A delegation of thirteen representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Justice and Public Prosecution Office took part in a study visit on international judicial cooperation in Paris, France on 7-9 November 2023. The visit was organised within the EU/CoE Joint Project “Improving International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters in Türkiye”. 

The study visit programme began at the Cour d’appel de Paris (The Court of Appeal), followed by a visit to the Central Authority (Bureau de l’entraide pénale internationale – BEPI) at the Direction des affaires criminelles et des grâces (DACG) of the French Ministry of Justice. Representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Justice and prosecutors exchanged on the role of the Central Authority in relation to mutual legal assistance (MLA) requests and extradition, as well as the fundamental legal basis of judicial cooperation in France. In particular, the French mutual legal cooperation scheme with EU-countries and non-EU countries was thoroughly discussed.

The programme continued with a visit to the Tribunal judiciaire de Paris (Paris Judicial Court) where the delegation met the president and chief prosecutor of the Court, as well as investigating judges and prosecutors dealing with MLA and extradition cases. Throughout the visit, the Turkish participants had opportunities to exchange with their counterparts on good practices and challenges in relation to mutual legal assistance and extradition. The visit, organised with the active contribution of the Cooperation Office of the Delegation for International and European Affairs of the Ministry of Justice (DAEI), directly contributed to improving the judicial cooperation between France and Türkiye.

The project ‘Improving International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters in Türkiye’ is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.