UJ Law Library, first in South Africa, selected as a repository for international private and commercial law

Date: Jan 23, 2015 | News

The Law Library of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) is at the forefront of research opportunities focusing on the ever-changing field of international private and commercial law. ​

The UJ Law Library was selected by Mr José Angelo Estrella Faria, the Secretary General of UNIDROIT (International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) as a repository library for UNIDROIT documents and publications in August 2014. It has already received the first consignment of UNIDROIT documents and publications, including the Uniform Law Review.

Says Prof Jan Neels, Director of the Research Centre for Private International Law in Emerging Countries at UJ: “The Law Library is the first university library in South Africa to be appointed as such and it is also the only law library in the country that was earlier chosen as a repository library for the Hague Conference on Private International Law.”

UNIDROIT is an independent intergovernmental organisation with its seat in the Villa Aldobrandini, Rome. UNIDROIT’s purpose is to study needs and methods for modernising, harmonising and coordinating international private and in particular commercial law in order to formulate uniform law instruments, principles and rules to achieve those objectives.

Prof Neels, who is also a member of the UNIDROIT Governing Council, points out that conclusion of the agreement is the once again highlights UJ’s global standing in the international law arena. Three international organisations based in The Hague were involved in a conference at UJ in 2014 and staff members serve on expert committees of the Hague Conference on Private International Law. UJ also hosts the NRF chair in international law.