The Institute was founded in 1924 and located at the City Palace in Berlin. In 1949, it was established anew as the Max
Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in
Heidelberg by the Max Planck Society. It focuses on basic research in public international law, European
Union law and comparative constitutional and administrative law. The Institute's research examines legal issues
from the perspective of legal doctrine and theory, systematizes and
compares, and contributes to the development of law and to
addressing current problems. In addition, the Institute hosts many visiting scholars from around the world who pursue their own research. The
Institute also advises national, European and international
institutions.