CEPEJ(2018)29

7 November 2018

EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF JUSTICE (CEPEJ)

European Day of Justice 2018

Report of events organised in the

Council of Europe member States


1.     Objectives

By the joint organisation of the European Day of Justice, the European Commission and the Council of Europe support initiatives which aim to bring justice closer to citizens. This Day represents an opportunity to inform citizens of their rights and offer them a better understanding of the functioning of the judicial systems through events organised mainly by courts. On this occasion, the work of the European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ) and of the European Commission is highlighted as a real support for justice professionals.

2.     Resources, support and visibility by the Council of Europe and the European Commission

·         The celebration of the European Day of Justice has been marked by the Council of Europe by a commitment video message from the Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and a Facebook live session with the Association of Students in Law “ELSA”. The Facebook live session had 16 000 views, 142 shares and 243 likes.

Ø  Link to the CEPEJ special file “European Day of Justice” : https://www.coe.int/en/web/cepej/events/european-day-of-justice

3.     Summary

As in the 2017 edition of the European Day of Justice, the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE) made a significant contribution by organising the third  edition of the open days of the “Notaries of Europe” which took place around the European day of Justice (25 October 2018).

In total, 41 events have been organised throughout 17 different countries. A statistical overview of the events organised by country since 2003 appears in Appendix I.

a)     Extent

In some countries, the events have been organised throughout the whole country (example: Belgium, Estonia,  the Netherlands and Azerbaijan: free infosessions for citizens).

b)    Duration

Some events lasted a whole week (example: thematic lectures from 22 to 28 October in Croatia at faculties of law, nursing homes and other institutions).

c)     Commitment

High level personalities have been engaged in the celebration of this day (example: Croatia: International Conference with the participation of the Minister of Justice and Portugal: publication by the Minister of justice of an e-book on civil justice).

d)    Public

The public concerned by the events have been citizens (particular events for families that cannot afford advices from notariats in normal circumstances, farmers, institutions hosting aged people, expatriated families), justice professionals, law students and politicians.

e)     Media

The events have been published on different media and/or information platforms: Newspapers, radiostations, websites, hotlines, TV channels (example: Broadcast of the President of Chamber of Notaries of Slovenia on national television), social media (example: Council of Europe facebook live and Facebook live of the Italian Notariat and Il sole 24 in Italy)

f)     Thematics

The following thematics have been in the light of this year’s European day of justice:

Ø  Citizens’ rights:

Some of the events have been organised to provide free legal aid by lawyers (for example in Azerbaijan), especially for families with lower income), along with verbal legal advice, preparation of written applications to various public bodies and other free legal service. The following subjects have been proposed:

-          setting up of testaments;

-          the new “Protection of Adults Act”;

-          the power of attorney;

-          questions of real estate ;

-          the possibility to get a land register record free of charge ;

-          anticipated powers of attorney and living wills ;

-          the new European regulations on matrimonial property regimes and the property consequences of registered partnerships";

-          family law : the two recent regulations matrimonial property regimes and the regulation on cross-border divorces (Rome III);  

-          how to plan the succession;

-          court open days;

-          the security of your assets;

-          information sessions about the constitution;

-          the accessibility of notarial services to citizens. 

Ø  Functioning of the judicial system

-          Presentations of the role, function and work of notaries in the Republic of Slovenia and the European union;

-          governing inheritance statutes after the entry into force of EU succession regulation;

-          human trafficking and assessment of the situation regarding migrants and refugees;

-          alternative Dispute Resolution – the Cooperation between the Public Sector and Judiciary with the Economic Sector”;

-          promotion of mediation activities;

-          judicial agreements between France and Germany;

-          the European Charter of Fundamental Rights: protecting European citizens from religious and political extremism that threatens Europe";

-          the Hague Conference and the Hague Conventions and their application;

-          competition about essays on “justice and law” and art work “labyrinth of law”;

-          information about court procedures for pilot courts;

-          presentation of a Procedural fairness project

-          CEPEJ report “Européen judicial systems – efficiency and quality of justice”

The detailed list of events is available on the CEPEJ website; www.coe.int/cepej.

Short overview of the list of events:

         

Countries in which events have been organised

Austria

·                6 October 2018 : Österreichische Notariatskammer, Bregenz: free consultations in all Chambers of Notariat

Azerbaijan

·                12 October 2018 Khizi district of Azerbaijan free legal aid for low-income families residing in Khizi district and neighbouring regions 

·                20 October 2018 in Ganja: free legal aid for low-income families residing in Ganja city and neighbouring regions

·                25 October 2018: “open door” day of all the courts in the country and electronic copies of the 2018 edition of the CEPEJ report "European judicial systems - efficiency and quality of justice" have been disseminated among the management of the Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Council, etc.

Belgium

·                22 October 2018 : Information meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgium, Brussels and Chamber of Notaries of Slovenia / Notarska zbornica Slovenije.

·                23 October 2018, Brussels : Conference "The new European regulations on matrimonial property regimes and the property consequences of registered partnerships"

·                23 October 2018, Chambers of notaries of all provinces: Free infosessions "How do I plan my succession ?"

·                24 October 2018, Chambers of notaries of all French speaking provinces: Conference for the public "How do I plan my succession ?"

