The XII session of the Euro-Asian Law Congress was held on 13-14 September 2018 in Yekaterinburg as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Ural State Law University.

The international Forum brought together some 800 participants from 30 countries. Representatives of Russian federal and regional authorities as well as leading experts from BRICS, EAEC, WTO and Unidroit countries, experts from Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, Bulgaria, Estonia, China, India, South Africa, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other countries took part in the discussion of legal issues at the Congress platform.

The Congress was organised and coordinated by the Association of Lawyers of Russia (RAL) and the Ural State Law University (USLU). The International Forum was supported by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Urals Federal District, the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region and the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk Region.

The twelfth session of the Congress is also exceptional because it coincides with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Ural State Law University, one of the leading research and educational centres in Russia for training highly qualified specialists in the field of law.
The work of the Congress took the form of a plenary session, core expert groups and roundtables. Results

On 13-14 September 2018, the Euro-Asian Law Congress was held for the twelfth time in Yekaterinburg as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Ural State Law University.

The international Forum brought together some 800 participants from 30 countries. Representatives of Russian federal and regional authorities as well as leading experts from BRICS, EAEC, WTO and Unidroit countries, experts from Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, Bulgaria, Estonia, China, India, South Africa, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other countries took part in the discussion of legal issues at the Congress platform.

The welcome address from the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, A.V. Konovalov, voiced by his deputy, D.V. Novak, who attended the Congress, noted that: "It is particularly valuable that the Congress participants are representatives of international organisations, business communities, federal public authorities and legal science and practice, as well as the rising generation of young professionals, which allows the issues discussed to be viewed from different perspectives." Greeting the Congress participants on behalf of the governor of the Sverdlovsk Region, A. R. Salikhov, Head of the Governor's Administration, emphasized that "the topic of the Congress, Law and Justice: Global Challenges, is truly relevant as of today". The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk region, L.V.Babushkina, also welcomed the participants.
K.A. Korsik, President of the Federal Chamber of Notaries, noted in his speech that the new challenges of our time include the introduction of advanced digital technologies, including in the legal sphere.

The Rector of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Titier Christian, expressed many kind words to the staff of the Ural State Law University congratulating them on their centenary and underlined the practical importance of the EALC in the development of the world's law and order.
The EALC plenary session was attended by foreign guests - Rein Mullerson, President of the Institute of International Law, Professor Emeritus of Tallinn University, Valdai Club expert (Swiss Confederation), gave a presentation on the formation of a multipolar world and the role of international law; Mancuso Salvatore, Director of the Centre for Comparative African Law, Chief Editor of the Journal of African Comparative Law (South Africa), outlined the prospects for harmonisation of contract law of BRICS countries and developing countries; Alexander T. Kovalev, Director of the Centre for Comparative Law of Africa, Director of the Journal of African Comparative Law (South Africa), presented his vision of the future of contract law.

The Russian and foreign participants of the Euro-Asian Law Congress (EALC), in accordance with the theme of the Congress: "Law and Justice: Global Challenges", discussed the impact of globalisation on the functioning of national and international law, as well as the challenges posed by globalisation and emerging in modern labour and social security relations, information technology, control and oversight activities in expert panels and roundtables united by the theme of the Congress.
One of the expert panels at the Euro-Asian Law Congress featured legal practitioners from Philip Morris International's Russian and Italian offices who shared their corporate experience in regulating innovative areas of the economy.

Presentations by L. Zanettini, Legal Advisor at Philip Morris in Italy, V. Mishchenko, Director of the Legal Department of Philip Morris International in Russia and her colleagues V. Chernoukhov and O. Lashkul covered a wide range of legal relationships arising in bringing innovation to market. The discussions led to the conclusion that the choice of proportionate but not excessive forms of regulation is a key tool for supporting and unlocking the potential of innovative industries.
The EALC also heard reports on the impact of global issues on the establishment of the global rule of law.

In the framework of the EALC a press-conference organized by "PR-Media" was held, which was attended by: V. Bublik, Professor, Rector of the Ural State Law University, Member of the Board of the ALR; V. Perevalov, Professor, Honoured Lawyer of the Russian Federation, Member of the Presidium of the ALR, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Euro-Asian Law Congress; D. Novak. The participants of the conference were: Professor Bublik, Rector of Ural State Law University, Member of the Board of LRAL; Perevalov, Professor, Honoured Lawyer of Russian Federation, Member of Presidium of LRAL, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Euro-Asian Law Congress; Novak D., Deputy Minister of Justice. V. Mishchenko, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation; K. Korsik, President of the Federal Notarial Chamber; V. Mishchenko, Director of Legal Department of the Philip II Company. Mancuso Salvatore (Republic of South Africa), Director, Centre for Comparative African Law, Chief Editor of Comparative African Law.
A joint meeting of experts of the BRICS Institute of Law and the Expert Group was held at the EALC: "Legal Support for Inter-State Partnership and Integration in the Field of Economy, Finance, Taxation and Customs Relations. One of the most important tasks of the meeting was to establish closer cooperation between lawyers representing the BRICS countries and to promote communication and cooperation among them.

On 14 September, a joint session of the District Councils of the Association of Lawyers of Russia in the Urals and Siberian Federal Districts was held as part of the 12th session of the EALC. The Association of Lawyers of Russia delegation included Pavel Krasheninnikov, co-chair of the UBA, chairman of the State Duma Committee for State Construction and Legislation, Mr. Stanislav Aleksandrov, executive director - head of the office, member of the UBA Board, Ms. Olga Paramonova, first deputy executive director - head of the UBA office, Ms. Anastasia Malayeva, head of the Ural and Siberian Federal Districts office, representatives of 15 regional offices of these districts as well as guests from the following legal firms. The Sverdlovsk Regional Branch of the Association of Lawyers of Russia was represented at the EBAK by its Chairman V.A.Bublik, Rector of the Ural State Law University, Chairman of the Executive Committee L.N.Berg, Vice-Rector for Research of the Ural State University, Executive Director - Head of Staff A.E.Manujlov, Assistant to Rector of the Ural State Law University.

Among other things, the meeting discussed issues related to legal education and the development of the Coordinating Council of Young Lawyers
At the end of the Forum events, the work of the expert groups over the previous period was summarised, and solutions were developed that can be seen as a basis for normative standards applied in the BRICS countries, which allows the value of the EALC sessions to be appreciated.
It should be noted that this year the Congress had an even more rich cultural programme - presentation of a new book by P.V. Krasheninnikov "Passion for Law: Essays on the Law of Military Communism and Soviet Law. 1917-1938", a photo exhibition "The Most Vulnerable...Dedicated to the Children of WWI", the premiere of G. Puccini's opera "Turandot", and a unique excursion "Sverdlovsk of Constructivism".

The participants and guests of the Euro-Asian Law Congress were satisfied with the level of organisation and hospitality.