Strasbourg, 27 March 2015
CEPEJ-GT-EVAL(2015)6
EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF JUSTICE
(CEPEJ)
WORKING GROUP ON THE EVALUATION OF JUDICIAL SYSTEMS
(CEPEJ-GT-EVAL)
27th meeting
19-20 February 2015
MEETING REPORT
Document prepared by the Secretariat
Directorate General I – Human Rights and Rule of Law
INTRODUCTION
1. The Working Group on the evaluation of judicial systems (CEPEJ-GT-EVAL) of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) held its 27th meeting on 19 and 20 February 2015, in Paris under the presidency of Jean-Paul JEAN (France).
2. The agenda and the list of participants appear respectively in appendices I and II to this report.
I. INFORMATION BY THE SECRETARIAT AND MEMBERS OF THE GT-EVAL
3. The Secretariat of the CEPEJ introduces to the Working Group, Mrs Lidjia NAUMOVSKA, statistician, who has integrated the Secretariat of the CEPEJ on 1 December 2014.
4. The Secretariat also informs the Working Group of the decision from the CEPEJ Bureau to include Mrs Simone KRESS (Germany) as a member of the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL replacing Georg STAWA (Austria) following his election as President of the CEPEJ.
II. EVALUATION OF JUDICIAL SYSTEMS
a. Presentation of the media coverage on the report “European judicial systems”, 2014 edition (2012 data)
5. The President presents the document CEPEJ-GT-EVAL(2015)2 prepared by the Secretariat which summarizes the media coverage of the report “European judicial systems”, 2014 edition. The main topics that were brought up by the media are the budget allocated to the judicial systems, legal aid and salaries.
b. Launching of the 2014-2016 cycle
6. The President of the CEPEJ stresses that the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL should in the future:
i. refine the methods of collection
ii. improve data presentation
iii. implement a tool facilitating analyses for people using data collected by the CEPEJ.
7. The Working Group then studies and amends the documents prepared by the Secretariat in order to review the evaluation scheme for the next cycle:
- the document CEPEJ-GT-EVAL(2015)1 presents the evaluation scheme as a whole;
- the document CEPEJ-GT-EVAL (2015)3 on the use of information technologies;
- the document CEPEJ-GT-EVAL (2015)4 on performance and evaluation.
8. The International Union of Bailiffs (UIHJ) and the European Expertise and Expert Institute (EEEI) submit to the Secretariat written proposals of amendments.
9. The President reminds that the part related to the use of IT should allow assessing the efficiency and quality of the system. He entrusts the Secretariat to prepare a new project related to these questions and to send it to the members of the GT-EVAL. The latters will have to test this project in their IT services and then will have to submit the results to the Secretariat.
10. The Working Group entrusts the Secretariat to amend the questionnaire and the explanatory note in accordance with the discussions and contributions received (during the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL meeting and after the test applied to the questionnaire CEPEJ-GT-EVAL(2015)3) and to submit to it for comments with a view to an adoption by written procedure.
11. The Secretariat reminds the schedule of the 2014-2016 cycle launching :
- adoption of the evaluation scheme and the explanatory note by written procedure before 1 May 2015;
- opening of the electronic scheme to the national correspondents from 15 May 2015 to 31 December 2015.
12. The European Union member states participating to the “Study on the functioning of judicial systems in the European Union member states” prepared for the European Commission and aimed at the preparation of the Justice Scoreboard 2016 (2014 data), will have to answer to the questions concerned by 1 October 2015 at the latest. (See paragraphs 13 to 16 of this meeting report).
III. STUDY FOR THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON THE FUNCTIONING OF JUDICIAL SYSTEMS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES
13. The Secretariat informs the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL regarding the progress of the “Study on the functioning of judicial systems in the European Union member states” prepared for the European Commission and aimed at the Justice Scoreboard 2015.
14. This study is made from an extract (37 questions) of the CEPEJ questionnaire and it is mainly based on 2013 data. 2010 and 2012 data are also used for comparisons. Three countries do not participate to the study: Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
15. A first part of this study, which has 100 tables and the related comments, has been delivered to the European Commission on 1 December 2014. The second part, which has 25 country sheets, has been delivered to the European Commission on 20 January 2015. Following the comments from the latter, the final version has been delivered on 16 February 2015.
16. The representative of the European Commission, Mrs Elsa GARCIA-MALTRAS, congratulates the Secretariat for the quality both of the work provided and the communication. She also acknowledges the effort provided by the Secretariat to integrate the data late received. Finally, she stresses that the study is a success with regard to the large number of states participating.
