This is the thirtieth issue of Juridica International. The first was published back in 1996, and, in general, one issue has been published each year since then. While 2007, 2008, 2014, and 2017 saw the publication of two issues each, no year has failed to feature. Though serving as a journal of the University of Tartu, Juridica International is also the only peer-reviewed legal journal published in Estonia to enjoy broad international distribution. Thus, for 26 years, it has been the calling card of Estonian jurisprudence on the world stage. However, it has been more than that. The involvement of foreign authors is just as important as the aim of providing Estonian authors with an opportunity to participate in international scientific discussion. There is every reason to be proud of the fact that the journal’s 30 issues have featured authors from 25 other countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, and the USA. Among the authors are many who are in the uppermost echelon of the world’s leading professors in their field.
In its first years, one of the main goals for Juridica International was to introduce and analyse the legal reforms carried out in Estonia, which were of vital interest to foreign readers as well; however, this has not been the case for a long time now. Today, the primary focus is on participation in international legal discussion, wherein, alongside the development of national law, great emphasis is placed on European Union law and other cross-border regulation whose reach extends between countries. That said, the purpose of introducing the development of Estonian law and legal thinking at international level has not been discarded. After all, Estonia is still highly noteworthy as a country of successful reforms, not least legal reforms. Therefore, a matter of ongoing interest is whether this country, which has succeeded so well with groundbreaking reforms, can be as successful in a stable situation across the board. The range of topics covered in the 30 issues of Juridica International is very wide; no important area of law has been neglected, and listing all of them would take too long. What could be highlighted above all are topics related to European Union law and the Constitution of Estonia, but also crucial are the writings on many issues related to aspects of the law of obligations, property law, company law, penal law, competition law, personal data protection, media law, medical law, international law, and several other fields. Significant attention has been paid to the possibilities for harmonisation of law and mutual interactions, both between countries and between distinct branches of law. Likewise, the writings have considered key general issues of law, such as its interpretation, the effect of justice policy on legislative drafting, and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals.
The ability to publish a journal – and a reason to do so – exists only if readers are interested in that journal. What makes me the happiest is that, over the years, readers’ interest has increased and the geographical area within which people read Juridica International has grown. Most certainly, the fact that for quite some time the journal has been available online has contributed to this. A big ‘thank you’ to all of the readers!
I also want to thank every one of the authors, the members of the editorial board, and my colleagues who have made it possible to publish 30 quality issues of Juridica International. I especially wish to highlight the contribution of the foreign members of the editorial board – professors Christian von Bar, Werner Krawietz (1933–2019), Erik Nerep, and Thomas Wilhelmsson – whose participation in the board’s work has played an important role in securing the solid international reputation of the journal.
I hope for continued enthusiasm on the writers’ part and interest among readers for the next 30 issues!
Mitgliedschaftseingriff und Normprägung
