Registration Opens 

Clarion Hotel The Hub, Biskop Gunnerus Gate 3, Oslo 

Essential Old Oslo Walking Tour (optional) 

Optional additional tour, see ‘Tours’. 

National Representatives Meeting (by invitation) 

Clarion Hotel The Hub, Biskop Gunnerus Gate 3, Oslo
(The participants may also join the Oslo Modern & Opera House Tour; see ‘Tours’ for details.) 

Oslo from the Water Tour 

Optional additional tour, see ‘Tours’. 

Oslo Modern & Opera House Tour 

Join us for this year’s slightly unconventional edition of the conference’s traditional group walk: a guided exploration of Bjørvika, Oslo’s revitalised waterfront blending bold architecture with dynamic urban renewal. The tour, which has limited capacity, concludes with an exclusive visit to the iconic Oslo Opera House, including selected backstage areas. See ‘Tours’ for details.

Welcome Cocktail

Oslo Opera House (Den Norske Opera & Ballett), Kirsten Flagstads pl. 1, Oslo
Dress: business attire (Please note that high heels are not suitable for the rooftop lookout.)

Individual transportation. The venue is located less than 10 minutes’ walk from Clarion Hotel the Hub (the Conference venue)

Registration Opens

Clarion The Hub

Conference Opening, Welcome and Keynote Speech 

Welcome: Dušan Nitschneider (EELA Chair), Valeria Morosini (EELA Deputy Chair),  Sten Foyn (Host, Chair of the 2026 EELA Conference Committee and EELA Board member for Norway) 

Keynote speech: The new European Security Situation 
Speaker:  General Eirik Kristoffersen, Chief of Defence Norway 

Coffee break 

Opening plenary panel: The Nordic Model for Working Life

The adequate minimum wages directive 2022/2041 and the decision of the Court of Justice in Case C-19/24, Commission v Denmark, have shone a bright light on the Nordic social model. With the conference taking place in Oslo, now is a good opportunity to look at the unique features of the Nordic system, the differences within the Nordic system, the challenges it is facing, and whether there are lessons for other member states.

Session Leader: Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU law and Employment law, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge University 

Lunch

Breakouts A 

Option 1: Pay Transparency in Practice: Navigating the Real-World Challenges 

The EU Pay Transparency Directive aims are clear, but in practice it’s full of hidden complexities. This session brings together legal and technical experts from various industries to reveal how organisations are tackling the real-world challenges of compliance. 

From interpreting pay data and classifying roles consistently to designing effective pay gap reduction strategies, panellists will share practical insights and solutions that go beyond the statute. Moderated by Tom Heys, this session is a must for anyone advising clients or their own organisations on navigating the PTD’s tricky terrain.

Session Leader: Tom Heys, Lewis Silkin, United Kingdom

Option 2: Mediation as a Gamechanger in Employment Law 

Do you want to discover how mediation can help to break through hardened positions, restore employment relationships and avoid costly proceedings? During this session, we will dive into the practice of employment mediation in Europe — from successful approaches to pitfalls and surprising insights. Mediation offers powerful solutions to labor conflicts and can often prevent cases from going to court. Think of stocked improvement processes, performance issues, cooperation problems or conflicts with the works council, where emotions run high. 

Sign up for this session and discover how mediation can act as a ‘game changer’ in your employment practice. 

Session Leader: Inge Hofstee, DVK Advocaten, Netherlands

Option 3: Global Matrix Organizations 

Matrix structures – where employees report to multiple managers across jurisdictions and functional lines – offer strategic flexibility, yet create unique legal complexities. This session explores: (i) legal mechanisms for assigning instruction authority to matrix managers outside the employing entity, and structuring employment agreements to reflect multi-line reporting while complying with local standards, (ii) legal challenges of cross-border dual reporting and matrix role transfers between entities, (iii) collective rights and employee representation within matrix setups. Practical strategies for mitigating risks and ensuring contractual clarity in contexts of dispersed authority will be discussed.

Session Leader: Thomas Griebe, Littler, Germany 

Coffee break 

Breakouts B

Option 1: Fragmented Workforce – Shaping Work in a Fragmented World 

From freelancers and platform workers to remote virtual teams and part-time staff – today’s workforce is anything but uniform 

 This session focuses on the practical realities of managing and advising within fragmented work structures. We’ll explore legal protection gaps, new working models, collective representation challenges and hand-on strategies for navigating complex employment relationships across borders and business models.”  

Session Leader:  Jaouad Seghrouchni, De Clercq Advocaten Notariaat, The Netherlands 

Option 2: The Digital leash: Balancing Employee Liberties and Employer Rights 

AI, Employee Monitoring and Social Media and their use in Disciplinary Procedures. 

Session Leader:  Lea Rossi, Toffoletto De Luca Tamajo, Italy 

Option 3: The Ethics of Labour and Employment Law Practice Across Europe 

Navigating confidentiality, public communications, workplace conflicts and regulatory compliance across Europe. 

Session Leader: Francisco Conde, Cuatrecasas, Spain 

Buses depart for Oslo City Hall  
Alternatively, the walking distance from Clarion Hotel the Hub (the Conference venue) is approximately 15 minutes.

Gala Dinner 

Oslo City Hall, Radhusplassen 1, Oslo
Dress: Formal Attire

Jogging

Meeting Point: Clarion Hotel The Hub reception

EELA’s traditional Saturday morning run.  Meet in the reception at Clarion Hotel The Hub for a run round Oslo city centre, ending back at The Hub in time to change for the Plenary session.  This is an informal, unsupervised run, but a person who knows Oslo will be happy to show you the route.  

Plenary 1: Developments in EU Case Law 

Prof Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU law and Employment law, fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge University 

Coffee Break 

Plenary 2:  AI Challenges for Employment Law and Employment Lawyers 

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way organizations recruit, manage, and engage their people. From automated decision-making to predictive analytics and generative tools, AI promises significant efficiencies — but it also raises complex legal, ethical, and regulatory questions. How can employers harness the benefits of AI responsibly while staying compliant with evolving employment laws and data protection requirements? What should HR professionals and employment lawyers know before implementing or advising on AI systems in the workplace?

General Assembly

Lunch

Oslo Highlights: From the Hills to the Forest  

Optional additional tour, see ‘Tours’. 

Swimming & Sauna  

Open-water swimming and a visit to a private sauna in the Sukkerbitten area of Oslo.
See ‘Social Programme’, booking required. 

Oslo Dinner Cruise in the Oslofjord with Live Music 

Optional additional tour, see ‘Tours’.