17. Some members of the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL indicate having received from the European Commission, in parallel, specific questionnaires on the promotion of alternative dispute resolutions and the communication policies of courts.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PEER EVALUATION COOPERATION PROCESS
a. Serbia
18. A visit by the peers should in principle be organised in Serbia subject to confirmation by the Serbian authorities.
b. Lithuania
19. The Lithuanian authorities have already indicated the possibility to organise a visit by the peers in May or October 2015. The Secretariat is currently forming the experts’ team.
V. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
20. Frans Van der DOELEN (Netherlands) propose to the Working Group to consider a new study based on indicators of efficiency and quality of the judicial system or based on data collected by the CEPEJ between 2006 and 2012 for some countries.
21. The Working Group welcomes this initiative and decides to test it in the following countries: Austria, France, Netherlands, UK-England and Wales and Poland. The results of this test will be presented to the plenary meeting of the CEPEJ which will be held on 9 and 10 July in Strasbourg. The study could be continued for other states for which the results would be presented to the CEPEJ plenary meeting of December 2015. The Working Group observes that it is an important work to be done in a short time without, however, deciding who is responsible.
22. Due to lack of time, some points of the agenda have not been dealt with so they will be discussed during the next Working Group meeting.
23. The next CEPEJ-GT-EVAL meeting should be held on 4 and 6 November 2015 in Strasbourg. A meeting of the national correspondents will be held on 5 November 2015 in Strasbourg.
Appendix I
AGENDA
1. Adoption of the agenda / Adoption de l’ordre du jour
2. Information by the Secretariat and the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL members / Information du Secrétariat et des membres du CEPEJ-GT-EVAL
3. Evaluation of judicial systems / Evaluation des systèmes judiciaires
i. Presentation of the media impact of the CEPEJ report “European judicial system – Edition 2014” / Présentation de l’impact médiatique du rapport “Systèmes judiciaires européens – Edition 2014”
ii. Launching of the 2014 - 2016 cycle / Lancement du cycle 2014 – 2016
a. Revision of the Evaluation Scheme / Révision de la Grille d’évaluation
i. Evaluation Scheme / Grille d’évaluation
ii. Specific scheme "use of technologies in courts" / Questionnaire spécifique « utilisation des technologies dans les tribunaux »
iii. Specific scheme "performance and evaluation" / Questionnaire spécifique « performance et évaluation »
b. Setting-up of a possible data-bank/ Mise en place d’une éventuelle banque de données
4. Study for the European Commission on the functioning of judicial systems in the member States of the European Union (Scoreboard of justice) / Etude pour la Commission européenne sur le fonctionnement des systèmes judiciaires dans les Etats membres de l’Union européenne (Tableau de bord de la justice)
5. Implementation of the pilot peer evaluation co-operation process / Mise en œuvre du processus de coopération à travers une évaluation par les pairs
i. Serbia / Serbie
ii. Lithuanie / Lituanie
6. CEPEJ co-operation programmes / Programmes de coopération de la CEPEJ
i. Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan / Maroc, Tunisie et Jordanie
Revision of the data-keys scheme / Révision du questionnaire des données-clés
ii. Croatia / Croatie
iii. Other co-operation programmes / Autres programmes de coopération
7. Any other business / Questions diverses
i. Establishment of an « Observatory of Justice in the Member States of the Council of Europe» / Mise en place d’un “observatoire de la justice des pays membres du Conseil de l’Europe”
ii. Report on the impact of human ressources regarding the development of new technologies / Rapport sur l’impact du développement des nouvelles technologies pour les ressources humaines
Appendix II
List of Participants / Liste des participants
Experts
Ramin GURBANOV, Judge, Baku City Yasamal District court, BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, e-mail: [email protected]
Georg STAWA, Chair of the CEPEJ / Président de la CEPEJ, Head of Department Pr 8, Projects, Strategy and Innovation, Federal Ministry of Justice, Museumstrasse 7, 1016 Vienna, AUSTRIA, e-mail: [email protected]
