Strasbourg, 3 October 2012

CEPEJ-SATURN(2012)11

EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF JUSTICE

(CEPEJ)

Steering Group of the SATURN Centre for judicial time management (CEPEJ-SATURN)

12th meeting

Gozo, 26 and 28 September 2012

MEETING REPORT

Report prepared by the Secretariat

Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs

1.            The Steering Group of the SATURN Centre for the study and analysis of judicial time management of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) held its 12th meeting in Gozo on 26 and 28 September 2012, with Jacques BÜHLER (Switzerland) as Chair.

2.            The meeting participants also took part in the 7^th plenary meeting of the Network of Pilot Courts which was held on 27 September 2012.

3.            The agenda and list of participants are appended to this report (Appendix I and II respectively).

1.            Information by the President, the Secretariat and expert members of the Steering Group

4.            The Secretariat introduced Ivana BORZOVA, who is new member of the CEPEJ-SATURN Group, as well as Abdallah BOUJIDA, President of the 1^st instance court in Casablanca, Abdelaziz ISSERSSIF, President of the 1^st instance court in Sidi Kacem and Abdelmati EL KADDOURI, President of the administrative court in Agadir, who attended the meeting as observers from Morocco in the framework of the Joint Council of Europe/European Union Programme “Strengthening democratic reform in the Southern neighbourhood”. It also introduced its new colleague, Hasan HENDEK, who had recently been seconded to the Secretariat by the Turkish authorities as special adviser.

 

5.            The President indicated that Giacomo OBERTO had prepared an article in a Swiss legal periodic (Richterzeitung) (in Italian) the Strasbourg programme and the work of the CAPEJ-SATURN Group.

6.            John STACEY, President of the CEPEJ, attended the IACA meeting on 12-15 June 2012 and presented the CEPEJ-SATURN Group at this occasion. Jon JOHNSEN also participated in the EGPA Conference in Bergen (Norway). 

2.            Analysis of the 2010 data from the CEPEJ report and specific report on the situation of judicial timeframes (Projects 1 and 7)

7.            The group discussed the second phase of data analysis on caseload and timeframes of proceedings collected in the context of the CEPEJ Report on evaluation of judicial systems (civil, criminal and administrative data from the first and second instance courts, as well as from Supreme courts) (Project 1).

8.            On the basis of the data collected, the Group confirmed that a report is to be produced on the state of affairs of procedural timeframes. Marco FABRI, who took part in previous process as scientific expert, accepted to be the expert for this task. The Group entrusted the Secretariat with the task to prepare a contract for him. 

9.            The CEPEJ-SATURN Group requested the Secretariat to entrust the scientific expert, Marco VELICOGNA (Italy), to update his report: “Study on Council of Europe member states on Appeal and Supreme Courts' Lengths of Proceedings” on the basis of the new data available for the 2010 – 2012 evaluation cycl.e

3.            Data collection on procedural timeframes from the CEPEJ pilot courts in the member states regarding civil, criminal and administrative proceedings

10.         The Group examined the compilation of data received from the pilot courts (Doc CEPEJ-SATURN(2012)11) (24 pilot courts from 19 courts).

11.         The President of the SATURN Group informed that, as decided during the last meeting of the Group (23-24 February 2012), new types of cases were introduced in the questionnaire, concerning in particular:

-                                               in civil matters: dismissal, redundancy and litigious divorces;

-              in criminal matters: robbery, intentional homicide, drug related offences and drug trafficking;

-                                               in administrative matters: taxation.

12.         After having examined the various replies, it was decided to improve the questionnaire. A new draft questionnaire was presented to the Group (CEPEJ-SATURN(2012)13), as well as a new draft explanatory note (CEPEJ-SATURN(2012)12).

13.         The Group decided to entrust an expert with the task of checking the data already received, to compare them with the national data, to explain, if need be, the differences and finally to improve the questionnaire, as well as the explanatory note and the Excel tables.

14.         The Group decided to renew data collection from the pilot courts based on a revised questionnaire to be adopted at the next meeting of the SATURN Group in 2013. This questionnaire should be tested with some (around 5) pilot courts chosen among those which had not yet replied in the past (for instance the court of Dornach in Switzerland) and then extended to the whole network at the end of May 2013. The analysis by the expert should be prepared for the 2013 SATURN 2nd meeting.

