The College of Business Administration, in collaboration with the College of Law and the network of higher education institutions Businet, hosted the international moot court competition Businet Moot Court 2026 in Riga from March 23 to 26. The final round of the competition took place on March 26 in the Senate Courtroom of the Supreme Court of Latvia.

More than 40 participants from universities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Latvia competed in eight teams. At the opening of the competition, Ineta Ziemele, Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union, gave a lecture to participants on the application of EU law.

Prior to the final round, Solvita Harbaceviča, Advisor to the President of the Supreme Court, addressed the participants and offered words of encouragement, emphasizing that we are all united by EU law, as we encounter it in our daily lives, it is constantly evolving, and it is important to comply with it so that all Member States can cooperate as a unified system.

In the final round of the moot court competition, the participants examined a case concerning restrictions on the free movement of goods. In the case, the applicant – a Finnish company – brought an action against Latvian regulations prohibiting the sale in Latvia of rye bread produced by the Finnish company. The Latvian court referred a question to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of EU law. The applicant was represented by a team from Germany, while the respondent was represented by a team from Belgium.

The participants also had the opportunity to visit the Supreme Court Museum, the historic Senate Courtroom, and to tour the Palace of Justice, gaining insight into the history and present-day activities of the Supreme Court.

Businet is a non-profit international network of higher education institutions founded in 1987 in Belgium. The network focuses on business education and its internationalization. Its goal is to promote cooperation, share best practices, and organize joint activities, such as student exchange programs, staff development events, and academic collaboration. The international moot court competition is one of the network’s activities; it took place for the 10th time this year.

 

Information prepared by Iveta Jaudzema, Communication specialist of the Supreme Court of Latvia

Email: iveta.jaudzema@at.gov.lv; phone: +371 67020362