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New social contract in Ukraine: Constitutional discussion on social rights
An expert discussion titled "Ukraine as a Social State in Times of Peace and War: The Constitutional Dimension” was held on 30 May 2025 in Lviv, Ukraine. The event brought together judges from Ukraine’s Supreme Court and Constitutional Court, representatives of Parliament, the Ministry of Social...
Promoting mediation as an alternative method for dispute resolution in the Republic of Moldova
An international conference that provided a platform for dialogue and the exchange of experiences and best practices aimed at advancing mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution, was held on 28 and 29 May 2025, in Chisinau. Over two days, the conference showcased the experiences of...
Constitutional Court of Ukraine strengthen European dialogue on fundamental values
Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine participated in a conference organised by the Latvian Constitutional Court, continuing the strong and ongoing co-operation between the two institutions. The event provided a platform for exchanging experiences on strengthening constitutional...
Strengthening co-operation: Ukrainian Constitutional Court delegation visits the Council of Europe and EU institutions
A delegation from the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU) visited the Council of Europe in France and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg, to discuss ongoing co-operation and explore further steps in the development of the constitutional justice in Ukraine. During...
Read about key achievements of the programme in Eastern Partnership countries
The Partnership for Good Governance main highlights factsheets detail key results achieved during the ongoing third phase of the EU and Council of Europe joint programme. These factsheets showcase significant achievements in main thematic areas, including: strengthening justice, countering...
Adoption of constitutional court ethical rules for Ukrainian judges will enhance public trust
A round-table on the adoption of ethical rules for constitutional court judges in Ukraine brought together representatives of Ukrainian authorities, judges, legal professionals, and Council of Europe experts. The aim is to establish a set of ethical rules grounded in four key principles:...
New course launched in Azerbaijan to enhance mediation skills for legal professionals
A new course aimed at improving the quality of justice through mediation has been launched in Azerbaijan through the Council of Europe's Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) programme. This initiative is a collaborative effort with the Mediation Council and the Academy of Justice...
Armenian civil society and the Council of Europe collaborate on judicial reform progress
A round-table brought together Armenian civil society organisations (CSOs) to evaluate the progress of the country’s 2022-2026 Strategy for Judicial and Legal Reforms. This strategy is vital for ensuring a more transparent, efficient, and accountable justice system. Discussions between CSO...
Study visit for judges of the Ukrainian Constitutional Court to strengthen European co-operation with Germany and France
A delegation of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine undertook a study visit to Germany and France on 18-21 November. This visit aimed at exchanging expertise, deepen ties with European legal institutions, and advance the alignment of Ukraine’s constitutional justice with European standards. In...
Pool of mediators established to make the Armenian justice system more efficient and accessible
A pool of 120 mediators has been established in Armenia aiming at making the justice system more efficient and accessible. This action is meant at supporting national authorities to meet the mandatory mediation requirements for family law disputes introduced to the Armenian Civil Procedure Code...
Presentation of the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors collection of opinions in Armenian
The Consultative Council of European Prosecutors collection of opinions is now available in Armenian and it was presented in Yerevan on 15 November 2024 with the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Armenia. During the presentation of the translation, the importance of having this...
Joint Efforts on the EU accession path: Experience exchange between the Ukrainian and Latvian Constitutional Courts
Judges and legal staff from the Constitutional Courts of Ukraine and Latvia met in Riga with the aim to exchange experiences on Ukraine’s European integration through the example of the steps taken by the Latvian legal system to join the EU and NATO. The meetings in Riga reinforced the dialogue...
Ukrainian Constitutional Identity and European Integration: Finding a Balance
The constitutional identity of Ukraine and its alignment with the European integration process, especially amidst the ongoing war, were at the focus of the Third Mariupol Forum, held in Kyiv on 4 October. Over 100 national and international participants joined the discussion on Ukrainian...
Judge-notaries workshops organised by the Council of Europe and Ministry of Justice
In a groundbreaking effort to reduce Armenia’s court backlog/caseload—where small monetary claims previously clogged 80% of judicial schedules—newly introduced legislative amendments transferred those small claims from courts to notaries. Seven months into this new system, the series of...
Improving the functioning of the electronic document management system of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
On 30 August 2024 the Working Group on the functioning of the electronic document management system of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine brought together over 50 staff members of the Court to discuss ways of improving the electronic document management system. Discussions focused on the issues...