4.            Length of court proceedings in the member states based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights

15.         The Group examined the revised version of the report on “Length of court proceedings in the member states of the Council of Europe based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights” prepared by the scientific experts Françoise CALVEZ and Nicolas RÉGIS (CEPEJ-SATURN(2012)2) and expressed its gratitude for the work accomplished.

16.         The Group decided to modify the introduction of the report and to specify that the timeframes indicated by the case-law of the ECHR constitute only the minimum to reach and do not constitute always the standards to be promoted by the CEPEJ (reference to make to the Framework programme of the CEPEJ). Subject to this modification, it decided to submit the report to the CEPEJ for adoption during the next plenary meeting so that it can be published in the CEPEJ Studies.

5.            Analysis of the recent ECtHR case-law on reasonable time 

17.         The President presented the latest ECtHR judgements referring to CEPEJ, which concerned 2 cases: Michelioudakis vs Grèce and Idalov vs Russia.

18.         The Group examined the fact sheet on pilot judgments prepared by the Press Unit of the ECtHR. The Group requested the Secretariat to check before the next meeting, within the activity report of the Department for the execution of ECtHR judgments, if the measures proposed in the pilot judgements to reduce the timeframes of proceedings were implemented and had proved their efficiency.

19.         The Group agreed that a column to examine whether there is an effective remedy would be added to the questionnaire.

20.         The Group agreed that the number of pending cases on Article 6 was a relevant indicator but always had to be reported to the population and to the number of judgments deciding on a violation.

21.         The experts proposed to send to each ECtHR judge the relevant CEPEJ tools and to propose to the staff of the court a specific training on these tools.

  

6.            Continuous improvement of data collection (projects 5 and 6)

 

22.         According the Strategic plan for the SATURN Centre (CEPEJ(2011)5Rev2), in order to help member states to deliver complete data, it is necessary to evaluate the quality of data.

23.         The SATURN Group exchanged views on the opportunity to start a project on that topic at this stage. It was decided that the Secretariat would prepare a list of the countries which provide, within the framework of the evaluation cycle (chapter 9 of the CEPEJ report), good quality data regularly and those which do not, in order to encourage them to make more contribution to the work of the SATURN Centre. 

7.            Adaptation of the SATURN Guidelines (Project 8)

24.         The Group examined draft proposals of possible modifications to the SATURN Guidelines for judicial time management and examples of commentaries to the guidelines prepared by Jon JOHNSEN. The Secretariat would introduce the changes proposed in the Guidelines.

25.         It also examined the comments and implementation examples regarding the SATURN Guidelines for judicial time management prepared by Marco FABRI and N. CARBONI. The Group agreed on this document but decided to modify its presentation to make it easier to read:

-                                               to add “Headings” on each section and to put one guideline per

page;

-                                               to add a table and an index;

-                                               to classify the countries by alphabetical order.

Marco FABRI was requested to prepare the new text accordingly and also integrate an editorial comment into SATURN Guidelines. These documents would be sent to the CEPEJ members.

26.         The Group indicated that this document was an evolutive one, which would be enriched by new examples in the future.

27.         The Group agreed that SATURN Guidelines should be translated into each member state’s language. The universities from member states, national experts, and Ministries of Justice of member states were suggested as the most relevant institutions to undertake this process.

28.         The Group discussed the possibility of introducing, for some case categories, oral judgements. It entrusted the Secretariat to study the issue and John STACEY to prepare a report on such practice in England and Wales. The idea could be further tested with the pilot courts.

8.            Definition of standards/targets on judicial timeframes (Project 9)

29.         The Group examined a document, prepared by the President, presenting an example of targets approved by contract in a 1st instance court (CEPEJ-SATURN(2012)17).

30.         The Group decided to entrust Marco FABRI with the task to prepare a first draft document on standard timeframes for the duration of proceedings per case category, to be indicated as a volume of cases to be addressed by the court in a given period (expl: “60 % of the divorce cases without mutual consent to be addressed within one year”). The Secretariat was requested to prepare for him the expert contract.

