Component 2: Supporting the civil justice reforms – strengthening the judicial system

Project title

Implementation of judicial reforms

Component 2: Supporting the civil justice reforms – strengthening the judicial system

Partnership for Good Governance: PGG
The Council of Europe is implementing this project under the “European Union/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance”.
Project duration

24 months: 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021 (the project was extended for one year with an additional Euro 70,000)

Budget
Euro 240,000 (initial Euro 170,000 followed by an additional Euro 70,000)
Beneficiaries / Partners
  • Judiciary
  • Prosecutor’s General Office
  • Chambers of advocates
  • Belarusian State University
  • Regional universities
  • Supreme Court
  • Ministry of Justice
  • National Centre for Legal Information
  • Judges
  • Lawyers
  • Other legal professionals
  • Court and mediation institutions’ clients
key issues to be addressed
  1. Improve the functioning of regional courts and strengthening their capacities, procedures, and practices in civil cases;
  2. Facilitate the implementation of effective mediation procedure in civil cases.
Overall objective

The reform of the judiciary takes into account the European standards and good practices of the member states, court users benefit from more transparent and efficient functioning of the judiciary.

Project components

1 – The court presidents are ready to act on the increased capacities of newly acquired knowledge on court management and administration.

Aim of the component: Selected court presidents are familiar with Council of Europe standards (in particular CCJE Opinion no.19) and good practices concerning court staff management and administration. Gender related aspects of the judiciary is assessed, and the improvements recommended.

2 – Knowledge of CoE standards concerning judiciary and court management is improved, court presidents exercise their managerial functions more efficiently.

Aim of the component: Judges are familiar with Council of Europe standards on judiciary to improve court management.

3– A clear strategy is developed for introduction of IT tools in the Belarusian judiciary.

Aim of the component: National partners are familiar with good practices of the Council of Europe member states concerning use of IT and artificial intelligence in courts.

4 - Mediation mechanisms are improved to reduce the courts’ workload of civil cases.

Aim of the component: Compliance with law on mediation is strengthened. National partners are familiar with mediation mechanisms and Council of Europe standards.

Activities planned
  • Preparation of a publication concerning CoE standards and good practices concerning court management
  • Trainings for judges on court management
  • Preparation of a publication on gender mainstreaming in the judiciary
  • Providing recommendations concerning preparing a single procedural code for judicial proceedings in civil and commercial cases
  • Trainings for court presidents on managerial skills and financial managements of courts in accordance with CCJE opinion No. 19
  • Publication of CCJE Opinion No. 19
  • Seminar on European standards concerning statutes of limitations
  • Workshops and seminars for judges and court staff on e-justice, including IT tools and artificial intelligence, and use of electronic evidence
  • Translation of the Council of Europe Guidelines on Electronic Evidence in Civil and Administrative Proceedings
  • Assisting the Ministry of Justice in further improvement of mediation system, including providing assistance in developing relevant legislation and its implementation.
Council of Europe Action Plan

The project is relevant for the new Council of Europe Action Plan for Belarus 2019 – 2021.

The Project is in line with the priority area II “Strengthening institutions and good governance” of the EU Eastern Partnership key priorities and contributes to achieving the goals described in Deliverables 9 (strengthen the rule of law) and 10 (Support the implementation of key judicial reforms), as well as 1 (more engagement of civil society organisations).

The Project “Supporting the civil justice reforms – strengthening the judicial system (2019-2020)” is aimed at providing assistance to the authorities of Belarus for improving mediation and the judicial system in order to provide a better forum for the resolution of civil disputes. It is also aimed at contributing to the Council of Europe’s (“CoE”) efforts to maintain political dialogue with the authorities of Belarus, to ensure the stronger involvement of Belarus in the common European legal space and lead eventually to a rapprochement and accession of Belarus to the CoE on the basis of the Organisation’s values and principles, as envisaged by Action Plan for Belarus and PACE and CM documents on Belarus.

The project will provide recommendations concerning the possible ways to improve mediation in Belarus, contribute to a better understanding by the authorities of the requirements of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and to the familiarisation of judges, including court presidents, with CoE standards and good practices which will enable them to carry out their functions more efficiently.

Gender mainstreaming
The Project will mainstream gender where and when it is possible.
Website of Belarus
For direct access to website of Belarus

Actualité

Retour Belarus - Gender Equality and Justice

Supporting the civil justice reforms – strengthening the judicial system in the Republic of Belarus” under the “European Union/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance
Belarus - Gender Equality and Justice
The Project “Supporting the civil justice reforms – strengthening the judicial system (2019-2020)”  prepared and printed the brochure “Gender equality and justice in the Republic of Belarus”, available in Russian only. The brochure analyses the situation with gender equality in the judiciary in Belarus and includes recommendations for improvement. In the summer 2020 this brochurewill be disseminated among judges and court staff of Belarus to raise their awareness on the subject. The findings of this publication will be considered while planning and organising project activities.
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