Monitoring the implementation of acts of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
On 28-29 August 2024 the Working Group for monitoring the implementation of acts of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine gathered in Kyiv some 40 staff members of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to address the issues relating to the implementation of the acts of the Constitutional Court of...
Monitoring the implementation of acts of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
On 28-29 August 2024 the Working Group for monitoring the implementation of acts of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine gathered in Kyiv some 40 staff members of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to address the issues relating to the implementation of the acts of the Constitutional Court of...
Methodology for preparation of draft acts of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine improved
On 11-12 July 2024, a working group brought together the staff of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to discuss the methodology for the preparation of draft acts of the Constitutional Court based on the European standards and best practices. Held in the framework of the EU/Council of Europe...
Strengthening Ukrainian Constitutional Justice for EU Integration
The challenges of Ukraine’s European integration process through the prism of the country’s Constitution were the focus of an international conference organised by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Over 180 participants from Ukraine and abroad participated to the conference and explored...
Supporting the reduction of backlog in Georgian courts through workshops on dedicated CEPEJ tool
The court coaching programme of European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) continued from 16 to 17 May 2024, representatives from the Batumi City court attended a two-day workshop on the CEPEJ Backlog reduction tool. The workshop aimed to introduce the court representatives to the...
A round-table on the right to file a constitutional individual complaint with the Latvian and Ukrainian Constitutional Courts
A two-day round-table discussion to exchange on experiences and best practices on the right to file a constitutional individual complain was held on 9 and10 May, with the participation of the Constitutional Courts of Ukraine and the Republic of Latvia. The aim is to contribute to the development...
High-level conference on strengthening the effectiveness of international co-operation in fighting transnational organised crime
The two-day international conference “Strengthening the effectiveness of international co-operation in fighting transnational organised crime”, served as a platform and an opportunity to share challenges prosecutors face in specific, complex cases, including those addressing the confiscation of...
Personal data protection in constitutional jurisdiction: tailored activities
Two events dedicated to personal data protection in constitutional jurisdiction, were organised on 22 and 23 April 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine in the framework of the EU/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance. The Round table held on 22 April focused on personal data protection in the case...
Preliminary examination of individual constitutional complaints: working group discussion
On 19 April 2024, a working group brought together staff of the Secretariat of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to discuss the content and scope of the preliminary examination of applications to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (filtration of the constitutional individual complaints) in...
Staff of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine trained on key elements of jurisdiction and interpretation of human rights
On 21 February 2024, the Council of Europe held a workshop for the staff of the Secretariat and the Patronage Services of Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on the key elements of jurisdiction and interpretation of human rights by the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of...
First Technical Project Committee Meeting of the PGG Project “Support to development of the constitutional justice in Ukraine”
The project “Support to development of the constitutional justice in Ukraine” held its first technical project committee meeting on 19 February 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Representatives of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the Council of Europe participated in the discussion. The meeting...
The Council of Europe and the European Union support the introduction of a continuous legal education system for prosecutors in Georgia
On February 23, 2024, the Council of Europe completed a series of capacity development activities for the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to advance its internal training competences. As a result of the four rounds of training, 32 prosecutors gained knowledge about the basic principles,...
Annual Court Managers' Forum organised in Georgia
The eighth annual Court Managers’ Forum was organised on 16-17 December, aiming at equipping court managers with practical and organisational skills, resulting to a more efficient court system in Georgia. The event was attended by 24 court managers from all the regions, and it serves as a...
Judges and prosecutors in Armenia discussed various dimensions of criminal proceedings in absentia and confiscation of property of illicit origin
A series of discussions addressing crucial legal aspects related to criminal proceedings in absentia and the confiscation of property of illicit origin were held under the joint European Union and Council of Europe project “Support to the Justice Reform in Armenia”. In total, 90 specialists from...
Mediation training programme advances skilled mediators in Armenia
The creation of a pool of highly skilled mediators is the aim of the mediation training programme organised for twenty prospective mediators. This is an initiative between the Council of Europe the Ministry of Justice in Armenia and the Arbitration and Mediation Centre of Armenia (AMCA). The...
Enhancing Judicial Data Management in Georgia: training and preparation of a methodology for statisticians
The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) organised a training session for court statisticians involved in data collection in Georgian courts. This training was an occasion to present all the issues involved in data collection: ways to harmonise, systematise and check the...
Second visit of CEPEJ experts to pilot courts within the court coaching programme in Georgia
The court coaching programme of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) continues with the second visit to the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Rustavi Municipal Court, as well as with the first visit to two other pilot courts: the Zugdidi District Court and the Batumi...
