CEPEJ(2013)16

17 December 2013

European Day of Civil Justice 2013

Report of events in the Council of Europe and European Commission’s member States

Table of contents

Objectives 3

Support 3

Events by country. 3

Bosnia and Herzegovina. 3

France. 3

Germany. 3

Hungary. 4

Italy. 4

Ireland. 4

Lithuania. 4

Luxembourg. 4

Malta. 4

Norway. 4

Serbia. 5

Slovenia. 5

Spain. 5

Sweden. 5

Statistics 5

EDCJ participation rate since its creation (2003) 5


Objectives

By the joint organisation of the European Day of Civil Justice, the European Commission and the Council of Europe support initiatives which aim to bring justice closer to citizens. This Day represents an opportunity to inform citizens of their rights and offer them a better understanding of the functioning of the judicial systems through events organised mainly by courts. On this occasion, the work of the European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ) is highlighted as a real support for justice professionals.

Support

The European Commission created posters translated into all Council of Europe Member States languages to be downloaded and provided with publications on the main legislative achievements towards creating a European area of civil justice.

The Council of Europe also sent documentation as well as pens, notepads and document wallets on request. Both organisations posted events on dedicated web pages.

Events by country

The main event of the 2013 edition of the European Day of Civil Justice was jointly organised in Luxembourg, by the Notaries of Europe and the Chamber of Notaries of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The Minister of Justice of the Grand Duché of Luxembourg, as well as high level representatives of the European Commission and the Council of Europe took part in this event which included  a conference “Europe for the notaries, and notaries for Europe” with international keynote speakers. 13 countries organised special events in the framework of the European Day of Civil Justice.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cantonal Court in Novi Travnik

Open door days at Court on 30 October, 2013

Free access to citizens and guided tours of elementary school, high school and law school students. Accredited representatives of the court informed interested persons with the mission, vision and principles of the judicial and prosecutorial system in Bosnia & Herzegovina, with special emphasis on the introduction to the work of the witness support Section.

A round table has been organized with the cooperation and support of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia & Herzegovina and will bring together representatives of ministries, courts, prosecutors, the bar association, the centers for social work and other governmental and non-governmental organization in the Canton Middle Bosnia. The theme was "Hate Crimes" standards and practices Motel ”Central” Vitez

France

Tribunal de Grande Instance de Toulouse

The « Association Toulouse Cité Européenne du Droit » organised a colloquy on "Internet in Europe: liberty, equality and fraternity", on 15 November, at the Regional Court of Toulouse. This is the 4th consecutive event organised by the Association Toulouse Cité Européenne du Droit organised in the framework of the European Day of civil Justice. The theme of this year was “Economic justice in Europe”.

Germany

Justizzentrum von Repgow Magdeburg"

A conference on "The situation of women judges and prosecutors in Germany/Saxony-Anhalt has been organised considering the progress in the judicial hierarchy" on 24 October 2013 in Magdeburg, in presence of the Minister of Justice of the Land Saxony-Anhalt. Reference was made to the CEPEJ report, especially concerning the data concerning gender issues.

Bundesamt für Justiz, Bonn

The Federal Office of Justice as Federal Contact point for the EJN and Central Authority concerning maintenance cases has invited the German courts dealing with cross-border maintenance cases from 5 November 2013 until 07 November 2013 to discuss practical problems and to inform about maintenance in the EU. The participants have also be informed about the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters and how it can support their daily work.  For the first time, this event has been held in the framework of the training programme for the German courts.

Hungary

The European Day of Civil Justice has been celebrated in Budapest on 25 October 2013. The events were aimed for students.

Italy

24 October 2013 at the Court of Turin

A Conference on the situation of civil justice in Italy and on the results of the satisfaction survey carried out at the Court and the Appeal Court of Turin has been organised, followed by a concert offered by the pupils of the G. Verdi Academy of Turin.

25 October 2013 at the Courthouse of Milano

A conference with eminent Italian keynote speakers has been organised on the theme “Justice and the economic crisis has bee organised by the Higher School of Magistrates, department of training.

26 October 2013 at the Rimini Court

Event reserved for students "A journey through the Court: roles of the operators of the sector, problems of society and local resources through the simulation of civil, criminal and employment trials", at the Rimini Court on 26 October 2013, organised by the Higher School of Magistrates and the Conservatory of Music Giuseppe Verdi.

Ireland

LIT law students have been busy in court in both Limerick and Dublin recently. First year law students from the BBS in Law & Taxation were welcomed to Limerick Circuit Criminal Court by Ms Justice Carol Moran where they attended the hearing of the recent tiger kidnapping in Limerick. To celebrate European Day of Civil Justice 2013 LIT law students attended the Four Courts in Dublin to meet with the Hon. Mr. Justice Peter Kelly of the Commercial Court. Justice Kelly spent the morning speaking with the students about the Commercial Court and also about the advantages of a career in law. The Four Courts Office also provided the students with a tour of the Law Library to watch barristers at work, a visit to the Supreme Court and the opportunity to attend all High Court sittings for the day. The visits were facilitated by their lecturer Anne Marie Dooley.

