On 12 August 2022, the Association of Chinese Lawyers in Europe (ACLE), founded at the end of 2012, held its Summer Summit 2022 in The Hague, the „Legal Capital of the World“, as scheduled. The summit was held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Association of Chinese Lawyers in Europe (ACLE), and it was also the first large-scale event of ACLE in the Netherlands. On the sunny summer day, echoing the enthusiasm of the members, more than 50 overseas lawyers from nearly 20 countries, including Benelux, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Czech Republic, UK, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Portugal, Poland, arrived at the historic Wittenberg Castle in The Hague, the Netherlands, and together with the guests of the Chinese enterprises in Europe, more than one hundred people carried out the summer European Commercial Law Seminar Summit. In addition to members of the European Chinese Lawyers Association (ECLA), the event was also attended by members of Innovation Quarter and Rotterdam Partners, tax advisors, law firms, accounting firms, trust companies, M&A advisors and human resources firms from the Netherlands and other European countries, as well as Chinese enterprises in the Netherlands and Europe. Chinese companies in the Netherlands and Europe participated. Through efficient business networking, this event provides Chinese enterprises and related professional services personnel with information and resources, and also builds a platform to promote cross-industry exchange opportunities and cooperation among enterprises.  While the Dutch summer was hot, the castle was deep and cool, and the largest seminar for Chinese and legal professionals in Europe after the epidemic showed her charm. In a business casual style, the atmosphere of the conference was serious and enthusiastic. After a short opening speech by Mr Gu Qun, the President of the European Chinese Lawyers Association (ECLA) from Sweden, the guests made a number of fascinating discussions and speeches. The first roundtable discussion of the summit focused on the development and difficulties encountered by China’s electric vehicle industry in Europe. Moderated by Mr Zhao Hui, Partner of King & Wood Mallesons Frankfurt Office, Mr Wang Dong, COO of Great Wall Electric Vehicle (GW EV) Europe, shared the challenges of Great Wall’s entry into Europe in terms of product differentiation, legal environment and logistics costs, while Ms Jiang Tinglian, Managing Director of Intelligent Manufacturing Europe of Fosun Group, gave an in-depth description of the challenges faced by the Fosun Group in entering Europe. Ms Jiang Tinglian, Managing Director of Intelligent Manufacturing Europe of Fosun Group, gave an in-depth description of Fosun Group’s layout of auto parts, upstream, midstream and downstream in Europe, and Mr Qiang Shunqiang, European Sales Director of Xiaopeng Automobile, elaborated on Xiaopeng Automobile’s strategy and tactics in the European market and pointed out that flying cars will bring new business opportunities and legal challenges in the European market. Afterwards, the second roundtable discussion attracted the attention of the participants. The discussion centred on the comprehensive financial services that Chinese banks in Europe can provide to Chinese enterprises and the outlook of the bank’s next step to support the key industries or projects, moderated by Mr. Shang You from Jund & Partners and led by Mr. Jiang Li from Bank of China Rotterdam Branch, Mr. Jiang Li, Managing Director of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Europe) Ltd. Mr Jiang Li from Bank of China Rotterdam Branch, Mr Li Feng, General Manager of ICBC (Europe) Amsterdam Branch and Chairman of the All Netherlands Chinese Enterprises Association, and Mr Huang Daiquan, General Manager of China Construction Bank (Europe) Rotterdam Branch, shared their respective focuses on account opening, financing, fund management, stock custody, green bonds and other businesses. Looking ahead, President Jiang Li believed that the high-end manufacturing, energy, logistics, and healthcare industries, among the 13 countries in the European Union where China Construction Bank has laid out its business, give priority to serving Chinese customers. President Huang Daiquan pointed out that the Netherlands, as the western European terminus of the Belt and Road, has great business opportunities for cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe and Southern Europe, especially for cross-border e-commerce business cooperation, and that Chinese enterprises and banks have great opportunities in the formulation of green credit standards for banks under the energy crisis caused by climate change, and in energy transformation. Mr Li Feng, General Manager of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, made an outlook on the key industries and projects for Chinese enterprises to invest in, and suggested that the unity of Chinese associations is a great strength, and that the financial and legal professionals can escort Chinese enterprises like a tiger with wings. This summer summit and cocktail party was sponsored and co-organised by Dumela B.V., the main sponsor and co-organiser of the summit, which assisted in the planning and organisation of the whole event. The executive director of Dumela B.V., Ms. Duan Jing, shared her professional service experience in the speech of the summit: as a professional legal and business expert in the Netherlands, Dumela B.V. is the guide for Chinese enterprises to enter into the Netherlands, and is committed to providing a one-stop business and legal service platform for Chinese investments in the Netherlands, as well as M&A consulting, and assisting the comprehensive landing and business development of Dutch and European enterprises in China. CDP is also the main sponsor of the event. Ms Yu Xiaohong, Managing Director of CDP Global Service, the main sponsor of the event, also gave an excellent presentation on the human resources services required for cross-border talent mobility related to the overseas expansion of Chinese companies. At the end of the seminar, Ms Sun Fei, a representative of Corpag Trust Group in the Netherlands, Mr Bas Jorisson of Archipel Tax Advice and Mr Gary Miller of Michcon de Reya in the UK, who sponsored the Association’s Summer Summit, also made relevant keynote speeches. After the summit, the guests and members had dinner together and then attended the Midsummer Night’s Business Reception. With the sun shining and the breeze