High-Level Conference on Prosecutorial Independence and Accountability Held in Yerevan
The Council of Europe in collaboration with the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Armenia organised a two-day high-level conference "Prosecutorial Independence in Upholding the Rule of Law". The aim of the conference was to facilitate a cohesive dialogue among main actors in the...
Round Table Discussion Explores Strategic Directions for Judicial and Legal Reforms in Armenia
A round table discussion that explored strategic directions of the Judicial and Legal Reforms in Armenia and the essential role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in driving the reform process, was held on 2-3 June. The round table's primary objective was to foster a more active involvement of...
JUSTAT AIS a tool that will help Moldovan authorities to improve efficiency and transparency of courts
The launching of the JUSTAT Automated Information System (AIS) took place on 26 May 2023 in a public event to present this new tool, with the participation of the representatives of the national authorities, partners in charge of developing the tool, and the CEPEJ experts, Rado Brezovar...
Court coaching programme in pilot courts in Georgia launched
The court coaching programme of European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), organised in the framework of the project “Support to the modernisation of court management in Georgia”, will begin with the experts visit from 23 to 25 May 2023 to two pilot courts: the Supreme Court of...
Public discussions held under the framework of judicial reforms
Under the framework of ongoing judicial reforms, a series of public discussions related to the legislative amendments in respect to civil procedure, administrative procedure and criminal procedure legislations was organised by the joint EU/Council of Europe project “Support to the Justice Reform...
Taking stock of cooperation with the Police in the Republic of Moldova in the field of anti-discrimination
Throughout the last four years, the General Police Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova has been close partner of the joint European Union and the Council of Europe (CoE) project “Strengthening access to justice through non-judicial redress mechanisms for victims of discrimination, hate crime...
Regional Project on Lawyers Concludes with the final Technical Committee meeting in Strasbourg
The Joint European Union and the Council of Europe regional project on strengthening the profession of lawyer in line with European standards in the Eastern Partnership countries held its final event on 27 February 2023 both remotely and in person in Strasbourg, France. The event which gathered...
Closing event of the CEPEJ cooperation project in Azerbaijan
The closing event of the CEPEJ Project “Strengthening the efficiency and quality of the judicial system in Azerbaijan” implemented under the joint EU/CoE Partnership for Good Governance II programme (PGGII) took place on 21 February 2023. On this occasion, the representatives of the Ministry of...
Council of Europe concludes the four-year PGGII project on implementation of judicial reforms in Armenia
The final conference organised in Yerevan on February 21, marked the official completion of the Project "Implementation of the Judicial reforms in Armenia", implemented by the Council of Europe within the joint European Union and Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance Programme...
Trainings in Azerbaijan on court performance reporting according to CEPEJ tools and methodology
On 8 and 10 February 2023, the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) in cooperation with the Justice Academy of Azerbaijan organised two training sessions on court performance reporting according to its tools and methodology. The aim of the trainings was to develop a standard...
Closing event of the CEPEJ project in Georgia
The closing event of the CEPEJ component of the project “Enhancing the accountability and the efficiency of the judicial system and the professionalism of lawyers” in Georgia implemented under the Partnership for Good Governance II (PGGII) was held on 3 February 2023. On this occasion the main...
133rd plenary session of the Venice Commission: New opinions prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism adopted
At its 133rd plenary session (held on 16-17 December 2022), the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe adopted, among others: the amicus curiae brief for the Constitutional Court of Armenia on certain questions related to the Law on Confiscation of Property of Illicit Origin; held an exchange...
Study visit of Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice to Portugal
On 14-16 December 2022 the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) organised in cooperation with the Portuguese Order of solicitors and enforcement agents a three-days study visit for members of the Directorate General of Enforcement of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan. The...
Taking a Case to the European Court of Human Rights: Armenian version of the book will help the legal practitioners to make their voices heard in a well-substantiated manner
Successful litigation at the European Court of Human Rights is not an easy task and requires from legal professionals some fundamental knowledge about the peculiarities of the application to the Court. Publication of the Armenian version of the book Taking a Case to the European Court of Human...
Presentation of HELP platform on the occasion of National Day of Lawyers in Armenia
On 8 December 2022, to mark the National Lawyers’ Day celebrated on 6 December in Armenia, the regional project on "Strengthening the Profession of Lawyer in Line with European Standards", in cooperation with Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) programme and the Chamber of...
