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Partnership for Good Governance
October 2022 - June 2023
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The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić and European Union Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi launched on 27 February 2023 the third phases of the Partnership for Good Governance (PGG) and Horizontal Facility (HF). The PGG will continue providing tailor-made support to Eastern Partnership countries to bring their legislation and practice closer to European standards in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy. Progress in the EU accession agenda is in focus for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as are improved European perspectives for Georgia. The Partnership for Good Governance programme will continue supporting Armenia and Azerbaijan and is also foreseen to support co-operation with representatives of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society.

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The PGG projects under Phase III build on the results of the previous phases of the Partnership for Good Governance (Phase I 2015-2018 and Phase II 2019-2023) in the fields of strengthening justice, countering economic crime, promoting equality and non-discrimination and advancing women’s access to justice and combating violence against women. The Council of Europe and the European Union presented the projects under this new phase in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
Access the project factsheets for more information. ›
KEY ACTIVITIES

Promoting equality and non-discrimination

Ukraine: Meeting with national stakeholders on results obtained since 2019

Regional: two seminars with equality body representatives from Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans [1, 2]. The first marked the international day to counter hate speech, giving an opportunity to raise awareness of the risks posed by hate speech to human rights, democracy and the rule of law and take collective action to implement the principles of the Council of Europe Recommendation on Combating Hate Speech. The second allowed for exchange on best practices and harmonisation of their approach in combating discrimination, hatred and racism, in particular their needs in view of the adaptation of local legislations and policies to align with European standards including the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan as well as relevant recommendations from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance and other relevant standards.

Countering economic crime

Armenia: Workshop on risk-based Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulation and supervision in the area of virtual assets aiming to support the representatives of the supervisory authorities of the financial sector of Armenia to discuss and enhance risk-based AML/CFT regulation and supervision of virtual asset service providers, and the area of virtual assets more broadly.

Azerbaijan: Workshop on the latest mechanisms for confiscation of proceeds from crime aiming to reinforce the judicial staff and law enforcement’s knowledge and skills on the types and techniques of confiscation as well as management of seized and confiscated assets.

Strengthening justice

Armenia: The new website of the Armenian Court of Cassation is now online, ensuring better access to decisions and increase public confidence and transparency. Developed with the support of the PGG.

Georgia: High-level conference “Criminal Justice legal framework: Areas for further improvement and ongoing reform in Georgia” on legislative and practical issues to be addressed for the further improvement of the criminal justice legislative framework, including outstanding issues requiring effective actions by the authorities in the context of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.

Republic of Moldova: Launch of JUSTAT AIS, a tool that will help Moldovan authorities to improve efficiency and transparency of courts.

QUICK RESPONSE MECHANISM
QUICK RESPONSE MECHANISM

The Venice Commission adopted the following legal opinions:

ARMENIA

Amicus curiae Brief for the Constitutional Court of Armenia on certain questions relating to the Law on the Forfeiture of Assets of Illicit Origin (16-17 December 2022)

GEORGIA

Urgent opinion on the Draft Law on the Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code adopted by the Parliament of Georgia on 7 June 2022, issued on 26 August 2022 pursuant to Article 14a of the Venice Commission’s Rules of Procedure (21-22 October 2022)

Joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on draft amendments to the Election Code and the Law on Political Associations of Citizens, approved by the Council for Democratic Elections at its 75th meeting (16-17 December 2022)

Interim opinion on the draft law on de-oligarchisation (10-11 March 2023)

Follow-up Opinion to four previous opinions concerning the Organic Law on Common Courts (10-11 March 2023)

REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

Opinion on amendments to the Audiovisual Media Services Code and to some Normative Acts including the ban on symbols associated with and used in military aggression actions (21-22 October 2022)

Joint opinion on the draft electoral code approved by the Council for Democratic Elections at its 74th meeting (21-22 October 2022)

Joint amicus curiae Brief of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR relating to the offence of illicit enrichment (21-22 October 2022)

Amicus curiae Brief on the clarity of provisions on combating extremist activities (21-22 October 2022)

Joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe on the draft law on the Supreme Court of Justice (21-22 October 2022)

Joint follow-up opinion of the Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe to the opinion on the Draft Law on the Supreme Court of Justice (16-17 December 2022)

Opinion on the draft law on the Intelligence and Security Service, as well as on the draft law on counterintelligence and external intelligence activity (10-11 March 2023)

RESOURCES: WHAT IS NEW?
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
 
 

JUDICIAL REFORM

 
GENDER EQUALITY
 
STAY UPDATED: FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
STAY UPDATED: FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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