1. Improving competence and efficiency of judiciaries through regional activities
Gazmend Turdiu
RCC Deputy Secretary General
Sarajevo, 16 March 2017

2. Content The rationale for regional cooperation in judicial sector
Areas of regional cooperation
Coordination mechanism
Work done in the last two years
Plans for the future

3. The rationale for regional cooperation in judicial reform
The EC approach “fundamentals first”. Focus on the RoL
RCC mission: Promoting European integration through regional cooperation.
Balkan Barometer 2017, Public Opinion Survey
78% of WB6 citizens: tend to disagree or totally disagree that the judicial system is independent of political influence
83% of WB6 citizens: tend to disagree or totally disagree that the law is equally applied to everyone

4. The rationale for regional cooperation in judicial reform
Need for support strengthening of the independence, efficiency, integrity and competency of judiciaries
Judicial reforms: areas under national jurisdictions, bilaterally dealt with between the national authorities and the EC. Consultations with stakeholders:
Is there scope for regional cooperation?
How can regional cooperation influence and support national reforms?

5. Areas of cooperation in judicial reform
Capacity building / Training of the judiciaries
Promoting mediation as an alternative method for dispute resolution / reducing the court backlogs
Both contributing to reducing corruption
Exchange of experience - P2P networking/support
Better use of resources / Avoidance of overlapping

6. Coordination of regional cooperation in judicial reform
No existing regional cooperation mechanism. Over the last two years RCC established:
The WGJ (structure – two annual meetings):
Drafting and approving cooperation work plans and programs
Monitoring/Evaluation
Network of Judicial Training Institutions (platform)
Network of Association of Mediators (platform)

7. Outcomes of the work done so far
Institution and capacity building (three studies):
E-enforcement based on authentic documents
Mediation as a method to reduce court backlogs
Report on best practices in judicial training
Mapping of regional projects in judicial training (work in progress)
To be used by national authorities and by DG JUST

8. Benefits from the work done so far
The Network of Judicial training Institutions:
Enabled RCC to serve as a hub and a focal point for regional activities in the field of judicial training
Brings together the expertise, efforts and resources of EU judicial training institutions, GIZ ORF, other partners
Links the Training Institutions Network with SEELS (SEE Schools of Law) and CSO active in judicial training
Helps to avoid duplications and overlapping

9. Benefits from the work done so far
The Network of Association of Mediators:
A platform to learn from the experiences of Associations of Mediators in EU MS
Helps raising public awareness
A valuable example of cooperation of governments and CSOs.
Helps to improve the efficiency of judiciaries and to reduce court backlogs
Helps and supports the dialogue between legislators and the associations of mediators.

10. Plans for the future
RCC, European Training Institutions, GIZ ORF - Training of judges and prosecutors
training the trainers (regional seminars for judges and prosecutors in international law, ethics, English legal terminology and other topics of common interest)
RCC and GIZ: develop a regional legal expert database (2017)
Strengthening ties (consultations) with DR NEAR and DG JUST

11. Thank you! Regional Cooperation Secretariat
Trg Bosne i Hercegovine 1/V
71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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