PROJECT 2001 PLUS GLOBAL AND EUROPEAN CHALLENGES FOR AIR AND SPACE LAW AT THE EDGE OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Background of the Project
At the beginning of the 21st century the development of society as well as of international law is characterized by globalization and in Europe additionally by a deepening of integration. Traditional patterns of international relations as well as of international law are increasingly varying due to impressive changes in technology and science (e.g. internet, telecommunications) and due to changes in global politics. A very important feature of the new era of globalization and Europeanization is a certain marginalization of the function of states as well as an increase of the importance of actors in the international society, i.e. non-state actors such as non-governmental organisations, multi-national enterprises and individuals. In more recent times, privatization and commercialization take place more frequently in the area of space activities. It is therefore more than appropriate to study in detail whether and in how far space law either reflects those fundamental changes or needs to be reshaped in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In the course of the year 2001 Project 2001 was successfully terminated; the results are published. Project 2001 aimed at giving an overview of general trends of privatization and commercialization of space activities. As a follow-up to this project the new Project 2001 Plus is designed to take a closer insight into different areas of privatization and commercialization of space activities. Additionally, concurring trends in the area of air transport shall be taken into consideration. Thus, the new Project 2001 Plus intends to reflect how far patterns of globalization and Europeanization have found their legal basis in new structures of national and international air and space law. It aims at delivering practical recommendations, for instance draft proposals for national space legislation or international contracts.
 
 
Subject areas
In view of its general emphasis and parallel to existing space activities and open issues in the field of air transportation, the research activities of the project will be worked out in six subject areas, to be investigated in the years 2002 to 2005:
 

Legal Aspects of the Future Institutional Relationship between the European Union and the European Space Agency Towards an Harmonised Approach for National Space Legislation in Europe Fair competition in the conduct of space activities Commercial uses of outer space (navigation, telecommunication, remote sensing) Current legal issues with regard to the International Space Station Consequences of globalization for air transport.

Organization
For each of these areas a working group of international experts will be established in order to further the exchange of information and views. Each working group will convene at an international workshop.
 
Presentations and discussions at these workshops are planned in order to clarify the commercial and legal background of the respective subjects as well as the status quo of the law. Discussions shall clarify concrete possible developments of the law in those areas, where deficits have been identified.
 
Each of the workshops will publish proceedings by way of an own publication series of the project containing the presentations of speakers, extensive legal background material, as well as a list of further references of articles and books published in the field.
Additionally, reports on the current status of the overall project and the working groups are planned to be presented at international meetings and colloquia.
 
Finally, an international conference organized by the project team will conclude the project, present the resulting reports and recommendations from all working groups and provide chance for discussions. The subsequent proceedings will contain the final versions and reports from all discussed fields.
 
The project is jointly undertaken by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Institute of Air and Space Law of the University of Cologne.
Overall scientific project management is in the hands of Prof. Dr. Stephan Hobe, LL.M. (McGill), Director of the Institute of Air and Space Law at the University of Cologne.
Each working group will be coordinated by two experts on the respective field, one from DLR and the other from the University of Cologne.
 
 
Schedule
Each working group will start its activities several months before the respective workshop will take place in order to develop the legal and policy background of the workshop. Starting with the workshop about the institutional relationship between ESA and EU at the end of 2002, two more workshops per year are planned.The final conference is planned to take place at the end of 2005.
 
Contact
Project Coordinator:
c/o Institute of Air and Space Law
University of Cologne
Albertus-Magnus-Platz
D - 50923 Cologne
 

Phone:	+49-221-4702337
Fax:	+49-221-4704968
e-Mail:	project2001plus@uni-koeln.de