The Institute for European Tort Law and the European Centre of Tort and Insurance Law cordially invite you to the next ETL Lectures. On Thursday, 6 August 2026, both Gabriele Pavan and Jakub Hlavenka will present their current research on “Insurance and the governance of catastrophe risks: a comparative analysis of European models” and “Unjustified limits of autonomy of the will: contractual penalties in employment relationships”.

Although the presentations focus on different areas of private law, both explore how legal mechanisms shape the allocation and governance of risks: from the role of insurance in managing large-scale societal risks to the balance between contractual autonomy and protection of weaker parties in employment relationships.

The lectures are scheduled for 30 minutes each, with an opportunity for discussion afterwards. They take place in the institute’s premises. Participation is free of charge. If you would like to attend, please register via etl(at)oeaw.ac.at.

About the topics

Gabriele Pavan’s project examines the role of insurance in the governance of catastrophe risks, considering both traditional risk-transfer mechanisms, such as insurance and reinsurance, and alternative instruments, including CAT bonds. The research analyses different European catastrophe-insurance models and assesses their respective strengths and limitations. Drawing on this comparative perspective, the thesis evaluates the recently introduced Italian framework and explores possible avenues for improving its effectiveness and developing a functional system of risk mitigation.

Jakub Hlavenka’s research addresses the limits of party autonomy in Czech labour law and its relationship with general private law. In his presentation, he will examine contractual penalties as examples of legal instruments through which contractual freedom may be restricted not by statutory rules themselves, but by an overly rigid interpretative tradition. The lecture will consider whether Czech labour law already provides greater scope for contractual flexibility than is commonly assumed, and whether a more systematic and teleological interpretation of existing rules could safeguard employee protection without resorting to unnecessary paternalism.

About the speakers

Gabriele Pavan is a final-year law student at the University of Trento, where he is writing his master’s thesis on insurance law, with a particular focus on natural disaster insurance. As part of his research, he is currently undertaking a visiting research period at the Institute for European Tort Law in Vienna.

Jakub Hlavenka is a full-time PhD student at the Faculty of Law, Masaryk University, Czech Republic, where his doctoral research focuses on contractual freedom in employment relationships. Alongside his academic work, he practices as a junior associate, with a particular focus on commercial litigation and criminal law.