Current issues of professional, civil, criminal, environmental and international legal liability were at the centre of the ninth scientific round table, entitled “Serbia and the Reform of the Institution of Liability 9”, organised by researchers from the Centre for Legal Research of the Institute of Social Sciences, in cooperation with the Vojvodina Bar Association and the Journal of the Vojvodina Bar Association.
Through two thematic panels, participants examined the challenges facing the contemporary legal order, ranging from the relationship between professional autonomy and liability to emerging legal issues arising from digitalisation, the development of artificial intelligence and changes in social relations.
The first panel, entitled “The Liberal Professions in the Contemporary Legal Order: Between Autonomy and Liability”, focused on key theoretical and practical issues relating to the activities of members of the liberal professions. Discussions addressed the conceptual definition of liberal professions, their employment-law, legal-status and organisational aspects, the conditions and manner in which professional activities are carried out, specific professional risks and professional errors.
The presentations covered issues of institutional trust and professional ethics, employment-law aspects of the liberal professions, psychosocial risks and digital subordination, as well as the relationship between professional autonomy and corporate governance. Particular attention was devoted to the legal foundations of professional liability, different forms of lawyers’ liability in national legal systems, and the liability of mediators.
The panel also addressed particularly sensitive issues concerning liability for the suicide of minors, as well as the importance of cybersecurity as an element of professional obligations. The discussions highlighted the complexity of striking a balance between freedom and independence in the exercise of professional activities, on the one hand, and the need for responsible conduct and the protection of the public interest, on the other.
The second panel, entitled “The Boundaries and Challenges of the Institution of Liability in Contemporary Law”, focused on various aspects of legal liability and the challenges arising from the development of new technologies, changes in social relations and new regulatory requirements.
Participants examined the alignment of national legislation with the European Union acquis in the field of health professions, liability in healthcare, and the civil and criminal liability of physicians. Attention was also devoted to liability in the fields of construction and commercial relations.
A significant part of the presentations concerned environmental and climate liability, as well as the role of citizens in environmental protection. Particular consideration was given to the liability of the media for the use of artificial intelligence in content creation and the challenges involved in determining liability for the use of artificial intelligence in armed conflicts.
The second panel also addressed issues of individual criminal responsibility under international law, as well as the prospects for criminal liability in the context of developments in neuroscience.
The diversity of topics and legal issues examined during the round table provided an opportunity to consider the institution of liability from a range of theoretical and practical perspectives, encompassing both traditional forms of professional and legal liability and emerging challenges arising from technological development and contemporary social processes. The discussions highlighted the need for the continuous reassessment of existing legal solutions and their adaptation to new circumstances, while safeguarding legal certainty, professional independence and the public interest.
The scientific round table “Serbia and the Reform of the Institution of Liability 9” continues the tradition of scholarly examination of current issues concerning liability in Serbian law and contributes to professional and academic dialogue on the development and advancement of the contemporary legal order.
