This year's fictitious case before the International Court of Justice (The Hague) dealt with "Dark and Quiet Skies", the problem of "light pollution" caused by the increasing number of satellites orbiting the Earth. With more than 2,200 satellite launches per year since 2020, the conflicts with the interests of astronomical research are also becoming ever greater in reality.
Of the 14 teams from all over Europe, four qualified for the semi-finals in the preliminary rounds at the Juridicum, namely the teams from the Universiteit Leiden, the Ethniko kai Kapodistriako Panepistimio Athinon, the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and the University of Cologne. In the final, which took place in the courtroom of the Austrian Constitutional Court, the team from Athens emerged victorious. It also received the prize for the "Best Written Memorial" and for the "Best Oralist" (Chrysi Vorloou). As the local organizer, the University of Vienna did not field its own team this time. Last year, however, the Viennese team reached the final. Nina Steininger, who received the "Best Oralist Award", coordinated the 20 timekeepers this year, all of whom were first-year students at the Juridicum. At the end of the eventful week, which began with a welcome reception on the top floor of the Juridicum and a warm welcome from Dean Brigitta Zöchling-Jud and ended with an awards dinner in the Rittersaal of Vienna's Rathauskeller, the enthusiasm for the fascinating field of space law was great among all participants, as was the motivation to take part in this international competition again in the future.
The organization at the Juridicum was in the hands of Professor Irmgard Marboe, Head of the National Point of Contact for Space Law at the Vienna Juridicum. Michael Bigl, BA, award winner of the Space Law Essay Competition 2022, Adela Zinschitz, former team member of the Philip C. Jessup Moot Court, and Celina Saci, the designated coach of the Vienna Space Law Moot Court Team for 2025, cared with great dedication for the teams and 35 judges as well as on the supporting program, which also included an event on current topics of space law in the new premises of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) at Schwarzenbergplatz.
The organization of the European Rounds was financially supported by the BMK (Federal Ministry for Climate Protection), the Vienna Faculty of Law and the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL).
Contact for queries:
ao. Prof. Dr. Irmgard Marboe (irmgard.marboe@univie.ac.at ), Celina Saci, University Assistant (celina.saci@univie.ac.at).
