A practical seminar dedicated to international legal cooperation within the European Union was held at the Prosecutors' Training Centre of Ukraine. Over the course of two days, on February 13-14, participants had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of key international justice and law enforcement cooperation mechanisms within the EU.
A total of 46 prosecutors and civil servants attended the event, which was supported by the Council of Europe. Among them were 27 women and 19 men, including prosecutors from the International Cooperation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office and regional prosecution offices. All participants emphasised the importance of such training for enhancing the effectiveness of international cooperation and adapting the Ukrainian prosecution service to European standards.
As Ukraine continues its active European integration process, it is aligning more closely with the European Union's standards of justice. This process, in turn, presents new challenges and responsibilities for Ukrainian prosecutors, particularly in matters of international cooperation.
The International Cooperation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office has been granted expanded powers to ensure effective communication with European partners, while prosecutors at the regional level require a deep understanding of EU legal mechanisms. This seminar was specifically designed to address these needs.
The training was conducted with the participation of both international and national consultants from the Council of Europe. Among them were Ian Welch, Krisztina Karsai, and Alina Barbu, who shared their expertise on the functioning of EU legal mechanisms. Additionally, national consultants Nazar Kulchytskyy, Markiyan Bem, and Volodymyr Petrakovskyi provided insights into the practical application of these mechanisms in the Ukrainian context.
The seminar covered a broad range of topics, including:
- The overall structure of EU justice institutions and their role in international cooperation;
- The functioning of Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office as key institutions in combating crime;
- Judicial cooperation mechanisms among EU member states, including European Arrest Warrants, extradition, and evidence exchange;
- Challenges and prospects of Ukraine’s European integration in the field of criminal justice.
Such events represent a crucial step in Ukraine’s path toward European integration. They not only enhance the professional competence of prosecutors but also contribute to strengthening international trust in Ukraine’s criminal justice system - an especially relevant factor given the current challenges.
The seminar was supported as part of the project "Fostering Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System in Ukraine", which is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery, and Reconstruction" for 2023-2026.
