Impact and lessons of the COVID-19 crisis as regards the efficiency of justice and the functioning of the judiciary

During the Covid19 pandemic, member States had to adapt to new circumstances. A compilation of measures was made by the CEPEJ at the beginning of the health crisis and is regularly updated. To guide States, the CEPEJ organised a meeting on 10 June 2020, in the framework of the Greek Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, on the impact and lessons of the COVID19 crisis as regards the efficiency of justice and the functioning of the judiciary, which led to the adoption of the "Declaration on lessons learnt and challenges faced by the judiciary during and after the COVID19 pandemic"

Also available in Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Greek, French, Latvian, Macedonian, Ukrainian.

Seminar 10 June 2020: Impact & lessons of the COVID-19 crisis on the functioning of the judiciary

Session I - Impact of the Covid19 crisis: is it possible to ensure normally the public service of justice?

Session II – After the Covid19 crisis: which lessons for the justice systems in 2021 and beyond?

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Back Breaking judges’ isolation during COVID19 pandemic on the agenda of the CEPEJ in Latvia and Georgia

The CEPEJ Guidelines to improve the judge's skills and competences, strengthen knowledge sharing and collaboration, and move beyond a culture of judicial isolation provide concrete tools to remedy to judicial isolation which could have been worsened with the health crisis.

The CEPEJ activities in Georgia and Latvia focus on this aspect.

On 17 February 2021: An “Evening talks” livestream session has been organised on the Facebook page of the Council of Europe office of Georgia. The session highlighted the elements and conditions that enable judges to break out of their isolation and provide a better quality of service (more information).

On 19 February 2021: the CEPEJ in cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of justice will organise a workshop on breaking up judge’s isolation during COVID 19 pandemic. Judges and representatives of the Latvian Court Administration will have an exchange of views about their experience, notably about working remotely and holding court hearings during the COVID19 pandemic, and will be presented experiences from other Council of Europe member States. They will also discuss the ways to strengthen knowledge sharing and collaboration, and move beyond a culture of judicial isolation.

The Latvian Project: “Strengthening the access to justice in Latvia through fostering mediation and legal aid services, as well as support to the development of judicial policies and to increased quality of court management”, is funded by the European Union via the Structural Reform Support Programme and in cooperation with the European Commission's DG Reform.

The Georgian project “Enhancing the accountability and the efficiency of the judicial system and the professionalism of lawyers” is part of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme Partnership for Good Governance II co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe.

Georgia and Latvia 17 & 19 February 2021