The largest-ever Sino-EU (European Union) legal and judicial cooperation program will formally end in July, organizers told a press conference in Beijing on Friday.

The program attracted more than 21,000 participants. More than 300 Chinese lawyers, judges, prosecutors and legal workers were trained in the EU since it was launched in March, 2000.

The EU commission offered € 13 million in addition to funds from the Chinese government. The program was jointly implemented by the British Council and the Chinese Ministry of Justice.

According to organizers, the program was greatly successful and the two sides have agreed to further increase such cooperation and establish a Sino-EU law school in China.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2005)