One of the fundamental principles of law is the protection of individual rights and freedoms, but what happens when these rights conflict with each other or with other public interests? How can justice and balance be achieved without infringing on the rights and freedoms of others or the interests of the state? Participants will answer these questions, which are the main themes of the congress, during panel discussions and roundtables. We are sure to witness new, bright, and useful ideas and solutions!

This material was prepared by the Media Center

of the V.F. Yakovlev Ural State Law University

On June 1, 2023, the HYATT REGENCY Ekaterinburg hosted the opening of the 16th session of the Euro-Asian Legal Congress, "Balance of Interests in Law." The balance of interests in law is a complex, multifaceted issue that requires serious discussion and the search for optimal solutions. We live in an era of rapid technological development and economic and social change that impacts all areas of society. These conditions create new problems and challenges that require not only deep knowledge and skills, but also the ability to balance different interests and needs.
One of the fundamental principles of law is the protection of individual rights and freedoms, but what happens when these rights conflict with each other or with other public interests? How can justice and balance be achieved without infringing on the rights and freedoms of others or the interests of the state? Participants will address these questions, which are the main topics of the congress, during panel discussions and roundtables. We are sure to witness new, bright and useful ideas and solutions!
Vladimir Bublik, Chairman of the Congress Executive Committee and Rector of the Ural State Law University named after V. F. Yakovlev, gave the floor to open the congress. Welcoming remarks were made by Sergei Puzyrevsky, State Secretary and Deputy Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (online); Ilya Chechelnitsky, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation (online); Yuri Zelenov, Deputy Minister of Education and Youth Policy of the Sverdlovsk Region; and Tatyana Shiryaeva, Head of the Legal Department of the Yekaterinburg Administration. Earlier, the august assembly also received welcoming remarks from Yuri Chaika, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus Federal District; Vitaly Grishkin, Director of the Department for Coordination of Educational Organizations at the Ministry of Education and Science; and Vladislav Sherstyuk, President of the National Association for International Information Security and Advisor to the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
New areas requiring legal regulation and the development of new approaches to ensuring a balance between the interests of the individual, society, and the state were discussed at the plenary session. Participants included:
- V. A. BUBLIK, Rector of the Ural State Law University named after V. F. Yakovlev, Honored Lawyer of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- E. V. ILGOVA, Rector of the Saratov State Law Academy, PhD in Law, Associate Professor;
- L. A. NOVOSELOVA, Chairperson of the Intellectual Property Court, Head of the Intellectual Property Department at the O. E. Kutafin Moscow State Law University, Honored Lawyer of Russia, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- M. L. ENTIN, Head of the Department of Integration Law and Human Rights at MGIMO University under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Honorary Doctor of Sciences at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Chairman of the Board of the Association of European Studies, Vice-President of the Russian Association of International Law, Russian Ambassador to Luxembourg from 2012 to 2016, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- M. A. FEDOTOV, Director of the International Scientific and Educational Center "UNESCO Chair on Copyright, Related, Cultural and Information Rights," Department of Digital Technology and Biolaw, Faculty of Law at the Higher School of Economics, Honored Lawyer of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- K. A. KORSIK, Chairman of the Federal Notary Chamber, member of the Presidium of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, Honored Lawyer of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Law;
- S. A. KALININ, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Belarusian State University, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor;
- S. P. MOROZ, Dean of the Higher School of Law of the Caspian Public University, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- K. M. SMANALIEV, Dean of the Faculty of Law of the Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- H. M. MIRZAMONZODA, Professor of the Department of Judicial Law and Prosecutor's Supervision of the Faculty of Law of the Tajik National University, Doctor of Law, Professor;
- A. V. MINBALEEV, Head of the Department of Information Law and Digital Technologies of the Moscow State Law University named after O.E. Kutafin, Doctor of Law, Associate Professor;
The plenary panelists expressed hope that their brief keynotes would be expanded upon during the panel discussions and roundtables.
Following the plenary session, a significant event for USLU and the entire legal community took place: the commemorative cancellation of the "V.F. Yakovlev" postage stamp, issued as part of the "Recipients of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland" series. The stamp, with a print run of 145,000 copies, is already in circulation. The commission members signed the envelope and then shared warm memories of their collaboration and personal relationships with their colleague, teacher, and friend.

The 16th session of the Euro-Asian Legal Congress "Balance of Interests in Law" in figures:
- Over 1,300 in-person participants from 15 countries over two days;
- 14 panel discussions, including 10 on the first day of the congress;
- 7 roundtables.
Also included:
- 6th session of the BRICS Law Institute Coordinating Council,
- Off-site meeting of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Intellectual Property Rights Court,
- 7th Alekseyev Readings "Legal Science Today: Problems and Trends,"
- October Readings: on the centenary of Professor O.A. Krasavchikov, which included an award ceremony for the winners of the Oktyabr Alekseevich Krasavchikov International Student Essay Competition;
- the 2nd European-Asian Youth Legal Forum "University of the Future: A Youth Perspective";
- the general meeting of the European-Asian Law University Consortium, which approved the results of its activities for the past period and the program of activities for the next period.

The congress organizers dedicated their attention to the event's rich cultural program. Four truly unique museum and exhibition displays are on display at the congress venue, the CRYSTAL Hall of the Hyatt Regency Yekaterinburg.
The organizers also ensured that guests and participants had free access to Yekaterinburg museums. On June 3, after the congress, everyone will be able to visit the UMMC Military Equipment Museum in Verkhnyaya Pyshma.

It's clear that over the past decade and a half, the congress has not only strengthened its reputation, becoming a hallmark of the Yakovlev State Law University, Yekaterinburg, and the Sverdlovsk region, but also gained valuable experience in addressing the most complex and pressing legal issues. The recommendations developed by the congress participants truly contribute to the deepening of cooperative ties between countries in the Eurasian region.
Concluding our report on the first day of the congress, we note that the overwhelming majority of discussions and debates were guided by a single motto—a quote from Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech, as quoted by one of the plenary session participants: "In these difficult conditions, human rights remain the highest value of the state and must not be violated under any circumstances."