[Conference Flyer as
PDF-File] [Conference Brochure
as
PDF-File]
Reception
at the German Ambassador’s Residence, Nassim Road, Singapore
The conference was opened by a buffet reception
on Friday, 25 May 2001, at the invitation of the German Ambassador
to Singapore, HE Volker Schlegel. Ambassador Schlegel, honorary
member of the GSLA, welcomed about 60 guests from Singapore
and Germany at his Nassim Road residence. Guest of honour Mr
Chan Sek Keong, Attorney-General of Singapore, addressed the
audience with an overview of recent developments in the Singapore
legal community, including law joint ventures and alliances
with international law firms.
The Attorney-General also reflected on the role of German lawyers
in Singapore and warmly encouraged further exchange and cooperation
with Singapore law firms.
[more as
PDF-File]
Dr Axel Reeg, GSLA President, welcomed the
guests on behalf of the Association. He summarized the main
GSLA objectives – cooperation and forum for contacts between
German and Singaporean colleagues, as well as the exchange of
young lawyers - and explained the need for a deeper understanding
of each other’s law and culture.
The
evening ended with drinks and conversations in the tropical
garden of the Ambassador’s Residence.
Conference at Parliament House, Singapore
The presentations and panel discussions on
the following Saturday were held at the new auditorium of Singapore’s
Parliament House. Although the number of participants turned
out to be smaller than expected, the speakers presented interesting
topics and the discussions with the audience were lively.
Academic Exchange
After
opening remarks by Dr Axel Reeg and GSLA Vice-President Thomas
Weidlich, who also read out a Grusswort by Singapore Ambassador
to Germany Prof. Walter Woon
[more as
PDF-File],
the conference started with a number of academic issues.
Prof Dr Dr hc Dietrich Rauschning, now Emeritus
Professor of the University of Goettingen, provided an overview
on the exchange program between the Law Faculty of the National
University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of Göttingen.
During a visit to Singapore in 1978, he met Prof. S. Jayakumar,
then Dean of the NUS Law Faculty and now Singapore Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Law. Both professors agreed to develop
an exchange program between their universities. Since then,
almost 70 German law students have spent a term or longer in
Singapore. However, only three law students from Singapore studied
in Göttingen.
Prof Robert Beckman, Vice-Dean for Academic
Affairs at NUS Law Faculty, stressed his university’s interest
in reviving the exchange program with Germany. A formal relationship
was recently established with the University of Hamburg / Chair
of Prof Dr Kötz, allowing Singapore law students to read
courses in English. Prof Beckman further pointed out opportunities
in the postgraduate area where NUS now offers also LL.M. courses,
either taught, research or a combination of both. He thougt
that the exchange of academic scholars could also be increased,
citing examples of prominent Singapore lawyers (Prof Penna,
Prof Ellinger and others) spending time at the Max-Planck-Institute
in Freiburg, Germany. Prof Beckman went on to suggest that German
lecturers could teach e.g. Comparative Law at NUS which already
employs a number of foreign academics (e.g. French adjunct-fellow
Gary Bell). Other ideas promoted by Prof Beckman to come to
a regular exchange between Singapore’s common lawyers and
Germany’s civil lawyers included moot courts / mixed panels
of common and civil law judges and the combination of student
exchanges with an internship in a law firm.
Calling himself a “life-time addict”
after his first visit to Singapore, Prof. Rauschning continued
to describe the overall benefits of an exchange program. Once
German students had been to Singapore, they are very likely
to have a life-time interest in Singapore, its law and its people,
and actively contribute to the cooperation of both countries.
He therefore regretted the small number of Singaporean students
showing an interest in studying in Germany. The language barrier
is certainly one of the major reasons for this lack of interest,
but in general more needs to be done to convince Singaporeans
of the benefits a study term in (continental) Europe entails.
The subsequent discussion concentrated on how
the exchange program could be re-vitalized, and generally how
interest in the respective other country may be raised among
young lawyers. One of the suggestions was a series of law lectures
at NUS, held by prominent German and European lawyers visiting
Singapore as well as German lawyers working in the island-state.
