The European Rule of Law Conference 2027 has invited proposals from lawyers, judges, researchers, academicians, policymakers, journalists, civil society organisations and other professionals for its upcoming international conference in Brussels, Belgium. The conference will take place on 11 and 12 May 2027 under the theme re Democracy and the Rule of Law.
The event is organised by re, Exchange and Analysis on Democracy and the Rule of Law in Europe. It aims to bring together professionals from different disciplines and countries to discuss challenges affecting democratic institutions, judicial independence, public trust and the rule of law.
The conference also welcomes comparative perspectives from outside Europe, making it relevant to international researchers and legal professionals interested in constitutional law, democracy, governance and human rights.
About the European Rule of Law Conference 2027
The conference will focus on the relationship between democracy and the rule of law in a changing political, technological and institutional environment. Participants will examine issues such as geopolitical instability, technological developments, changing public expectations, institutional independence and democratic resilience.
The organisers intend to create opportunities for discussion between professionals who may hold different views on legal and political developments. The conference will encourage participants to examine existing challenges, share practical experiences and develop possible responses to emerging rule-of-law concerns.
Politicians, regulators, judges, lawyers, businesses, cultural practitioners, journalists, researchers and civil society representatives are among the groups invited to participate.
Need Help With Your PhD or LLM Thesis?
Explore our thesis and dissertation writing support services for PhD and LLM students. Get subject-specific academic assistance for your research project.
Explore Our Services →Conference Themes and Research Areas
The organisers have identified five thematic clusters for the conference. The first cluster, Back to Basics: Foundations of the Rule of Law, will address the fundamental principles and understanding of the rule of law.
The second cluster, Institutional Approaches to Rule of Law Resilience, will focus on the role of institutions in protecting and strengthening the rule of law. The third cluster, Rule of Law Culture: People, Trust, Communication and Pluralism, will explore public engagement, trust and communication.
The fourth cluster, Rule of Law as a Renewed Commitment: Comparative Trajectories of Undoing and Redoing, will consider comparative experiences of institutional change and renewal. The fifth cluster, Rule of Law Beyond Borders, will examine the rule of law from international and cross-border perspectives.
Proposals are not required to fit exclusively within one cluster. The organisers also welcome interdisciplinary submissions connecting multiple themes or addressing other important aspects of the rule of law.
Who Can Submit Proposals?
The call for participation is open to individuals and groups from different professional and academic backgrounds. Lawyers, judges, law teachers, doctoral researchers, policymakers, journalists, civil society professionals and cultural practitioners may submit proposals relevant to the conference theme.
The organisers particularly encourage proposals involving different disciplines, professional experiences, geographical perspectives and forms of expertise. Contributions that question established assumptions and encourage meaningful discussion between participants with different viewpoints are also welcomed.
The conference is not limited to European perspectives. Researchers and professionals from other regions may contribute comparative experiences and observations concerning developments in Europe.
Session Formats and Submission Requirements
Selected parallel sessions will last 90 minutes and must involve meaningful audience participation. The organisers welcome interactive formats such as workshops, training sessions, debates, roundtables, panel discussions, networking activities and cultural interventions.
Panel discussions may include a maximum of three panellists, with opening statements limited to three minutes and substantial opportunities for audience interaction.
Applicants must provide a proposed session title, the names and affiliations of the proposers, two or three keywords, the proposed session format, session objectives and a short abstract of two to five sentences.
The proposal should also explain how the audience will be engaged and how the discussion or its outcomes will be presented. Confirmation from all proposed speakers or facilitators is not required at the initial submission stage.
Important Dates and How to Apply
The European Rule of Law Conference will be held in Brussels on 11 and 12 May 2027. According to the dates and deadlines section of the announcement, the proposal submission deadline is 25 October 2026, and acceptance notifications are scheduled for 17 November 2026.
However, another section of the same announcement mentions 18 October 2026 as the submission deadline. Applicants should therefore confirm the currently applicable deadline through the official conference website before submitting.
Interested candidates must submit their session proposals through the submission platform linked on the official conference page.
Official Conference Website: https://www.reconstitution.eu/veranstaltungen/rule-of-law-conference-2027
For enquiries, applicants may contact the organisers at reconstitution@trafo-berlin.de.
The proposals will be assessed by the re team, comprising Democracy Reporting International and Forum Transregionale Studien, together with members of the re Alumni network.
