From 17 to 19 October, the European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ) conducted a fact-finding mission in Baku with the aim to analyse the current situation and discuss how to provide support for improving mediation based on CEPEJ Guidelines and various tools dealing with mediation.

CEPEJ experts met with the main mediation actors, namely the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Academy of Justice, the Mediation Council as well as mediators, trainers, judges, and the Azerbaijani Bar Association. They discussed possible improvements of the legislative framework, training and qualification of mediators, access to mediation, awareness-raising of the judiciary, users of justice and the general public. The visit will result in an experts report with concrete recommendations.

This activity was carried out in the framework of the project "Strengthening the efficiency and quality of the judicial system 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 II and with the support of the Joint Programme "Support for a better evaluation of the results of judicial reform efforts in the Eastern Partnership” ("Justice Dashboard EaP"), which is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the latter.