The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Portugal, organised a study visit on 28-29 October 2025 dedicated to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for a delegation of ten representatives from the Mediation Council, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Academy of Justice, the Judicial Legal Council, and the Bar Association of Azerbaijan.

The participants met with the main Portuguese actors in the field of mediation, including representatives of the Directorate-General for Justice Policy of the Ministry of Justice, the Lisbon Consumer Dispute Arbitration Centre, the Lisbon Justice of the Peace Court, as well as mediators specialising in family and civil mediation. Discussions focused on Portugal’s legal framework for ADR, the organisation and financing of ADR services, the requirements and accountability mechanisms for mediators, as well as specialisation and training in this field.

This study visit provided the Azerbaijani delegation with an overview of good practices and potential avenues for further development of mediation and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in Azerbaijan.

This activity was organised within the framework of the Project “Fostering mediation in Azerbaijan”, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in their Partnership for Good Governance III (2023-2027).