Professor Francisco de Elizalde awarded the Jean Monnet Chair in EU Digital Private Law

The Jean Monnet Chair in EU Digital Private Law, part of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for Law & Automation (Lawtomation), examines how European digital regulation is transforming private law and positioning it as a cornerstone of the digital society.

Led by Professor Francisco de Elizalde, Director of Lawtomation, it fosters research, teaching, and interdisciplinary dialogue with institutions, businesses, and civil society to assess the capacity of the European legal framework to address the challenges of the digital era.

We spoke with Professor de Elizalde about the significance of this recognition, the academic and societal impact of the Chair, and the key questions shaping the future of EU digital private law.

How does this Chair strengthen IE Law School’s academic mission, and what new learning opportunities does it create for students?

This initiative reinforces the school’s academic mission, fostering innovation in the learning experience of our students to address relevant societal challenges. It redesigns mandatory classes and creates elective, hands-on courses on law and technology that are open to all students at the university. Research conducted under the Chair will fuel teaching.

How can this Chair help students specialize in European Union studies, particularly at a time when digital regulation is evolving at such a rapid pace?

The Chair in EU Digital Private Law addresses EU studies from an innovative angle. It tackles the transformation of EU private law in the digital sphere to encompass societal aims, especially the protection of democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law. 

Even though other areas of law are more frequently associated with the EU, the private law of the Union has expanded consistently since its beginnings around 40 years ago—starting with consumer law and now reaching other (including B2B) relationships through market regulation of private relations.

The narrative of the Chair is that current EU digital regulations (such as the DSA and the DMA) expand EU private law, which acquires new aims and characteristics. Students will be exposed to legal developments in the EU digital environment while assessing their impact on the established conceptual framework of private law. 

What are the main research questions the Chair aims to explore in the field of EU digital private law?

Research under this initiative focuses on the construction of an EU legal framework for the digital environment that leads to an ius civilis digitalis—a law for the digital society via the regulation of private relationships. In this landscape, companies (with an emphasis on big tech), rather than states or public administrations, are tasked with achieving societal aims including the protection of fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Therefore, EU private law becomes the master of the digital society, pursuing goals that historically fell outside its scope. The central questions are whether EU private law is fit for that purpose and how private law must transform to reach those aims. Answering these questions requires assessing the concrete instruments on which digital laws rely.

How will the Chair create spaces for open dialogue on digital private law, and who will be involved in those conversations?

Activities developed under this project will engage lawyers, policymakers, business leaders, students, civil society actors, and stakeholders from multiple sectors, ensuring the initiative does not remain confined to academia. The project addresses the pressing issue of regulating the digital environment through innovative private-law tools.

The outcome of the EU’s legal experiment will shape the health of democracy and fundamental rights in the digital sphere. With 94% of households having internet access in the EU (Eurostat, 2024) and the growing size of the digital economy, the importance of regulating digital spaces is evident.

A focal point for these discussions will be the EU Digital Private Law Seminars, organised under the aegis of the IE Lawtomation Centre. The research generated by the Chair will enrich teaching and, through dissemination and collaborative initiatives, create meaningful dialogue with key stakeholders. The Chair team includes Antonella Zarra from the European Commission and Guillermo Toral from IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs, reinforcing the project’s institutional dimension.

What does this Chair represent for you personally as a professor and researcher?

The Chair is, first and foremost, a recognition of IE Law School’s footprint in law and technology. The journey began many years ago, with extensive work by faculty, administration and staff. I am fortunate to be surrounded by excellent colleagues.

On a personal level, the Chair allows me to do what I enjoy most: rethinking private law in the wake of transformation. The project encourages engagement with scholars, students and stakeholders, creating a rich environment to discuss EU digital private law.