s. 574). This will also include a discussion of how the lagislator can rely on nudging when enacting statutory law in order to achieve goals, such as climate goals. All of these issues revolve around a contractual relationship primarily governed by the rules of commercial law.

Presentations (20 min. each):

• Jakob Heidbrink, Sweden (jakob.heidbrink@law.gu.se)
• Johan Giertsen, Norway (giertsen@uib.no) 

Panel discussions (5-10 min.): Ellen Efterstøl, Norway (ellen.j.eftestol@bi.no) 

Moderator: Þorgeir Örlygsson, Iceland (orlygsson@hi.is) 

This topic will discuss the impact of digitization on commercial law, including financial transactions, payment via data, AI, long-term contracts, consumer protection, and digital signatures. 

Presentations (30 min. each):

• Olav Torvund, Norway (olav.torvund@jus.uio.no)

Panel discussions (5-10 min. each):

• Marie Jull Sørensen, Denmark (mjs@law.aau.dk)
• Johan Bärlund, Finland (johan.barlund@helsinki.fi). 

Moderator: Hjördís Halldórsdóttir, Iceland (hjordis@logos.is) 

Administrative contracts in Nordic law are a complex topic and, until most recently, subject to a gap in knowledge. The topic raises questions on the interplay between administrative law and commercial law, primarily contracts. To which extent are rules within commercial law confines applicable when the contractual setting is administrative law? Is the creation of contract between two private parties different to contracts between a public party and a public and/or private party? The seminar will examine these and other problems.

Presentation (30-45 min.): Rasmus Grønved Nielsen, Denmark (rasmus.gronved.nielsen@jur.ku.dk) 

Panel discussions (5-10 min. hver):

• Ola Mestad, Norway (ola.mestad@jus.uio.no)
• Torbjörn Ingvarsson, Sverige (Torbjorn.Ingvarsson@jur.uu.se)

Moderator: Trausti Fannar Valsson, Iceland (tfv@hi.is) 

The conference begins with a seminar for Ph.D. students led by Professor Johan Giertsen at the University in Bergen. Interested ph.d.-students can send their abstract (max. 500 words) to Víðir Smári Petersen (vidir@hi.is) no later than 1 February 2024.