·                25 October 2018, Espace Banca Monte Paschi Belgio, Avenue d’Auderghem 22-28, 1040 Belgium, Closing seminar of the programme “Governing inheritance statutes after the entry into force of EU succession regulation”

Bosnia and Herzegovina

·                30 October 2018 at the Cantonal court in Novi Travnik:
Court open day and Round Table: "Human trafficking and assessment of the situation regarding migrants and refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina"

Croatia

·                22-28 October 2018 : Premises of of the Croatian Notaries Chamber and several other locations: Round table in the Chamber ; thematic lectures (anticipated powers of attorney and living wills) at the four Faculties of law ; presentations in nursing homes and other institutions

·                23 & 24 October 2018 : Zagreb, Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts

Estonia

·                17 October 2018 : Introduction to notary's work and services : consultations in Notaries' offices

"The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

·                25 October 2018: Court open days for citizens and presentation of the courts to students. Promotion of the mediation activities in the city center of Skopje

France

·                27 September, 25 October, 6 November and 17 november 2018: Meetings at which French and Dutch notaries inform Dutch citizens in France about family law, inheritance law and real estate

Germany

·                9 November 2018 : Bundesamt für Justiz - Bonn

·                25 October 2018: Bavarian Chamber of Notaries: Hotline for citizens

·                24 October in Leipzig, 29 October in Dresden, 5 November in Bautzen, 8 November in Chemnitz: Readers' forums of the Chambre des notaires de la Sachse (presentation followed by a question-and-answer session with citizens)

·                24 October in Marienberg and Oschatz and 25 October in Dresden: Presentation on notarial activity and possibility of information for citizens

·                24 October 2018 : Chamber of Notaries of Rhineland-Palatinate: "Notarial meeting" with the farmers' federation

Italy

·                7 November 2018 : Facebook (Italian Notariat and Il Sole 24) live for legal practitioners (notaries, lawyers, etc.). The event will focus on European Family law : the two recent regulations matrimonial property regimes and the regulation on cross-border divorces (Rome III)  

·                25 October 2018 in Turin: Conference: "The European Charter of Fundamental Rights: protecting European citizens from religious and political extremism that threatens Europe"

Malta

·                25 October 2018 : event at the University Campus serving as an information point and outreach to students and the general public about the pivotal role of the Notary in Matrimonial, Property and Succession matters, focusing on the effective implementation and enforcement of the recent European Regulations on Matrimonial Property Regimes and Registered

The Netherlands

·                3 november 2018, Chambers of notaries in all the country: Public action on the occasion of the 175th birthday of the Chamber of Notaries

Poland

·                24 November 2018 in 18 cities in Varsaw: free discussions in Notaria chambers "Talk to the notary about how to ensure the security of your assets"

Portugal

·                Portuguese Ministry of Justice will publish another e-book on civil Justice. This year’s e-book will celebrate the 125 anniversary of the Hague Conference and will deal with some of the Hague Conventions and its application in the Portuguese legal order

Slovak Republic

·                22-26 October 2018: Consultations provided via an email address, where citizens can write their questions. They will receive responses during the following weekContact: [email protected]

·                24 October 2018: Presentation of notarial activities on academic grounds, in the form of lectures by representatives of the Notary chamber for students of law faculties.Contact: [email protected]

·                27 September 2018 :  Open day - Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic

Slovenia

·                25 October 2018 : 

o      Integration of Slovenian notaries in European Day of Civil justice – open day – Civil law – the accessibility of notarial services to citizens. 

o      the pilot courts will receive information brochures on different types of court procedures, a map of Ljubljana court premises and the web page nasodiscu.si (in-court-you-are) will go live.

·                The president of Chamber of Notaries of Slovenia will appear in a broadcast on national television on 24th and 25th October 2018 and will respond to the questions of the audience live regarding the issues of civil law, especially family law.

·                24 October 2018 : presentation of the Procedural fairness project

·                22 October 2018 : Information meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Belgium, Brussels and Chamber of Notaries of Slovenia / Notarska zbornica Slovenije.

Spain

·                25 October 2018, General Council of Notaries : Informative campaign in media, internet and twitter

4.     Conclusions


Since the creation of the European Day of Justice by the Council of Europe and the European Commission, among the countries that have been organising events by year Germany has shown to be the most dynamic country (15 events since the beginning, which means every year except in 2005), followed by Italy (14), by Bosnia and Herzegovina (12) and Slovenia (11).

Since 2016, the European Day of Justice has gained a new dynamic among the engagement of countries in the organisation of events to bring justice closer to citizens.


APPENDIX I : EDJ participation rate since its creation (2003)

Country

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

TOTAL since 2003

Armenia

1

1

2

Austria

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

8

Azerbaijan

1

1

1

3

Belgium

1

1

1

1

4

Bosnia & Herzegovina

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

12

Croatia

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

8

Cyprus

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

7

Czech Republic

1

1

1

1

1

1

6

Estonia

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

8

Finland

1

1

2

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

1

1

1

1

1

5

France

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

9

Germany

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

15

Georgia

1

Greece

1

1

1

3

Hungary

1

1

1

1

4

Ireland

1

1

2

Italy

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

14

Latvia

1

1

1

3

Lithuania

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

8

Luxembourg

1

1

Malta

1

1

1

1

1

1

6

Norway

1

1

2

Republic of Moldova

1

1

1

1

1

1

6

The Netherlands

1

1

1

1

1

1

6

Poland

1

1

1

1

1

5

Portugal

1

1

1

1

1

5

Romania

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

8

Serbia

1

1

1

1

1

5

Slovenia

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

11

Slovakia

1

1

1

3

Spain

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

5

Sweden

1

1

Switzerland

1

1

Turkey

1

1

Ukraine

1

1

2

United Kingdom

1

1

1

1

1

5

TOTAL COUNTRIES

8

6

5

9

9

12

15

15

17

11

14

13

10

19

18

17