The International Institute of Space Law (IISL) was founded by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in 1960. It replaced the Permanent Committee on Space Law which the IAF had created in 1958, and since then, the IISL has held 50 annual Colloquia on space law, the Proceedings of which are published by the AIAA. This year, the IISL will hold its 51st Colloquium in Glasgow, Scotland.

The purposes and objectives of the Institute include the cooperation with appropriate international organizations and national institutions in the field of space law, the holding of meetings, colloquia and competitions on juridical and social science aspects of space activities, the preparation or commissioning of studies and reports and the publication of books and proceedings.

In 2007, the IISL was formally established as an independent association (NGO) under Dutch law, and its structure has been improved to better fulfil its role. IISL is consulted by international bodies such as the UN, and the issuing of Statements has enabled the debate on legal issues, for instance on the illegality of 'real property rights' on the Moon. The IISL wishes to address topics that are of real interest to all space actors, and involve them in the discussions at our annual Colloquia during the IAC.

Since 1990, the IISL has been organising the annual Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition. Students from North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region make written and oral presentations on a hypothetical space law case. Preliminary competitions are organised each spring, and the winning teams meet in the World Finals held in conjunction with the annual IISL Space Law Colloquium, judged by sitting Judges of the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

This year, the World Finals of the 17th competition will be held. IISL would like to further enhance the competition by increasing the participation in Europe and by adding new regions such as Latin America or Africa. It is essential to involve the new generation of space lawyers in our work, and the competition is an excellent way for students to discover this exciting field of law.

Each year, members of the IISL are designated as IAF observers to the sessions of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) and its Scientific & Technical and Legal Subcommittees. The IISL presents reports on its activities to the Legal Subcommittee and contributes to the UN "Highlights in Space" report. Also, in cooperation with the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), the IISL organises an annual space law symposium on the most topical space law issues for the delegates and staff attending the annual session of the COPUOS Legal Subcommittee in Vienna, Austria. The papers there presented are published in the IISL Proceedings.

Since 2001, the IISL has been holding regional conferences in addition to the annual Colloquia. Such conferences have been held in Singapore, Beijing, Bangalore, Bangkok, and most recently in Chiangmai, in November 2007. These small-sized meetings have been very successful and IISL Members are always welcome to contribute and participate.

The general legal framework for space activities under public international law as contained in the UN treaties is in place, and the time has come to envisage further development of these principles. The IISL tries to contribute to this next stage of law-making in many different ways, as is exemplified by the above short survey.

We hope to see many of you during our 51st Colloquium in Glasgow, and look forward to interesting and enriching debates and exchanges!

Tanja Masson-Zwaan, IISL President

Images credits: NASA, ESA