Ukraine: Support to the implementation of the judicial reform

Project title

Support to the judicial reform in Ukraine

project duration

The project duration is 31 months: 1 June 2018 to 30 December 2020.

Project budget

Euro 1,110,000 (reduced to Euro 860,000)

Project partners

Supreme Court, Ukrainian National Bar Association, High Council of Justice, High Qualification Commission of Judges, Office of the President of Ukraine, Ministry of Justice.

Key issues to be addressed

the reform of the judiciary in terms of the practice derived from the adopted legislation (2016-2020), including uniformity of judicial practice and functioning of the new courts and judicial institutions.
changes in the system of the bar including the introduction of the obligatory representation in courts by advocates and strengthening of the system of the free legal aid.

Brief description of project

The project is being implemented in Ukraine in co-operation with Ukrainian counterparts – the Judicial Reform Council, the Supreme Court, the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the Council of Judges of Ukraine, and others. The project is managed by the Justice and Legal Co-Operation Department of the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law.

Project objectives

To support Ukraine in the completion of the judicial reform and in the implementation of the newly-adopted legislation with the aim of ensuring functioning and organisation of judiciary, bar and free legal aid system under newly established legislation are in compliance with the Council of Europe standards.

Project components

1 – Support to the legislative development

Aim of the component: to provide advice to the Ukrainian authorities in developing legislation on functioning of the judiciary and bar, including through the provision of expertise/assessments/opinions/recommendations

2 – Support to the development of functioning of courts and judicial institutions under the reformed legislation

Aim of the component: to support the development of functioning of courts and judicial institutions, namely, the High Council of Justice, under new legislation so as new court practice, practice of the High Council of Justice within the new powers, issues of publicity with regard to judges, practice of management of the judicial dossier are in line with the CoE standards

3 – Support to the development of bar in Ukraine

Aim of the component: to support development of the new legal institute of the obligatory representation in courts by advocates and of the free legal aid system on civil and administrative cases so as respective procedural aspects and quality of legal advices are in line with the CoE standards and the best European practise

Expected results

The amended legislation in Ukraine allows the judiciary and the bar in their practice to adhere to Council of Europe standards .
Functioning of courts and judicial institutions under the reformed legislation framework follows the standards of the Council of Europe and the relevant European practices.
The involvement of the bar in litigation in terms of procedure and practice comply with the Council of Europe standards.

Project News

Back The Role of the Supreme Court in Protecting Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Ukraine: Support to the implementation of the judicial reform

Conference «The Role of the Supreme Court in Protecting Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms» © CoE

On 14 December 2018, a high-level conference «The Role of the Supreme Court in Protecting Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms» was held in Kyiv. The event was jointly organised by the Supreme Court and by the Council of Europe project “Support to the implementation of the judicial reform in Ukraine” which is being implemented by the Justice and Legal Co-operation Department of the Council of Europe.

The conference was dedicated to the anniversary of establishment of the Supreme Court. More than 400 participants – representatives of all three branches of power, of civil society and international organisations, embassies and mass-media – took part in the event. The programme of the event included questions on the first results and new challenges in the work of the Supreme Court, and on the role of the Supreme Court and of the judiciary in general in the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Welcoming speeches during the conference were delivered by Ms Valentyna Danishevska, President of the Supreme Court, Mr Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine, Mr Volodymyr Groisman, Prime-Minister of Ukraine, and Mr Regis Brillat, Special Advisor of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for Ukraine.

Ms Hanne Juncher, Head of the Justice and Legal Co-operation Department of the Council of Europe, Mr Fredrik Sundberg, Acting Head of the Department for the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and Mr Ðuro Sessa, President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia and of the Consultative Council of European Judges, delivered presentations on the Council of Europe standards with regard to the role and powers of the Supreme Courts.

The video from the conference in Ukrainian is available on the YouTube channel of the Supreme Court.

The Council of Europe project “Support to the implementation of the judicial reform in Ukraine” is tasked with providing assistance to Ukrainian authorities in completion of the judicial reform and in implementation of the newly-adopted legislation with the aim to ensure independence, fairness and effectiveness of the judiciary, in line with standards and recommendations of the Council of Europe.

WEB LINKS TO THE EVENT

Official website of the President of Ukraine

Official website of the Government of Ukraine

Judiciary of Ukraine

Supreme Court

Kyiv, Ukraine 14 December 2018