European China Law Studies Association Annual Conference 2026

7-9 September 2026, University of Barcelona

Call for Abstracts

The 20th Annual Conference of the European China Law Studies Association (ECLS) will take place in Barcelona from 7 to 9 September 2026. The conference is hosted by the Faculty of Law at the University of Barcelona (UB).

ECLS is committed to advancing comparative and interdisciplinary research in Chinese law. Its Annual Conference is widely recognized as a leading forum where scholars, legal practitioners, and policymakers from around the world convene to discuss and debate the latest developments in Chinese law. The Conference also provides an important platform for fostering new research collaborations.

European China Law Studies Association Annual Conference 2026 – Concept Note and Call for Abstracts

The Annual Conference Organizing Committee invites submissions of paper and panel proposals for the 2026 ECLS Annual Conference.

We welcome contributions addressing any topic related to Chinese law, including—but not limited to—the following areas:

• Legal issues concerning EU–China relations
• China and the international legal order
• Legal culture, traditions, and rule of law development
• Chinese jurisprudence and legal history
• Courts and judicial practice in China
• Dispute resolution innovation
• Legal and economic issues in international trade and investment
• Sustainable development and regulatory frameworks in China
• Criminal law and criminal procedure
• Human rights protection
• Developments in Chinese corporate and commercial law
• Legal frameworks for AI, big data, and emerging technologies
• Cybersecurity and data protection
• Banking and finance law
• Intellectual property law
• Labor law, social welfare, and human rights
• Administrative law and administrative procedure
• Environmental, climate change, and energy law and policy
• Antitrust and competition law
• Civil and contract law developments
• Consumer protection, digital economy, and fintech regulation
• Social credit and related legal issues

Guidelines for Submission

The Organizing Committee invites the submission of paper abstracts and panel proposals by 19 April 2026. All submissions will undergo a peer-review process. Submissions should be entered via ecls.conference2026@ub.edu

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

The conference participation is for ECLS members (and members of the organising institution). If you are not a member yet, you can apply here: Membership Application

In order to be inclusive, the Organizing Committee has the discretion to allow non-members to participate in justified cases.

The Organizing Committee welcomes abstracts and proposals from emerging researchers, including PhD candidates. Dedicated sessions for emerging scholars are planned as part of the conference program. If you are a PhD candidate, please indicate this in your application so that your submission can be considered for these special sessions.

Important Dates

• 19 April 2026 – Deadline for submission of abstracts/panel proposals
• 25 May 2026 – Notification of acceptance
• 22 July 2026 – Submission of full papers (maximum 8,000 words, excluding footnotes)

Venue

The conference will be held on the University of Barcelona (UB) campus. The opening session on the morning of 7 September will take place at the historic Edifici Universitat de Barcelona, located at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 585, Eixample, 08007 Barcelona, and will subsequently continue at the Faculty of Law, Av. Diagonal, 684, 08034 Barcelona.

Practical Information

Conference participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.

The ECLS Board Meeting is planned for 9 September 2026.

Visa Information for Attendees

For those who require an invitation letter to support their visa application, UB will provide one upon request once conference registration opens. UB is unable to provide further assistance regarding visa applications or specific information regarding individual visa circumstances. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all visa and immigration requirements are met.

Conference Programme

Coming soon

Contact

In case of any questions, please contact us via: ecls.conference2026@ub.edu

We look forward to receiving your abstracts!