Baltic Area Legal Studies BALEX

BALEX is a legal competence cluster aiming at filling the void in legal research, training and events on Baltic Sea issues.

Check out our new study on the regulation of greenhouse gases from ships

The Baltic Sea is unique in many ways, including the way it is governed and regulated. It is arguably the world’s most heavily regulated sea area with up to six layers of regulation acting in parallel. This aspect of the Baltic Sea has not received much attention before the establishment of BALEX.

BALEX is an international legal competence cluster, established in 2014 in Turku, Finland, by the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. Working with partners throughout the Baltic Sea region BALEX aims at filling the current void in legal research and training on Baltic Sea issues. The focus of BALEX is on legal research, interdisciplinary academic and vocational training and public events; the objectives are to:

  • carry out high quality legal research in matters that are of relevance for and common to the Baltic Sea region and to encourage young scientists to engage in Baltic Sea research;
  • offer interdisciplinary and legal academic training for students and researchers, including tailor-made courses on legislation and governance in the region and, in the long term, possibly summer schools or postgraduate programs in Baltic Sea law; and
  • organize guest-lectures, seminars and workshops on topical themes in the region and to provide vocational training on Baltic Sea law for lawyers, decision-makers and other interested parties.

    Read more in our strategy