Upcoming: The 2025 Annual Conference of the ECLS in Cork

The 19th Annual Conference of the European China Law Studies Association will be held in Cork from 19 to 21 September 2025. The conference will be hosted and organized by the School of Law of University College Cork (UCC).

The Call for Papers is now closed. Those interested in participating may register at European China Law Studies Association Annual Conference 2025 – European China Law Studies Association Annual Conference 2025. For any questions, please reach out to us at ECLS2025@ucc.ie.

We look forward to a range of panels and keynotes around scholarship addressing legal matters related to:

  • Legal Issues concerning EU-China Relations
  • China and the International Legal Order
  • Legal Culture, Legal Traditions and Rule of Law Development
  • Chinese Jurisprudence and Legal History
  • Supreme People’s Court
  • Legal Aspects of the Belt and Road Initiative
  • Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure
  • Gender Equality 
  • Human Rights Protection 
  • Chinese Law Emergency/Pandemic/Disaster Preparedness
  • Sustainable Development and the Role of Regulation in China
  • Legal and Economic Issues of International Trade and Investment
  • Developments in Chinese Corporate and Commercial Law
  • Cyber Security and Data Protection
  • Legal Technologies, Big Data and Smart Courts
  • Regulation of Artificial Intelligence
  • Cryptocurrencies and China’s Banking and Finance Law
  • Intellectual Property and Chinese Law
  • Social Credit and the Law in China
  • Labour Law Developments, Decent Work and Fundamental Labour Rights
  • Administrative Law and Administrative Procedure
  • Environment, Climate Change and Energy Law and Policies
  • Marine Environmental and Natural Resources Law
  • Developments in Chinese Maritime Law
  • Developments in Chinese Law of Obligations

Additional information concerning logistics and other practical aspects may be found here: ECLSA Conference Practical Information Doc 2025

Visa Information for Attendees

Please see below some general information regarding visas. For those who require an invitation letter to support their visa application, UCC will supply one on request once the registration for the conference opens. Unfortunately, UCC is unable to provide any further assistance regarding visa applications or to provide specific information regarding your visa circumstances. It is the responsibility of the visa applicant to ensure correct and up-to-date information regarding visas and immigration.

Please note that the Republic of Ireland is not part of The Schengen Area.

Whether or not you will require a visa depends on your nationality. To determine whether you are from a visa required or non-visa required country, please see Visit Ireland – Travel Path – Immigration Service Delivery.

If you are from a visa required country and are travelling to Ireland to visit for less than 90 days, you are eligible to apply for a Short Stay ‘C’ Tourist Visa. For more information, please visit How to apply for a short stay ‘C’ visit (tourist) visa – Immigration Service Delivery. Please note that this visa does not permit the visa holder to do any paid or unpaid work, or to use any publicly funded services (i.e./ a public hospital).

Travelling to Ireland with a Valid UK Visa:

If you are travelling to Ireland with a valid UK visa, there are a few options available to you.

Option 1: If you have a valid UK Short Stay Visa, you may be eligible to visit Ireland for less than 90 days. For more information about this option, please visit Short stay visa waiver programme – Immigration Service Delivery.

Option 2: If you are an Indian or Chinese national, you may be eligible to apply for the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS). The BIVS allows certain people to travel to the Common Travel Area (United Kingdom and Ireland, excluding the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) on a single visa for short stays only. For more information on the BIVS, please visit British Irish Visa Scheme – Immigration Service Delivery.  

Call for Papers: 2024 Annual Conference of the ECLS in Hong Kong

Update: Find the conference program here.

The 18th Annual Conference of the European China Law Studies Association will be held in Hong Kong from 19 to 21 September 2024. The conference will be hosted and organized by the Faculty of Law of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK LAW).

ECLS is dedicated to advancing comparative and interdisciplinary research in Chinese law. Its Annual Conference is recognized as a premier forum for scholars, legal practitioners, and policymakers from around the globe to meet and debate the latest developments in Chinese law. The Annual Conference also serves as a platform for initiating research collaborations.

Topics 

The Annual Conference Organizing Committee is now inviting the submission of paper and panel proposals for the 2024 ECLS Annual Conference. We welcome contributions addressing legal matters related to any China law topic such as – but expressly not limited – to the following:

  • Legal Issues concerning EU-China Relations
  • China and the International Legal Order
  • Legal Culture, Legal Traditions and Rule of Law Development
  • Chinese Jurisprudence and Legal History
  • Legal Aspects of the Belt and Road Initiative
  • Law in the Greater Bay Area
  • Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure
  • Gender Equality 
  • Human Rights Protection 
  • Chinese Law Emergency/Pandemic Preparedness
  • Sustainable Development and the Role of Regulation in China
  • Legal and Economic Issues of International Investment
  • Developments in Chinese Corporate and Commercial Law
  • Cyber Security and Data Protection
  • Legal Technologies, Big Data and Smart Courts
  • Cryptocurrencies and China’s Banking and Finance Law
  • Intellectual Property and Chinese Law
  • Social Credit and the Law in China
  • Labour Law Developments, Decent Work and Fundamental Labour Rights
  • Administrative Law and Administrative Procedure
  • Environment, Climate Change and Energy Law and Policies

Keynote Speakers

Professor Björn Ahl from the University of Cologne and Professor Li Guo from Peking University have kindly agreed to present the keynote speeches.

Guidelines for Submission 

The Organizing Committee invites the submission of paper abstracts and panel proposals by 30 April 2024. All submissions will undergo a peer-review process. Submissions should be entered via https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13684342.

Individual papers abstracts should be confined to 300 words, while panel proposals should not exceed 1,000 words. Submissions must include: (1) the title of the paper or panel, (2) the name, institutional affiliation, and email address of the author(s), and (3) up to five relevant keywords.

The Organizing Committee welcomes abstracts and proposals from emerging researchers, including PhD candidates and MA students. Special sessions for emerging researchers will be organized in the form of roundtables, moderated by seasoned scholars to facilitate enriching discussions.

Important Dates 

30 April 2024 – submission of abstracts/panel proposals

27 May 2024 – notification of acceptance

15 July 2024 – submission of full papers (which should not exceed 8,000 words).

Venue 

The Conference will take place at the CUHK Graduate Law Centre, 2/F, Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Central, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Practical Information 

Conference participants will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs. Additional information concerning logistics and other practical aspects will be provided in due time. Visit the conference website at https://www.law.cuhk.edu.hk/conf/2024/ecls for more details.