Legal Aspects of Cross-Border Business between Singapore
and Germany
Dr Thomas R Klötzel, partner with Thümmel
Schütze and Partner in Stuttgart, provided the impetus
for a lively discussion about the general differences in both
countries’ legal systems, including the role of legislation
vs. case law. His presentation gave a precise overview on important
legal aspects of cross-border business between Singapore and
Germany.
Due to the great interest in Dr Klötzel’s
speech and related topics, more “common vs. civil law”
topics will be included at the next GSLA conference. The idea
of a separate workshop in this area was also promoted.
[more as
PPT-File]
Arbitrating in Singapore – The
SIAC Procedure
Mr
Ang Yong Tong, Executive Director of the Singapore International
Arbitration Centre (SIAC), was the last speaker before lunch
break. Mr Ang gave a thorough insight into the arbitration procedure
under the SIAC Rules of 1997, and illustrated this with examples
from his long-standing experience in this area.
[more as
PPT-File]
Singapore as a Global Financial Centre
Prof Dr Thomas A Lange, Chief Country Officer
& General Manager of Deutsche Bank AG Singapore Branch,
opened the afternoon session with an overview of Singapore’s
financial services industry. He summarized the regulatory environment,
including the licensing framework and the position of the German
banks in Singapore, and provided an outlook on financial deregulation
and other current developments. The subsequent Q&A focused
on similar developments in Germany’s banking sector.
[more as
PPT-File]
New Sciences: Are We Gods? Genetics and the Law
A
much-publicized and very controversial topic was the subject
of the next speech. Mr R Palakrishnan, SC, President of the
Law Society of Singapore, gave an open and at times provoking
talk on the nascent life sciences industry in Singapore. The
lively discussion that followed Mr Palakrishnan’s presentation
centered around ethical concerns and differences in approach
between Germany and Singapore.
[more as
PPT-File]
The Role of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law
(APCEL) and the “German/Singapore …Initiative”
at “Rio Plus Five”, 1997
Prof Koh Kheng Lian, Director of APCEL and
NUS Law Faculty professor, presented the Asia-Pacific Centre
for Environmental Law (APCEL) and gave a general overview in
environmental law organizations and principles. She also introduced
a four-nation global initiative involving both Singapore and
Germany that was headed by then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl
at the “Rio Plus Five” Summit in 1997.
[more as
PDF-File]
Recent Bilateral Tax Development – Effects on Doing
Business in Singapore
The
last presentation was held by Mr Thomas Busching, Partner with
Haarmann Hemmelrath & Partner in Singapore. He talked about
the recent German tax reform, the Singapore Budget 2001 and
their effects on German businesses in Singapore.
[more as
PPT-File]
Guided Tour and Dinner at Parliament House
A
group of some 40 participants enjoyed a guided tour of Singapore’s
Parliament House. The elegant setting in the dining room and
garden of the Parliament House was a perfect ending for the
conference.
Dr Axel Reeg, Mr Thomas Weidlich and Prof.
Dietrich Rauschning each made some concluding remarks, expressing
their hope that the first annual conference was the start for
many similar GSLA events and gatherings to come.
Dr Kathrin Misera-Lang from the German Embassy
also attended the conference and contributed the following article
…
[more as
PDF-File]
Sponsors
The 2001 Conference was kindly sponsored by
Audi Asia-Pacific, Siemens Pte Ltd, SAP Asia Pacific Pte Ltd,
Allianz Reinsurance AG Singapore Branch, Pepperl + Fuchs Pte
Ltd, Deutsche Bank AG Singapore Branch and Raffles International
Hotel & Resorts.
The Association is most grateful for the contributions
of these sponsors, speakers and the other individuals and organizations
involved in the preparation of the 2001 Conference.
1st
Annual Conference – 25 and 26 May 2001 in Singapore
