On April 3–4, 2025, the International and Regional Studies Institute, in cooperation with the Department of Private International Law of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences at the University of Szeged, successfully organized the international conference “FED-Lex: The Future of European Digital Legislation – Shaping Policies for Innovation and Protection.” The event was held in partnership with the European Public Law Organization and brought together speakers and participants from Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, and beyond.

The two-day conference provided a dynamic platform for academic, professional, and interdisciplinary dialogue on pressing issues at the intersection of digital innovation and legislative development within the European Union. The first day featured high-level contributions from both international and in-house experts, addressing a wide spectrum of topics, including:

• The EU’s regulatory approach to cybersecurity;
• The impact of quantum technologies on digital infrastructure and legal frameworks;
• Legal implications of the AI Act and its effect on innovation and business growth;
• The regulation of authorship and copyright in sthe age of AI;
• International trade perspectives on EU digital regulation;
• Human rights and their relevance in technology-driven legal systems;
• The EU’s stance on China’s technological advancements;
• Freedom of expression on social media platforms;
• The role of constitutional values and AI literacy in preserving democratic principles.

Presentations also tackled specific sectoral challenges, such as the intersection of digital regulation with the food industry, foreign direct investment screening, and digital identity frameworks.

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On the second day, the focus shifted to the next generation of legal scholars. Ph.D. students from various Hungarian universities — including the University of Szeged, University of Debrecen, Károli Gáspár University, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, University of Pécs, and Ludovika University of Public Service — presented their research on topics ranging from algorithmic content moderation and AI governance to data ownership, IoT compliance, digitalization of EU’s migration policy, and e-governance. Each presentation was followed by direct feedback from an international evaluation panel, fostering a constructive and supportive academic environment.

FED-Lex 2025 underscored the importance of interdisciplinary and cross-border collaboration in shaping future-oriented, ethically grounded digital legislation. By bringing together legal scholars, researchers, and practitioners, the conference contributed to an ongoing dialogue on how the European Union can maintain its role as a global leader in balancing innovation with rights protection in an increasingly digitalized world.