9.            Targeted actions in the member states and support to courts for implementing the SATURN tools

31.         Giacomo OBERTO indicated that, according to first contacts, visits could be organised to the Court of Appeal of Trieste, the Court of Verona and the Court of Modena, with a view to promoting the SATURN tools in Italy. The Secretariat proposed that subject to an official request for CEPEJ court coaching by one of these courts (preferably a first instance court), and subject to prior information provided to Fabio BARTOLOMEO (CEPEJ member in respect of Italy), a first visit could be organised.

32.         The President of the SATURN Group informed the experts on the court coaching programmes which took place at the Regional court of Tirana (Albania) and the Landgericht of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). A specific Joint programme could be agreed as a follow up to the Albanian cooperation.  

Appendix I

AGENDA / ORDRE DU JOUR

1.            Opening of the meeting / Ouverture de la réunion

2.            Information by the President and members of the Group and the Secretariat /

            Information du Président et membres du Groupe et du Secrétariat

3.            Strategic goals 1 + 3 (Data collection +  Analysis of the data collected)

Objectifs stratégiques 1 + 3 (Collecte de données + Analyse des données collectées)

Ø  Input to start the work  / Miseen route

Rapporteur: Jacques BÜHLER

Ø  Presentation of the collected data / présentation desdonnéescollectées

Ø  Follow up / suite des travaux:

      Project 6 - Evaluation of the quality of the data collected /

      Projet 6 - Évaluation de la qualité des données collectées

Ø   New version of the questionnaire / nouvelle version du questionnaire

Ø  Preparation of the pilot court's meeting / préparation de la réunion avec les tribunaux référents

            Rapporteur: Jacques BÜHLER

Project 3 - Digest of case law of the ECrtHR

      Adoption of the Calvez report updated by Mr. Nicolas Régis / Adoption du rapport Calvez mis à jour par M. Nicolas Régis

      Follow up / suite des travaux:

                        - Adoption by the CEPEJ at the plenary meeting of December 2012 /

                        - Adoption par la CEPEJ lors de la réunion plénière de décembre 2012

                   Rapporteur: Jacques BÜHLER

      to learn about the news cases sinceJuly 2011 / prendre connaissance des nouvelles affaires depuis juillet 2011

      Follow up / suite des travaux :

                   - Ev. integration of the results into projects 8 and 9 / év. intégration des résultats dans les projets 8 et 9

                   Rapporteur: Jacques BÜHLER

4.            Strategic goal 2 - Continuous improvement of data collection /

            Objectif stratégique 2 - Amélioration continue des données collectées

      Discussion about theopportunity to start a project / Discussion de l'opportunité de démarrer un projet

                  Rapporteur: Jacques BÜHLER

5.            Strategic goal 4 - Adoption of standards relating to judicial timeframes /

Objectif stratégique 4 - Adoption de normes en matière de délais judiciaires

           

     

-       Draft proposals of possible modifications of the SATURN Guidelines for judicial time management based on the recent development of the case-law of the ECtHR (see point 20 of the SATURN meeting report of February 2012) /

-       Projet de propositions de modifications éventuelles des lignes directrices SATURN pour la gestion du temps judiciaire sur la base de l'évolution de la jurisprudence de la CrEDH (voir ch. 20 du rapport de réunion SATURN de février 2012)

Rapporteur: Jon JOHNSEN

             Draft explanatory notes to the SATURN Guidelines / Projet de notice explicative des Lignes directrices SATURN

          Rapporteurs: Marco FABRI and Jon JOHNSEN (for concrete proposals of examples of commentaries to the Guidelines, see point 24 of the SATURN meeting report of February 2012)

      Draft definition of targets for judicial timeframes / Projet d'objectifs en matière de délais judiciaires

                        Rapporteur: Marco FABRI

6.            Strategic goals 5, 6 and 7 - Dissemination of the standards and information relating to judicial timeframes + Active promotion of the use of judicial time management tools + Aid to the implementation of judicial time management tools  /

Objectifs stratégiques 5, 6 et 7 - Diffusion des normes et des informations en matière de délais judiciaires + Promotion active de l’utilisation des outils de gestion des délais judiciaires + Aide à la mise en oeuvre des outils de gestion des délais judiciaires

