Private International Law - November 2013

Department of International Law Organizes Colloquium on Inter-Organizational Collaboration for the Advancement of Private International Law in the Western Hemisphere

On Wednesday, November 20th, 2013, the Department of International Law held a colloquium on inter-organizational collaboration for the advancement of private international law in the Western Hemisphere. The Department was honored to have the participation of Mr. Christophe Bernasconi, Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and Mr. Spiros V. Bazinas, Senior Legal Officer of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and by the attendance of representatives from several of the OAS Permanent Missions and Observers.

The colloquium began with opening remarks made by Mr. Jean-Michel Arrighi, Secretary for Legal Affairs and Mr. Dante Negro, Director of the Department of International Law (DIL). Brief presentations were given by Messrs. Bernasconi and Bazinas, by Mr. David P. Stewart, Member, Inter-American Juridical Committee and subsequently for the OAS DIL, by Ms. Jeannette Tramhel, Senior Legal Officer, and Mr. Eugenio Briales, Legal Consultant and Secured Transactions Expert. Presentations focused on past and current work initiatives and consideration of a number of avenues by which the OAS DIL could strengthen and enhance the long history of collaboration with these organizations. Specific areas under consideration included secured transactions and electronic warehouse receipts, as these are topics currently within the scope of work of more than one organization. Thereafter followed a question and answer session to provide an opportunity to explore with OAS Member States how inter-organizational collaboration can also better serve their needs. Given that private international law encompasses matters as diverse as family law, succession, commercial law and litigation, rules and regulations for these matters gain importance at both the national and international levels, insofar these are matters that affect the ordinary lives and well-being of citizens and residents of OAS Member States.

This colloquium represented a significant step towards enhanced collaboration in this important field of work.

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