Strengthening Legal Culture in Serbia and the Capacities of the Judicial and the Prosecutorial Councils
The action “Strengthening legal culture in Serbia and the capacities of the judicial and the prosecutorial councils” supports the effective implementation of Serbia’s judicial reform by strengthening legal culture and enhancing the independence, transparency, accountability, and professionalism of the judiciary, in line with European Union acquis and Council of Europe standards.
The action focuses on embedding recent constitutional and legislative reforms into everyday judicial practice, with particular emphasis on the role of judicial and prosecutorial councils, judicial training, and future legal professionals.
The action is implemented within the joint European Union / Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye – Phase III” (2023–2026) in Serbia.
What is the goal and objective of the action?
- to foster a change in legal culture in Serbia through the practical implementation of judicial reform
- to strengthen the capacities of judicial and prosecutorial councils as independent, transparent, and accountable self-governing bodies
- to support judges and prosecutors in applying the new legal framework and European standards
- to enhance judicial training and promote ethics, integrity, and professionalism
- to strengthen legal certainty, case-law harmonisation, and public trust in the judiciary
Who benefits from the action?
- members and staff of the High Judicial Council and the High Prosecutorial Council
- judges, prosecutors, and judicial and prosecutorial staff
- the Judicial Academy and law faculties
- young lawyers and law students
- civil society organisations active in the justice sector
- citizens of Serbia, as end beneficiaries of an independent and accountable justice system
How does the action work?
- through complementary policy-level and practice-oriented interventions
- by providing expert analyses, surveys, and comparative studies aligned with European standards
- through targeted capacity-building, training, peer-to-peer exchanges, and study visits
- by strengthening judicial training and introducing ethics and practical skills in legal education
- by fostering co-operation between judicial institutions, academia, civil society, and professional associations
What do we expect to achieve?
- improved functioning of judicial and prosecutorial councils
- strengthened independence, accountability, and professionalism of judges and prosecutors
- enhanced legal culture and ethical standards in the judiciary
- improved legal education and increased interest of young lawyers in judicial careers
- strengthened legal certainty, transparency, and public trust in the justice system
What is the budget of the action?
The total budget of the action is EUR 1,000,000 (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).
How to get more information?
- Council of Europe Directorate General: Human Rights and Rule of Law
- Horizontal Facility website and e-mail address
About Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye
The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.