The Third China-EU Legal Aid Policy Dialogue was held in Beijing from Sept 1 to 2, 2016.

With a theme of “Legal Aid for People with Special Needs”, the dialogue focused on how to provide quality legal aid to women, children, the elderly, the disabled and other people with special needs, the importance and relevant policies of protecting people with special needs, main challenges in practice, and future development directions.

Over 90 representatives of related authorities from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Australia and China, including the Ministry of Justice of China, the China Legal Aid Foundation, and China University of Political Science and Law joined the discussion.

Before the meeting, representatives of the EU delegation visited the legal aid center at Xicheng district, Beijing, to see how legal aid is progressing in China.

The Dialogue was co-sponsored by the Legal Aid Center of Ministry of Justice of China and the British Council, the executive arm of the China-Europe Access to Justice Program.

The China-EU Access to Justice Program is a three-year project aimed at promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and the EU in the field of legal aid through relevant professional activities. It was initiated in 2012 by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Delegation of the European Union to China, and is meant to support the role of legal aid in promoting justice and safeguarding social fairness.

The annual Dialogues, launched in September 2013, are one of the program’s major activities. The first two were held on the theme of “Legal Aid Development Direction” and “Criminal Legal Aid”.

This year’s Dialogue will play a positive role in promoting understanding and friendship between the two sides and deepening their cooperation in the field of legal aid.