The Council of Europe keeps on working with judges on better application of the European Convention on Human Rights standards while adjudication of criminal cases
In co-operation with the High School of Justice, the Council of Europe and the European Union organised another series of seminars to familiarise judges with the latest case-law of the Supreme Court of Georgia and the European Court of Human Rights related to domestic violence, admissibility of...
Website of the Court of Cassation of Armenia launched and available online for public
A website of the Armenian Court of Cassation was developed with the support of the Council of Europe and is available online since November 2022. The Council of Europe has been working closely with the Armenian judiciary to facilitate the effective implementation of European human rights...
Lawyers and judges discussed the ways to improve their professional interaction
On 25 November an online event - joint meeting of judges and lawyers was organised to discuss the implementation of Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) Opinion no. 16 of 2013 on the relations between judges and lawyers. The event gathered participants from Armenia, Georgia, the...
CEPEJ mission to the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan to assess the case management, processing of cases and e-filing
From 23 to 25 November, the European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ) conducted an experts’ mission in Baku with the aim to assess the work efficiency of the Supreme Court. A report with recommendations on the improvement of the case management, processing of cases and e-filing...
EU and Council of Europe supported conference in Tbilisi to discuss areas for further improvement and ongoing reform of the criminal justice legal framework in Georgia
Protection of victims’ and other vulnerable persons’ rights, the system of pre-trial measures and conduct of investigative actions are the areas which should be paid special attention to during the ongoing criminal justice reform in Georgia, underlined participants of the high-level conference...
Discussion on the Opinion No. 24 (2021) of the CCJE on the evolution of the Councils for the Judiciary and their role in independent and impartial judicial systems
To highlight the competence, tasks, organisation and composition as well as resources at the disposal of the Councils for the Judiciary the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) adopted landmark Opinion No. 24 in 2021. The Opinion discusses the legitimacy and accountability of the...
Study visit of Georgian courts to The Netherlands
On 25-27 October 2022, the Council of Europe European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ) organised a three-days study visit of Georgian court managers from the Supreme Court of Georgia, Zugdidi and Rustavi Regional Courts and Tbilisi Court to the courts of Amsterdam, The Hague and...
CEPEJ visited Baku with the aim to analyse the provision of mediation services in Azberbaijan
From 17 to 19 October 2022, the European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ) conducted a fact-finding mission in Baku with the aim to analyse the current situation and discuss how to provide support for improving mediation based on CEPEJ Guidelines and various tools dealing with...
Judiciary of the Court of Cassation of Armenia continue enhancing their knowledge and skills on the new criminal legislation of the country
Judges, experts and judicial assistants of the Court of Cassation of Armenia participated in the two-day workshop on “Selected issues of new Criminal (CC) and Criminal Procedure Codes (CPC) of Armenia” organised on 5-6 October in Yerevan. The objective of the workshop was to introduce the...
Investigators and prosecutors of Armenia enhanced their knowledge and skills on the new criminal and procedural legislation of Armenia
In co-operation with the Justice Academy in Yerevan, four two-day training seminars on “Selected issues of the new Criminal (CC) and Criminal Procedure (CPC) Codes of Armenia” were organised for investigators and prosecutors of Armenia in July and August 2022. The objective of the training...
Staff of the Representative of the Republic of Armenia before the European Court of Human Right enhanced their knowledge and skills on the new criminal legislation of Armenia
During the two-day training seminar on “Selected issues of new Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes of Armenia,” 16 participants had the opportunity to acquire new skills on judicial review, peculiarities of conducting certain types of proceedings, judicial safeguards of pre-trial proceedings,...
Summer School on Arbitration
Students from various universities of Armenia had the opportunity to get first-hand insights into the world of arbitration during the 4-day Summer School on Arbitration co-organised by the Council of Europe and Arbitrators’ Association of Armenia. Taught by the leading arbitration practitioners...
Guides on the new Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes of Armenia ready for the national legal professionals as the new legislation enters into force
The Council of Europe has been working closely with the Armenian authorities on the criminal justice reform through legislative, methodological, and capacity-building support since 2015. Based on the legal expertise of the Council of Europe, conceptually new Criminal Code and Code of Criminal...
Ensuring high-quality trainings on the new criminal justice legislation in Armenia by equipping trainers locally
15 national trainers got equipped with tools and techniques on adult learning methodology. The objective is to ensure high quality trainings on the new criminal justice legislation, as well as to guide trainers to link the newly acquired knowledge with their practical experience and further...
