By the end of the year 2025, AIJA members will embark on an incredible journey to Hamburg, one of Germany's most vibrant and dynamic cities. Referred to as the "Gateway to the World", it truly lives up to its name! With its rich history as a bustling hub of trade and transport, its reputation continues to thrive as strong as ever today.

Perfectly situated along the magnificent Elbe river and just a short distance from the North Sea, Hamburg offers Germany’s largest logistics market and Europe’s third-largest container port, handling around eight million containers annually. Further enhancing its global stature, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is also headquartered here.

It is no surprise that Hamburg serves as a key transportation nexus, with shipping lanes, motorways, railways, and airports seamlessly connecting Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern Europe. Hamburg’s importance extends beyond land and sea: it is the hub for the aerospace industry, home to Airbus and Lufthansa, and Germany's media capital.

Last but not least, the city of Hamburg is rapidly developing into a vibrant centre for technology and research, especially in cutting-edge areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and big data.

Such rapid innovation, automation and digitalisation are not only transforming various business sectors but also people’s lives, creating new challenges that impact consumers and employees alike. In this evolving landscape, we have the exciting opportunity to explore how personal rights can be safeguarded. During the Conference, the academic programme titled “Safe Harbour for Trade and Freedom – Innovation and Personal Rights in a Transforming World” will feature two key tracks addressing these critical issues.

Alongside the fantastic academic programme, the Organising Committee has put together a social programme of superlatives as Hamburg is a very popular tourist destination, welcoming around seven million visitors each year. In 2015, its iconic Speicherstadt and Kontorhausviertel were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites, further solidifying the city’s reputation as a cultural treasure. With its rich heritage and cultural diversity, Hamburg offers something for everyone. From world-class performances at the Elbphilharmonie to the vibrant atmosphere of St. Pauli and Reeperbahn, this exciting city has an abundance of incredible experiences awaiting to be discovered!

All in all: Hamburg is a must!

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

In today’s rapidly evolving world, the intersection of trade, innovation, and personal rights has never been more critical. This conference, held in the heart of Hamburg, aims at exploring the legal and regulatory challenges that come with the disruptive changes impacting industries globally. Bringing together leading lawyers, policymakers, and industry experts, the event will delve into the legal implications of emerging technologies and cultural transformations that are reshaping the world of trade, business, and individual rights.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions across two focused tracks, designed to address the most pressing legal issues of our time:

Track 1: Transformative Transport – Cutting-Edge Sustainable Innovations in Trade and Transportation Across Land, Sea, Air, and Cyberspace

 

This track will explore the game-changing innovations in transportation and trade logistics, including sustainable technologies and the evolving legal frameworks for cross-border transactions. From autonomous vehicles and smart ports to drone regulations and blockchain-based trade networks, participants will dive into the future of transport and its profound impact on the global legal landscape. Discussions will address:

• Sustainable innovations in shipping and logistics
• Legal considerations for autonomous and electric vehicles
• The role of digital trade and cybersecurity in global commerce
• Implications of AI and blockchain in transportation law
• Legal challenges faced by accessing cyberspace.

Track 2: Brave New Work – Health is Wealth? Revolutionary Innovations, Emerging Technologies, and Cultural Transformation

 

This track delves into the future of work and healthcare, where technological and cultural shifts are transforming employment, the medical sector, and global supply chains. With advancements in biotechnology, AI-driven health solutions, and remote work technologies, legal professionals are facing a new frontier in privacy rights, labour laws, healthcare regulations, and supply chain transparency. Discussions will address:

• The impact of biotechnology and AI on healthcare, employment, and supply chains
• Legal challenges in balancing innovation with patient and employee rights, privacy, and data security
• Innovations in global health supply chains, including blockchain for medical logistics
• The evolving legal frameworks for remote work and digital healthcare delivery
• Ethical considerations for emerging technologies in health, wellness, and labour