Few hours before launching the new EU-China Legal Affairs Dialogue, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vĕra Jourova visited the China-EU School of Law on 20 June 2016. “I was most impressed when looking at the figures of your school,” Jourava said in her meeting with Prof. Huang Jin, President of the China University of Political Science and Law. Some 7,000 law practitioners have been trained by the China-EU School of Law so far and every year between 260 and 300 students enrol for the master’s programmes. Jourava, who brought the Ambassador of the EU to China H.E. Hans-Dietmar Schweisgut and several officials with her, also spoke to more than 60 teachers and students of the China-EU School of Law about the Sino-European legal dialogue. “We need people like you who understand the EU and the Chinese legal systems,” Jourava told the students. “I am in no doubt that you will contribute significantly to our mutual understanding.” The Czech politician, businesswoman and lawyer has been European Union's Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality since 2014.

She explained details of the legal framework of e-commerce and consumer protection to the students, as this is the field the first round of the EU-China Legal Affairs Dialogue focuses on. “E-commerce is one of the main drivers for economic growth,” Jourava said. In this first EU-China Legal Affairs Dialogue, the participants will discuss EU proposals on the contract rules for the supply of digital content such as streaming music and for the online sale of goods such as buying clothes online. They will also talk about the Ministry of Commerce of China’s draft law on e-Commerce. “I am confident that the Legal Affairs Dialogue will help sides discuss, compare notes and take inspiration from each other's approach,” Jourova said. “It will later also lead to better quality legislation that is easier to implement.”

"We are genuinely grateful that Commissioner Jourova took time out of her busy schedule for such a brilliant talk,” Double Master’s student Lin Xi said afterwards. “She answered all our questions on the EU, consumer protection policy, liability of product quality and the harmonization progress of the EU one by one. I definitely gained deep insight into EU legislation and policy today.”

The EU-China Legal Affairs Dialogue was set up after an agreement made during the EU-China Summit in June 2015. It aims at an exchange of information on draft legislation, existing laws and their implementation in China and in the EU. More than 60 European and Chinese officials and experts participated in the first session on 20 and 21 June. CESL’s Co-Deans Prof. Liu Fei and Prof. Armin Hatje and CESL’s Executive Co-Dean Dr Clemens Richter were also invited to attend. They expressed their full support of the Dialogue at the opening. The Dialogue will now be held every year alternately in Brussels and in Beijing.

Text: Ursula Zipperer

Photos: EC Audiovisual Service - Olli Geibel