In early spring, March, when snowy pear blossoms filled the sky, the European Chinese Lawyers Association (ECLA) held its Annual General Meeting and a seminar on the theme of „Legal Challenges for Chinese Enterprises in Europe in the New Era“ from March 9 to 11, 2023 in Zurich to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the official founding of the European Chinese Lawyers Association (ACLE). As a non-profit general welfare organization promoting communication, information sharing and cooperation between Chinese lawyers practicing in Europe, and a platform organization providing excellent Chinese lawyers to Chinese companies investing in Europe, ACLE has attracted more and more lawyers, jurists or legal professionals of Chinese descent or nationality from various European countries to register as members of the Association in recent years, and by the end of 2022, there are nearly a hundred members on the register. The Annual General Meeting was attended by 36 members in Zurich, and a number of members participated in the meeting by delegating their attendance to other members or participating online. The AGM listened to the report of the previous Board of Directors and elected Gu Qun (Sweden), Zhu Yifan (Germany), Shang You (France), Bai Junyi (Italy), Hu Xinyu (France), Zhang Shu (Switzerland), Duan Jing (Netherlands), Zhang Shiyang (Czech Republic) and Xu Jingfu (Spain) to form the new AGM Board of Directors. The new Board also unanimously elected Mr Gu Qun as Chairman of the Association. As part of the annual conference, a seminar entitled „Legal Challenges for Chinese Enterprises in Europe in the New Era“ was organized with a number of legal, corporate and asset management experts with extensive practical experience in the investment, development and management of Chinese enterprises in Europe. During the seminar, speakers discussed a wide range of common issues related to investment and business activities in China and Europe. Among them, topics related to M&A practices and regulations of Chinese companies in China and Europe, post-investment integration of M&A, de-investment agreements, legal compliance practices of companies in Europe, dispute resolution, management and planning of entrepreneurs‘ personal assets, etc. were discussed in depth, and the experts summarized a large number of inspiring and practical suggestions and insights based on their own working experience. The successful organization of this seminar helped Association members practicing and working in Europe to enhance their professionalism and broaden their horizons. It also provided valuable experience and inspiration to strengthen cooperation and development between lawyers and businesses, and promoted commercial exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and European lawyers and the business community. The annual conference was supported by Association member Ms Shu Zhang and the law firm BAR&KARRER, Switzerland. The conference was sponsored and supported by Bär & Karrer, Zhonglun Law Firm, UBS Switzerland, IPG Howden and Henley & Partners. Appendix: „Legal challenges for Chinese companies in Europe in the new era“ List of speakers and topics (in order of presentation) – Urs Kägi, Partner, Bär & Karrer, Switzerland, „Chinese PIPE Investment in Switzerland“. – Ms Shiyang Zhang, Lawyer, PRK Partners, Czech Republic, Topic: „Chinese investment and FDI control in the Czech Republic“. – Ms Chen Qiushuang, Partner, QS Funds, Topic: „The investment of a Chinese private equity fund in mergers and acquisitions in Germany“. – Mr. Gong Lefan, Partner, Zhonglun Law Firm, topic: „Riding the M&A and the PE Fund in Germany“: „Riding the M&A and IPO Trend in China 2023: Executing Transactions in a Turbulent Market“. – Jeffrey Lee, Senior Advisor, IPG howden, on „Corporate Succession Planning and Risk Management“. – Cynthia Wrana, Senior Advisor, UBS, on wealth management solutions for Chinese customers, covering the financial needs of individuals, families and businesses. Corporate financial needs“. – Jacopo Zamboni, Executive Director, Henley & Partners, on migration trends and mobility planning for entrepreneurs. – Jin Zhe (Consultant, IPG howden Switzerland), Julia Zhao (Senior Consultant, UBS), Jeffrey Lee (Senior Consultant, IPG howden), Sun Yicheng, (Head of China Affairs, Henley & Partners), Round table on the theme of life planning for entrepreneurs and companies: „Life planning for entrepreneurs and succession planning for internationally oriented Chinese companies“. – Marie-Cristine Kaptan, Attorney-at-Law, Bär & Karrer, Switzerland, Topic: „ESG compliance under Swiss law – Derek Kwan, Client Investment Specialist, UBS Bank, on „Sustainable investment – Lukas Beeler, Partner, Niederer Kraft Frey, Switzerland, on „Arbitration and litigation before state courts – key considerations from a Swiss perspective“. – Juerg Bloch, Partner, Niederer Kraft Frey, Switzerland, on „Cross-border disputes and enforcement – prevention and Swiss particularities“. Cross-border disputes and enforcement – prevention and Swiss particularities – Alice Meissner, Partner, MP, Austria, on „ESG-related disputes and the financing of such disputes“. – Cui Qianglong, Senior Manager, China Construction Bank Zurich Branch, on „China Construction Bank’s location and services in Switzerland“. – Yu Zhisen, Finance Director, SBS Ecoclean Group, Germany, on „Post-merger management of manufacturing companies taken over by Chinese investors in Europe“. – Liang Jian, General Representative of Fosun Group in Germany, Managing Director of Hauck & Aufhäuser Bank, Germany, on „Post-merger integration of financial institutions taken over by Chinese investors in Europe“. Investors in Europe – Ge Chen, Managing Director, Air China Suisse, „Air China’s Journey in Switzerland“.

On the evening of Monday, March 24, 2020, three French members of the European Chinese Lawyers Association (ACLE), Mr. Hu Xinyu, Mrs. Yang Rong and Mr. Shang You, participated in the subcontracting and dispatching of the medical supplies donated by ACLE to Wuhan at Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris. Led by Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) Alumni Association, the donations from all sectors totaled about 180,000 euros, including 9,000 euros donated by HUST and its members. The donated materials include about 100,000 N95 masks. Protective clothing, shoes, glasses, oximeter and other equipment. Sent to more than 30 key hospitals in Hubei Province.