Latvia

Traditionally, as every year, first year students of legal programmes of the higher educational institutes, teachers and group of schoolchildren come to guided tours to the Supreme Court. During those visits they were introduced of the work of court system, with the duties of judges and court staff, as well as with the work of communication and IT specialists. They have been provided an opportunity to get acquainted with the museum of the Supreme Court, to walk over the Palace of Justice and to see how cases have been herd.

Lithuania

For the fourth consecutive year, the National Courts Administration organised an event for the celebration of the European Day of Civil Justice. Judges invited others to the Mind-Fight on 25th October. The doors of courts were open to citizens together with courts of other states. Students, school children and all persons interested in the law listened to the lectures of judges, observed the court hearings, and participated in the excursions of the court premises from Vilnius to Lisbon.

During the events of open doors in courts visitors could get acquainted with the development of Lithuanian courts, current judicial system and its activities, requirements applied for the future judges, the appointment procedure to the judicial office.

The Vice minister of Justice, Paulius Griciūnas, greeting the judges and participants of the event pointed his attention to the fact that it shows the openness of courts, which is the common ambition in the whole Europe.

Apart from the national event additional mind fight competitions were also organised in five regional courts.

Luxembourg

The main event of this day took place in Luxembourg, in presence of the Minister of Justice of Luxembourg and eminent personalities on 25 October 2013. The theme of this day, jointly organised by the Notaries of Europe and the Chamber of Notaries of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was “Europe for the notaries, and notaries for Europe”. The Vice-President of the European Commission, Viviane Reding and Hanne Juncher, Head of the Justice and legal co-operation Department of the Council of Europe participated in this event.

Malta

Three new services aiming to speed up civil court procedures were launched by Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Owen Bonnici today to mark the European Day of Civil Justice, on Friday 25 October 2013.

At a press conference held outside the Law Courts, Dr Bonnici emphasised that at this day and age, the technology available should be exploited to offer a better service, deeming present arrangements not up to scratch.

Norway

On 26 October, in Oslo, an event entitled “The court today in Oslo” has been organised. Lectures have been given, together with role playing and stands have been held for students. This event has been jointly organised by the Supreme Oslo City Court and the Oslo District Court

Serbia

A National Judges Conference has been organised in the framework of the European Day of Civil Justice, a day set aside in October for courts to open their doors and educate citizens about their civic role and daily operations.

This event has been organised by Supreme Court of Cassation of Serbia. Over 1,000 judges participated in this event, in the central Serbian town of Vrnjacka Banja, from October 6-9. The Conference, which focused on recent developments in court practice and the legal environment, was opened by Minister of Justice Nikola Selakovic and Chief Justice Dragomir Milojevic. Other guests included top diplomats, OSCE Ambassador in Serbia Peter Burkhard and head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade Antje Rothemund.

Slovenia

Two separate events have been organised - two separate visits to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia.

On 24th October, students from the Law Faculty at the University of Ljubljana visited the Supreme Court, where they assisted to a presentation of the Slovenian judicial system, and had the opportunity to talk to a Supreme court judge (Head of the Commercial department) about the vocation of a judge and his/her duties and responsibilties. To have a better insight of the the interior of the Judicial palace, the students visited the major conference room, where joint sessions of the Supreme Court take place as well as one of the chambers where trials take place.
On the second day, the 25th of October, Erasmus students from different European countries currently studying at the Law Faculty at the University of Ljubljana visited the Supreme Court and assisted to a presentation of the Slovenian judicial system.

Spain

Pamplona

The IIIrd Conference of the Presidents of the Courts of Appeal of Europe “Financing and managing courts” was organised in Pamplona, from 16th to 18th of October 2013, in presence of the Spanish Minister of Justice

Murcia, from 24 to 26 October 2013

The 175th Anniversary of the Murcia Bar Association: Challenges of the legal profession of the XXIth century has been celebrated in Murcia, organised by the Colegio de Abogados de Murcia (Murcia Bar Association-SPAIN)

Sweden

Swedish Conference on Civil Justice in the EU on 17-18 October 2013.

The Swedish Network for European Legal Studies, the Faculty of Law of Uppsala University and the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg organised a conference in Uppsala: Civil Justice in the EU – Growing and Teething? Questions regarding implementation, practice and the outlook for future policy.

Statistics

EDCJ participation rate since its creation (2003)

Year

Country

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Armenia

Austria

Azerbaïjan

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Estonia

Finland

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

France

Germany

Georgia

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Norway

Republic of Moldova

The Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Serbia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom

TOTAL COUNTRIES

8

6

5

9

9

12

15

15

17

11

14