The SIEL Biennial Global Conference ranks among the largest and most influential gatherings in the field of international economic law. Convened every two years, the conference attracts a diverse audience of government officials, practitioners, academics, and representatives of international organisations and NGOs, all united by a shared commitment to rigorous debate and innovative thinking on the most critical economic issues of our time.
SIEL will convene its 10th Global Conference from 7 to 9 July 2027 in Christchurch, New Zealand. The conference will be hosted by the University of Canterbury, and it is the first time that the conference is coming to Oceania. As a truly international event, it brings together speakers from all continents and particularly aims to support participation of early career scholars, practitioners and officials from developing countries and least developed countries to cultivate cooperation and enrich discourse on international economic law.
New Zealand has significant strategic interests in the field of international trade and investment law. Trade is fundamental to New Zealand’s prosperity, accounting for approximately half of GDP and underpinning one in four jobs across the country. Beyond these economic fundamentals, New Zealand's strategic interests extend to curbing the agricultural protectionism of trading partners as well as promoting worker, Indigenous, and women's rights in and through trade agreements. While New Zealand's comparative advantages are well-established in agriculture, they also extend to the provision of digital products and services. To capitalise on these opportunities, New Zealand is reliant upon a rules-based international system.
