Three years of co-operation between the Council of Europe, the European Union and Armenian partners have delivered tangible progress in strengthening the country’s justice system. Legislative reforms, improved professional capacities across the justice sector, a major reduction in civil court caseloads, strengthened mediation mechanisms and the introduction of innovative digital tools have all contributed to improving access to justice in Armenia.
These results were achieved through a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union, under the Partnership for Good Governance programme, in the framework of the project "Support to Justice Reform in Armenia."
A key pillar of the project was support to legislative reforms across several areas of the justice system, including criminal, civil and administrative law. Through expert advice and legal opinions prepared by the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe and the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), Armenia’s legal framework was further aligned with European standards.
One of the most visible systemic results was a significant reduction in court backlog (82% decrease).
The project also strengthened the country’s mediation system, helping expand ways to resolve disputes outside of court and promoting faster and more accessible justice. A total of 125 mediators were certified and 12 mediation trainers were trained, helping to establish a sustainable system for future capacity-building and a structured certification procedure.
Innovation in judicial practice was supported through the development of a Citations and References Management System (CRMS) for the Court of Cassation of Armenia. This electronic system will allow the Court to manage legal references more efficiently and address its growing caseload. It represents a unique digital solution among Council of Europe member states and contributes to modernizing judicial work.
Capacity development constituted another key pillar of the project. In total, 987 judges, prosecutors and other legal professionals participated in training activities designed to strengthen their capacity to apply European standards and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in their daily practice.
The achievements of the project were presented at the closing event, where representatives of key justice institutions and international partners reflected on the progress made and the importance of continued co-operation to further strengthen the effectiveness, accessibility and public trust in the justice system.
This event is part of the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project "Support to Justice Reform in Armenia."
