The European Commission Introduces a New Initiative to Encourage Web Usage across the European Union
The University of Innsbruck played host to a significant conference, organised by the Institute of Federalism and the Research Center for Federalism, which focused on the 100th anniversary of the federal division of powers. The event was a thought-provoking exploration of this complex topic, attracting scholars, experts, and enthusiasts from various fields.
The morning session delved into the topic "Federal division of powers in a national and international context", with presentations from Ewald Wiederin, who spoke on 100 years of indirect federal administration, and Eva Maria Belser, who provided comparative considerations on the division of powers in federal systems.
The afternoon session shifted focus to "General public administration in the provinces - a model for the future?", with discussions led by Maria Bertel on general public administration in the digital age and its development prospects, and Nathalie Behnke, who explored the division of powers and polycentric governance as a potential resilience resource in federal systems.
Peter Bußjaeger provided insights on the future of district administration, discussing the intricate balance between general and special authorities and the federal and municipal levels. Markus Vašek delved into the development of the division of powers since 1925, questioning whether this evolution represents a creeping change to the federal constitution.
Georg Lienbacher's lecture examined the impact of EU law on domestic division of powers, while Christian Rathgeb focused on the Conference of Cantonal Governments in the Swiss federal state in the context of the Landeshauptleutekonferenz in the Republic of Austria. Anna Gamper gave a lecture on the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court on federalism.
The conference also included a lecture by Maria Bertel on general public administration in the digital age and its development prospects.
The event concluded with expressions of gratitude from the organisers to all speakers, panel chairs, and conference participants for their contributions to the successful event. This was the second major event of the Institute of Federalism in the anniversary year 2025.
While no specific conference in 2025 commemorating the 100th anniversary of the federal division of powers in the United States was referenced in the available data, the topical focus would likely have covered the current challenges in federalism, including executive power expansion, judicial interpretation, and state-federal conflicts, with key speakers drawn from legal scholars, executive branch leaders, and judicial experts engaged with these issues.
- The afternoon session in the conference at the University of Innsbruck, dedicated to the federal division of powers, included a discussion led by Maria Bertel about the implications of technology in general public administration and its potential for shaping future models.
- Considering the 100th anniversary of the federal division of powers, a hypothetical conference in the United States might involve presentations and discussions on science, technology, and education-and-self-development, addressing challenges such as digital transformation, technological advancements, and their impact on federalism.