Expert discussion on the right of access to court for persons being declared as legally incapable as a result of mental disorder
On 17 and 18 June 2022, the President and the judges of the Court of Cassation, Supreme Judicial Council member, Representation of Armenia on International Legal matters, representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights Defender’s office, the Ministry of Health, the Guardianship and...
Legal professionals in Azerbaijan get trained on collection and analysis of court statistics
In co-operation with the Justice Academy of Azerbaijan, two online training sessions on improving the efficiency and quality of courts based on the tools and guidelines developed by the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ). These trainings aimed to deepen the knowledge on...
High-level Conference “The Judiciary as a Guardian of Democracy”
The conference co-organised with the Constitutional Court of Armenia on 8-9 June in Yerevan, served as a platform to facilitate the dialogue between the Constitutional Court, courts of general jurisdiction and other branches of power, alongside with the international community and civil society....
Human rights training methodology for legal professionals now available in Armenian
The HELP Methodology Guidebook on Human Rights Training for Legal Professionals is now available in Armenian. It provides a step-by-step analysis of the various stages of the methodology and describes the roles of the HELP Secretariat, the network members and the tutors in the training process....
Investigators of Armenia enhanced their knowledge and skills on the new criminal and procedural legislation of Armenia
Five two-day training seminars on "Selected issues of new Criminal (CC) and Criminal Procedure Codes (CPC) of Armenia" were organised for 125 investigators of Armenia from April till June 2022 in the Justice Academy in Yerevan. During the first half of the seminars, the participants learnt about...
Legal professionals in Armenia trained on Ethics for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers
A group of 23 legal professionals are trained in co-operation with the Justice Academy of Armenia on ethics for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers. The Council of Europe HELP online course used for the training has been translated into Armenian, adapted to the Armenian context and is piloted in the...
Judiciary of the Court of Cassation of Armenia enhance their knowledge and skills on the new criminal procedure legislation of the country
Judges, experts and judicial assistants of the Court of Cassation of Armenia participated in the one-day workshop “Selected issues of new Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia” organised on 28 April in Yerevan. During the first two sessions, the participants discussed evidence, proving as well as...
Round table discussion on the draft Judicial and Legal Reforms Strategy for 2022-2026 of the Republic of Armenia with the participation of the judiciary
Members of the Supreme Judicial Council, Presidents and judges from different court instances both from Yerevan and regions of Armenia, and the Ministry of Justice representatives discussed the draft Judicial and Legal Reforms Strategy for 2022-2026 of the Republic of Armenia.The event was...
Round table discussion on the Decision SJC-65-VO-165 (30 August 2021) of the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Armenia ''On prescribing benchmark periods of the average duration of case examination as per individual types and complexity of cases''
Members of the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Armenia, Presidents and judges from different court instances both from Yerevan and regions of Armenia, and the Ministry of Justice representatives discussed the Decision SJC-65-VO-165 (30 August 2021) of the Supreme Judicial Council of...
Judges enhanced their knowledge and skills on the new criminal procedural legislation of Armenia
Four one-day seminars on “Selected issues of Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) of Armenia” were organised for 62 judges of Armenia in March and April 2022 in the Justice Academy in Yerevan. The judges improved their knowledge and skills on topics such as evidence, proving, arrest and measures of...
Round table discussion on the application of mediation in Armenia
Mediators, lawyers and judges from different court instances and Ministry of Justice representatives, discussed the Mediation Development Toolkit (also available in Armenian) presented by a Council of Europe expert on 29 March 2022. The event allowed an exchange on the current challenges in the...
Judicial staff in the Republic of Moldova enhanced their knowledge on remedies in cases of discrimination
98 employees of the judicial system in the country, strengthened their knowledge on national and international remedies in cases of discrimination through an online training. The event held on 16 March, focused on the international legal framework and the case law of the European Court of Human...
Presentation of the outcomes of the consultations to define the indicators and track records able to demonstrate the effect of judicial reforms in Azerbaijan
The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) organised a presentation of the Report “Consultations to define the indicators and track records able to demonstrate the effect of judicial reforms in Azerbaijan”. This report which was prepared by two CEPEJ experts, Nino Bakakuri,...
Armenian team of students participates in the Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court with our project's support
From 28 February to 2 March, a team of Armenian students participated in the 14th edition of the Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court 2022 online competition. This is an educational exercise that promotes the peaceful resolution of international disputes in accordance with international...
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