UNIDROIT AND COVID-19

In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant economic crisis, a number of leading UNIDROIT instruments may be of interest to a wide array of actors currently facing serious challenges to address contractual disruptions and to rebuild the economy in the post COVID-19 scenario.

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We are pleased to announce the winners of the UNIDROIT COVID-19 Essay Competition, supported by Stibbe, and facilitated by the UNIDROIT Foundation: Augusto Garcia Sanjur, Soterios Loizou, Benedetta Mauro, Tamás Szabados, and Gabriella Prado.

The instrument of accession to the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention has been deposited by Benin with the Italian Government, Depositary of the Convention, on 11 January 2021 and the Convention will enter into force for Benin on 1 July 2021.

On 18 February 2021, the Government of the Republic of Latvia notified UNIDROIT of subsequent declarations under Articles 39(1)(a) and 40 of the Convention and Article XXX(1) of the Aircraft Protocol. These subsequent declarations will take effect on 1 September 2021.

On 12 February, Mr Carlo Di Nicola (Senior Legal Officer) and Mr Hamza Hameed (Legal Consultant) presented the UNIDROIT Project on Digital Assets and Private Law as part of Digiweek organised by the University of Lausanne.

The Official Commentary on the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and Protocol thereto on Matters Specific to Mining, Agricultural and Construction Equipment (the MAC Protocol) by Professor Sir Roy Goode will be published in May, 2021.

On 6 February 2021, Mr Hamza Hameed (Legal Consultant at UNIDROIT) delivered an honorary address entitled ‘Importance of a Uniform System of Secured Transactions Law in Order to promote Asset-based Financing in the Space Sector’ at the One-Day International Seminar on Privatization of Space Sector in India - Issues and Challenges, organised by Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad, India.

On 28 January 2021, Ms Priscila Andrade, UNIDROIT Legal Officer, presented UNIDROIT’s work and instruments in the area of Private Law and Agricultural Development to a group of students of the School of Law, University of Washington (UW).