Adis HODZIC, Senior Advisor for Statistics High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kraljice Jelene 88, 7100 SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, e-mail: [email protected]
Jean-Paul JEAN, President of the GT-EVAL / Président du GT-EVAL, Président de chambre, Directeur du service de documentation, des études et du rapport, Chef du service des relations internationales, Cour de cassation, 5, Quai de l’Horloge, 75055 PARIS Cedex 01, e-mail : [email protected]
Simone KREβ, Judge, Higher Regional Court of Köln, Reichenspergerplatz 1, 50670 KÖLN, GERMANY, e-mail: [email protected] apologised / excusée
Stéphanie MOUROU VIKSTRÖM, Premier juge au Tribunal de première instance, Palais de Justice, 5 rue Colonel Bellando de Castro, 98 000 MONACO, e-mail : [email protected]; [email protected]
Frans Van der DOELEN, Programme Manager of the Department of the Justice System, Ministry of Justice, Postbox 20301, 2500 THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS, e-mail: [email protected]
Scientific experts / Expert scientifiques
Munira Dossaji, Principal Operational Research Analyst , Strategy and Innovation Team, Human Rights and International Directorate, Floor 6, 102 Petty France, LONDON SW1H 9AJ, UNITED KINGDOM, e-mail: [email protected]
Beata Z. GRUSZCZYŃSKA, Institute of Justice, Professor at University of Warsaw and Institute of Justice, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 25, 00-950 WARSAW, POLAND, e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Other expert / Autre expert
Laetitia BRUNIN, Adjointe au sous-directeur de la statistique et des études, Secrétariat général du ministère de la Justice, 2-14 rue des Cévennes, 75015 PARIS, FRANCE, e-mail: [email protected]
Isabelle PAPP, Ministry of Justice, Museumstraße 7, 1070 VIENNA, AUSTRIA, e-mail: [email protected]
Observers / Observateurs
EUROPEAN EXPERTISE AND EXPERT INSTITUTE / INSTITUT EUROPEEN DE L’EXPERTISE ET DE L’EXPERT (EEEI), Jean-Raymond LEMAIRE, Président de l’EEEI, 17 rue Louise Michel, 92300 Levallois Perret, e-mail : [email protected]
European Union of Rechtspfleger / Union européenne des greffiers de justice et Rechtspfleger (EUR), Maryse GALON, Secrétaire Générale (E.U.R), 7, rue de la Vigne, 53200 GENNES SUR GLAIZE, e-mail: [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BAILIFFS / UNION INTERNATIONALE DES HUISSIERS DE JUSTICE ET OFFICIERS JUDICIAIRES (UIHJ), Mathieu CHARDON, Huissier de justice, Premier secrétaire de l’UIHJ, 1 rue Chantreine, 78490 MONFORT L’AMAURY, FRANCE, e-mail : [email protected]
European Union Institutions / Institutions de l’Union européenne
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT / PARLEMENT EUROPEEN
Claudine JACOB, Administrator for a Parliamentary body, Secretariat of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, European Parliament, e-mail: [email protected]
EUROPEAN COMMISSION / COMMISSSION EUROPEENNE
Elsa GARCIA-MALTRAS, Directorate General Justice, European Commission, Rue de la Loi MO59 3/78, 1049 BRUXELLES e-mail : [email protected]
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION / CONSEIL DE L’UNION EUROPEENNE
Pawel NALEWAJKO, Fundamental Rights and Criminal Justice, DG D - Justice and Home Affairs, General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, Office 20 MN 17 (Justus Lipsius), 175, Rue de la Loi, 1048 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, e-mail: [email protected]
Other participants / Autres participants
Bartolomeo CAPPELLINA, Doctorant, Centre Emily Durkheim, Sciences Po Bordeaux, 11 allée Ausone, 33607, Pessac Cedex, FRANCE, e-mail: [email protected]
Secretariat
DGI – Human Rights and Rule of Law
Division for the Independence and Efficiency of Justice/
DGI - Droits de l’Homme et Etat de droit
Division pour l’indépendance et l’efficacité de la justice
Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 37 43
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]
Christel SCHURRER, Secretary of the CEPEJ-GT-EVAL / Secrétaire du CEPEJ-GT-EVAL, Tél : +33 3 90 21 56 97, e-mail :[email protected]
Yannick MENECEUR, Special Advisor to the Secretariat of the CEPEJ / Conseiller spécial auprès du Secrétariat de la CEPEJ, Tél : 33 3 90 21 53 59, e-mail : [email protected]
Lidija NAUMOVSKA, Statistician, / statisticienne, Tél. :+33 3 88 41 22 49, e-mail: [email protected]
INTERPRETERS /INTERPRETES
Philip MINNS
Elodie PASQUIER
Claudine PIERSON