Welcome to Szeged, Hungary on May 21-232, 2026 for the 16th Annual Conference on Innovation and Communications Law (CICL).

CALL FOR PAPERS

Local, Regional and Global Interests in Innovation, Communications and Intellectual Property Law 

Intellectual property (IP), innovation, and communications law have become central arenas of contemporary geopolitical contestation. The regulatory challenges posed by disruptive technologies – such as artificial intelligence and blockchain – alongside the growing influence of digital platforms and the transition toward a circular economy, are addressed in markedly divergent ways at national, regional, and global levels. Doctrinal, judicial, and policy disagreements among nation states, economic blocs, and international organizations – often driven by competing sovereignty claims and economic interests – impede the formulation of coordinated, coherent, and balanced regulatory responses to these pressing issues. Additional tensions arise from the commercial practices of global corporations and the persistent jurisdictional ambiguities surrounding their operations in relation to IP law. These dynamics substantially affect end users’ freedoms and bottom-up innovation models, while simultaneously raising concerns about a gradual shift toward de facto platform-based governance in place of regulation grounded in public law.

We invite papers on the following themes:  

• intellectual property law, e.g. emerging issues regarding trademarks, copyright, design and 

other fields of IP; 

• innovations law, e.g. generative AI and innovation, blockchain technology, biotechnology, 

semiconductors; 

• communications law, e.g. platform governance, data and media law; 

• digital markets law, e.g. regional and global initiatives, the Brussels Effect, algorithmic 

enforcement, unfair competition; 

• circular economy and law, e.g. right to repair, upcycling, customization practices.

Keynote:

Prof. Séverine Dusollier (Sciences Po, Law School) 

The Radical AI Disruption of Copyright Law 

The max. 300 words abstracts shall be submitted to Prof. Péter Mezei at [email protected] by March 22, 2026. Abstracts will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The organising committee will select the speakers by April 5, 2026. This call for papers is reserved for recognized scholars and Ph.D. candidates with academic affiliation. CICL will be organised only as an in-person event. There is no registration fee associated with attending CICL. The conference follows the pay-as-you go format, which means that all presenters and attendees must cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. All confirmed presenters will be required to register for the Conference. 

CICL was launched in 2008 and is jointly organized by the University of Turku Faculty of Law 

(Finland), the University of Eastern Finland Law School, the University of Louisville School of Law 

(USA), Michigan State University College of Law (USA), Texas A&M University School of Law (USA), 

the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the University of Szeged (Hungary), and IPR University 

Center (Finland). 

Each year, CICL brings together top scholars exploring issues in intellectual property law, innovation law and communications law, and issues related to their intersection. The annual CICL has been held at leading institutions around the world, and new attendees this year will join an already wellestablished community. 

The previous conferences: 

1. CICL 2008 – July 17-18, 2008 in Turku, Finland (University of Turku) 

2. CICL 2009 – August 21-22, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA (University of Louisville) 

3. CICL 2011 – May 29-31, 2011 Melbourne, Australia (La Trobe University) 

4. CICL 2012 – May 24-25, 2012 Turku, Finland (University of Turku & Åbo Akademi University) 

5. CICL 2013 – May 14-16, 2013 in Traverse City, Michigan, USA (Michigan State University) 

6. CICL 2014 – July 2-3, 2014 in Leeds, United Kingdom (University of Leeds) 

7. CICL 2015 – July 6 -7, 2015 in Xiamen, China (Xiamen University) 

8. CICL 2016 – May 25-26, 2016 in Joensuu, Finland (University of Eastern Finland) 

9. CICL 2017 – May 29-30, 2017 in Szeged, Hungary (University of Szeged) 

11. CICL 2018 – May 3-4, 2018 in Milan, Italy (Bocconi University) 

12. CICL 2019 – May 3-4, 2019 in Las Vegas, USA (University of Nevada) 

12. CICL 2022 – May 18-21, 2022 in Krems, Austria (Danube University Krems and Vienna 

University of Economics and Business) 

13. CICL 2023 – May 11-12, 2023 in Poznan, Poland (AMU Poznan) 

14. CICL 2024 – May 30-31, 2024 in Leeds, United Kingdom (University of Leeds) 

15. CICL 2025 – May 22-23, 2025 in Joensuu, Finland (UEF Law School)