Details

Conference of the Memorandum Group of Associations of Judges in Bonn

Published: December 4, 2019
During the conference
During the conference
Multilateral

On 3 and 4 December 2019, the IRZ, together with the German Association of Judges, organised an international conference of the Memorandum Group of Associations of Judges on “International cooperation in civil and criminal affairs” at the Regional Court of Bonn.

The IRZ has supported the annual expert meetings of the Associations of Judges from Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine and Uzbekistan since 2011. The conference serves as a platform for the exchange of experiences between representatives of the judiciary from all these countries. It enables participants to forge stronger regional links and exchange experiences on similar problems or discuss current legal reforms.

This year’s conference focussed on the following topics:

  • Acceptance and enforcement of judgements
  • Extradition to other countries, including the European arrest warrant
  • International investigations into computer and internet crime

Thirteen representatives of the Associations of Judges in the Memorandum Group took part in this event. The German Association of Judges (DRB) was represented by its Chairman, Jens Gnisa. He opened the conference alongside the President of the Regional Court of Bonn, Dr. Stefan Weismann, and the Managing Director of the IRZ, Dr. Frauke Bachler.

The conference was also supported by five experts from Germany:

  • Dr. Jan Peter Teubel, Department I A 5 (Private International Law), German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection
  • Dr. Sebastian Trautmann, Head of Department III 5 (EU affairs and legal assistance to foreign countries in criminal cases), Ministry of Justice for the North Rhine-Westphalia region
  • Dr. Matthias Modrey, Senior Public Prosecutor, Prosecutor General’s office in Düsseldor
  • Markus Hartmann, Senior Public Prosecutor as Senior Head of Department, Head of the ZAC NRW (Cybercrime Centre)
  • Dr. Barbara Vogelsang, Senior Public Prosecutor, Public Prosecutor's Office in Münster
During the meeting, the German speakers and participants in the conference shed light on many important aspects of international cooperation in civil and criminal affairs, as well as on the associated challenges and potential for finding solutions. This ensured that, once again this year, the event achieved its objective of supporting international dialogue on the rule of law.