On 12 December 2024, the Chair of Corporate, Foundation and Trust Law, as part of the Executive Master of Laws (LL.M.) program of the same name, hosted a thematic evening titled “Insights from the EFTA Court.” Around forty participants took the opportunity to gain exclusive insights into the workings of the court from Dr. iur. Bernd Hammermann, Judge at the EFTA Court appointed by the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The EFTA Court was established in 1994 on the basis of the EEA Agreement to ensure the uniform application of EU law in Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway. Thus, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the EFTA Court.

The EFTA Court is a supranational court based in Luxembourg. It corresponds to the Court of Justice of the European Union for matters concerning the EEA/EFTA member states (Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway) and consists of one judge from each of these three countries.

In his lecture, Dr. iur. Bernd Hammermann provided an overview of the EFTA Court, focusing in particular on its internal organizational structure, the various types of legal proceedings, as well as current case statistics and court figures. He also addressed the structure of court rulings, the canon of interpretation that judges must adhere to, and the impact of precedents and fundamental rights. The core of his presentation, however, centered on selected decisions with relevance to Liechtenstein. He succinctly summarized the facts of these cases for the audience and subsequently discussed their legal implications.

The in-depth analysis of case law was particularly well received by the audience and led to a lively discussion following the lecture. The evening concluded on a festive note with mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.