RAHVUSVAHELINE KONVERENTS - DEVELOPMENTS IN EUROPEAN LAW: EUROPEAN INITIATIVES (CFR) AND REFORM OF CIVIL LAW IN NEW MEMBER STATES Opening Speeches Prof. Paul Varul, University of Tartu, Estonia Prof. Alar Karis, Rector, University of Tartu Mr. Rein Lang, Minister of Justice Mr. Ants Kull, Chairman of the Civil Chamber, Supreme Court Ms. Susana Chabert, EC Coordinator of Civil Law, Ministry of Justice, Portugal I The Present State and Future Perspectives of Harmonization of Private Law Chair: Mr. Rein Lang, Minister of Justice, Estonia Prof. Norbert Reich, University of Tartu, Estonia Prof. Christian von Bar University of Osnabrück, Germany An Introduction to the Academic Draft Common Frame of Reference Prof. Hugh Beale University of Warwick, Great Britain The Nature and Purposes of the Common Frame of Reference