Jordan

Online conference on “Consumer protection: Mechanisms and challenges”

Details
Published: October 15, 2020
IRZ expert Dr. Dorothee Weckerling-Wilhelm (centre), head of department at the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, with IRZ head of section, Sidi Mohamed Khairy (left) and IRZ project manager Asma Dhib
IRZ expert Dr. Dorothee Weckerling-Wilhelm (centre), head of department at the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, with IRZ head of section, Sidi Mohamed Khairy (left) and IRZ project manager Asma Dhib
Jordan

On 5, 7 and 12 October 2020, the first exchange of experiences on “Consumer protection: mechanisms and challenges” was organised by IRZ in partnership with the Jordanian Ministry of Industry and Trade. The online conference was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV).

Jordanian representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and from the Jordanian National Society of Consumer Protection took part in the conference. IRZ head of section, Sidi Mohamed Khairy, welcomed the participants on behalf of IRZ. Ali Talafha, Assistant to the Secretary General for Regional Affairs and Director of the Jordanian National Society of Consumer Protection, represented the Jordanian side in welcoming the participants.

The following IRZ experts took part in the exchange of experiences:

  • Dr. Dorothee Weckerling-Wilhelm, Head of the “Consumer Information, Food Legislation and Product Safety” Department at the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection
  • Dr. Arnd Weishaupt, a judge at the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf
  • Dr. Oisin Morris, a judge at the Local Court of Hamburg-Wandsbek

During the three-day online event, the participants discussed various topics, including:

  • The structures, developments and challenges involved in consumer protection in Germany and Jordan
  • The challenges involved in implementing consumer protection regulations
  • The potential for consumer protection in online retail and on social media
  • Mechanisms for establishing material defects, deficient services and the extent of damage, as well as calling upon expert witnesses in legal disputes

Jordan has been undertaking reforms in the field of consumer protection since the 1990s. In June 2017, the first consumer protection legislation came into force. This led to the establishment of the Jordanian National Society of Consumer Protection. The main role of the society is to provide an executive function, as well as monitoring the implementation of the law. Having operated until now as part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the society is due to be dissolved and reformed as an independent authority under the direct rule of the Jordanian government. In future, the society will also work on further reforms, including improving the legal framework in this field.

The participants made the most of the conference to hold lively discussions and an intense exchange of experiences with the experts. The Jordanian partners of IRZ from the Jordanian Ministry of Industry and Trade are extremely interested in holding further expert talks and in continuing the cooperation in this area.

Online training on the subject of “Fighting organised crime”

Details
Published: September 29, 2020
Graphics: IRZ
Graphics: IRZ
Jordan

In partnership with the Supreme Judicial Council and the Judicial Institute of Jordan, IRZ organised a four-day online training event from 21 to 24 September 2020 on “Fighting organised crime”.

The event was opened by the Director of the Judicial Institute of Jordan, judge Ihsan Barakat. The training session focussed on effective strategies for fighting organised crime, which were discussed using examples from the areas of money laundering and the international drug trade. Other topics discussed during the event were:

  • international legal aid,
  • offences involving economic crime
  • measures to combat economic crime
  • money laundering and the financing of terrorism,
  • data formats used in investigation processes by police and public prosecutors,
  • assessing witness statements and
  • Monitoring international flows of money.

The experts appointed by IRZ were:

  • Jürgen Maurer, former Vice-President of the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA),
  • Andreas Stüve, Senior Public Prosecutor and
  • Stefan Schlotter, Public Prosecutor.

They gave the participants a detailed insight into German investigation strategies in the fight against organised crime and explained how the police and public prosecutors work together in their investigations. The IRZ experts also drew attention to the fact that data processing and the resulting flow of information between investigation authorities in particular must be continuously developed to enhance the success of investigations

The liveliness of the discussions and exchanges between the experts and participants is proof of the continued high level of interest shown by the Jordanian institutions in this subject. IRZ is therefore aiming to continue the partnership with Jordan in the fight against organised crime.

This online training event took place within the framework of the institutional funding provided by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV).

Exchange of experience in Amman on strategies to combat organised crime

Details
Published: July 8, 2019
Participants in the seminar
Participants in the seminar
Jordan

In cooperation with the Amman Public Prosecutor's Office, the IRZ organised an exchange of experience on the subject of "Combating organised crime" on 22 and 23 June 2019. The seminar was staged with the institutional support of the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection.

The seminar focused on the fight against terrorism, in particular the financing of terrorism, and combating money laundering. From the IRZ, the event was assisted by Senior Public Prosecutor Thomas Junge, Berlin Senior Public Prosecutor at the Berlin General Prosecutor's Office, and Jürgen Maurer, former Vice President of the Federal Criminal Police Office. In their presentations delivered on the first day of the seminar, the experts discussed inter alia the German anti-terror strategy and international conventions to combat the financing of terrorism. For the Jordanians, Judge Ahmad Al Qatarneh of the High Judicial Council addressed in his lecture the problem of dealing with minors accused of terrorist acts. Both sides agreed that they did not have any clear assessment or strategy regarding this matter.

The second day of the event was devoted to the topic of "combating money laundering". The discussion focused in particular on issues relating to the specialisation of law enforcement authorities and organising cooperation between the police, the judiciary and the financial sector. The two Jordanian speakers, Dana Junblat and Sawsan Jarrar, representatives of the Jordanian Central Bank who work in the field of financial analysis and combating money laundering and financing of terrorism, related the challenges facing Jordan in this area in very clear terms. These also include compliance with international agreements on combating money laundering.

The very active participation of all participants on both days of the seminar showed that the topics are of major current importance and subjects of controversial discussion both in Germany and in Jordan. Against this background, the IRZ was requested to carry on with and intensify cooperation in this field.