      Information about the EGPA Conference in Bergen (Norway) / informations concernant la conférence EGPA de Bergen (Norvège)

                   Rapporteur: Jon JOHNSEN

      Discussion about the possibilities to promote the SATURN tools in Italy / Discussion des possibilités de promouvoir les outils SATURN en Italie

                  Rapporteur: Giacomo OBERTO

      Information about the coaching programm in the Tirana District Court (Albania) and the Landgericht Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) / Information concernant les programme de coaching au sein du Tribunal de district de Tirana (Albanie) et du Landgericht de Fribourg en Brisgau (Allemagne)

            Rapporteur: Jacques BÜHLER

Other coaching programms / autres programmes d'aide

            Rapporteurs: All SATURN members and observers / tous les membres et observateurs de SATURN

7.            Follow up to the work / Suite des travaux

Appendix II

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS / LISTE DES PARTICIPANTS

Irakli ADEISHVILI, Chairman, Chamber of Civil Cases, Tbilisi City Court, TBILISI, GEORGIA

Apologised / Excusé

Ivana BORZOVÁ, Head, Department of Civil Supervision, Ministry of Justice, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

Jacques BÜHLER, Secrétaire Général suppléant, Tribunal fédéral suisse, LAUSANNE, SUISSE (Chair of the Group / Président du Groupe)

Francesco DEPASQUALE, Ministry representative, Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, VALLETTA, MALTA

Jon T. JOHNSEN, Professor in Law, Faculty of law, University of Oslo, NORWAY, 

Giacomo OBERTO, Magistrat, Tribunal de Grande Instance, TURIN, ITALIE

John STACEY, International Consultant for Court Administration, Northamptonshire, UNITED KINGDOM (President of the CEPEJ / Président de la CEPEJ)

***

INVITED STATE / PAYS INVITE

Abdallah BOUJIDA, Président du tribunal de première instance de Casablanca (pôle civil), CASABLANCA, MAROC

Abdelaziz ISSERSSIF, Président du tribunal de première instance de Sidi Kacem, SIDI KACEM, MAROC

Abdelmati EL KADDOURI, Président du Tribunal administratif d’Agadir, AGADIR, MAROC

 

***

Scientific Expert / Expert scientifique

Marco FABRI, Director, Research Institute on Judicial Systems, National Research Council (IRSIG-CNR), BOLOGNA, ITALY

***

OBSERVERS / OBSERVATEURS

EUROPEAN UNION OF RECHTSPFLEGER AND COURT CLERKS/UNION EUROPEENNE DES GREFFIERS DE JUSTICE (EUR)

Michel CRAMET, Directeur Délégué à l’Administration Régionale Judiciaire, Cour d'appel de LYON France - Apologised / Excusé

EUROPEAN COMMISSION / COMMISSION EUROPEENNE : Apologised / Excusée

 WORLD BANK / BANQUE MONDIALE : Apologised / Excusée

***

COUNCIL OF EUROPE / CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE

SECRETARIAT

Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI)

 Division for the Independence and Efficiency of Justice /

Direction Générale des droits de l’Homme et de l‘Etat de droit (DGI)

 Division pour l’indépendance et l’efficacité de la justice

 Fax: +33 3 88 41 37 43

e-mail: [email protected]

Stéphane LEYENBERGER, Secretary of the CEPEJ / Secrétaire de la CEPEJ, Tel : +33 3 88 41 34 12, e-mail: [email protected]

Muriel DECOT, Co-Secretary of the CEPEJ / Co-secrétaire de la CEPEJ, Tél: +33 3 90 21 44 55, e-mail : [email protected]

Hasan HENDEK, Special Advisor to the Secretariat of the CEPEJ / Conseiller spécial auprès du Secrétariat de la CEPEJ, Tel: +33 3 90 21 58 74, e-mail: [email protected]

Jean-Pierre GEILLER, Documentation, Tél : +33 3 88 41 22 27, e-mail : [email protected]

Elisabeth HEURTEBISE, Assistant/Assistante, Tel : +33 3 88 41 35 54, Fax : +33 3 88 41 37 43, e-mail: [email protected]

INTERPRETERS / INTERPRETES

Lucie DE BURLET

Starr PIROT