In consultation with the funding authority the cooperation with the Russian Federation is suspended until further notice.

Details

Russian Federation - annual report 2019

Published: July 1, 2020
Study trip to Aachen, Trier, Koblenz, Mainz and Frankfurt on the topic of ”Identity and mobility – the legal framework for preservation and modernisation of the cultural heritage in the course of time”: Delegation of Russian local government experts
Study trip to Aachen, Trier, Koblenz, Mainz and Frankfurt on the topic of ”Identity and mobility – the legal framework for preservation and modernisation of the cultural heritage in the course of time”: Delegation of Russian local government experts

Strategic Framework

Legal Policy Starting Point

The conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine continues to overshadow the political and economic relations between Russia and the EU. A German-French initiative at the Normandy Summit in December 2019 helped to broker a ceasefire for eastern Ukraine until the end of the year. Russia and Ukraine have therefore, at least, attempted to reach some form of rapprochement.

Conflict and resistance dominated the agenda on Russia’s domestic political front during 2019 as well. Among other things, there were waves of nationwide protests responding to arrests made during demonstrations. Moreover, the protests centred on the exclusion of independent candidates in regional parliamentary elections, false accusations by the police against journalists and new statutory regulations such as the Internet Act, as well as the expansion of the term ‘foreign agent‘ or the pensions reform.

Despite this difficult political situation and the diplomatic challenges that still need to be overcome, Russia remains an important partner to Germany. It is therefore important to persist with expert discussions at working level and to place hope in the gradual re-establishment of mutual trust.

Overall Concept

In regard to the collaboration between IRZ and its Russian partners, it is vital to focus on the exchange of professional legal know-how and experience in the spirit of a partnership, instead of providing unilateral consulting. With this objective in mind, the priority will be placed, as in the years before, on civil and commercial law and in particular on the area of intellectual property. Other substantial topics include local self-administration, medical law and extensive areas of professional law, especially in regard to lawyers, notaries and patent attorneys.

It will also be important to continue working with law students and young legal professionals within the framework of the cooperation with the legal academies at the Ministry of Justice and the Russian School of Private Law under the President of the Russian Federation. Besides seminars and Round Tables, IRZ again offered the language course “Translation of German Legal Texts“ and provided students with access to German legal literature during the reporting year.

Cooperation with the Russian Federation takes place to some extent as part of the initiative for legal cooperation organised by the Federal Foreign Office.

Focus of Activity in 2019

Civil and Commercial Law

  • Lecture event with discussion of the topic “Out-of-court and in-court mediation“ during the 16th German Week 2019 in St. Petersburg
  • Conference “Current issues relating to the regulation of medical law: Problems between theory and practice“ in Izhevsk
  • International conference on medical law for law students and young legal professionals in Moscow
  • Attendance of the IXth St. Petersburg International Legal Forum by delegates from IRZ and participation of German experts in the Round Table “Right on Information Distribution: Public vs. Private“ in St. Petersburg
  • Russian-German workshop “Judicial protection of social rights“ in St. Petersburg
  • Scientific-practical conference “East-West: Partnership in the use of court experts. Improved expertise. Improved expert investigation as a protective factor for intellectual property“ in Moscow
  • Study trip to Marburg and Bonn on the topic of medical law
  • 15th International Conference “Derzhavin Readings“ in Kazan and participation of two German experts in the Round Tables “Medical law in Russia and abroad: Modern methodology of civil law and criminal law mechanisms“ and “Constitutional assistance in the development of civil society and international integration processes“
  • Study trip to Munich for patent attorneys on the topic of “The work of experts in Germany“
  • Beck-online access for members of the Russian School of Private Law under the President of Russian Federation in Moscow

Public Law

  • North Caucasus Forum “Public administration and civil society“ in Pyatigorsk
  • Study trip to North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse for students in the master‘s degree programme at the RANEPA School of Advanced Studies in the Humanities “Project management in regional development and regional planning“
  • Round Table “Developing cities and preserving cultural legacy. Experience in Russia and Europe. Legal and practical situation“ at the first Russian festival of local culture brands “Living Heritage“ in Moscow
  • Study trip to Aachen, Trier, Koblenz, Mainz and Frankfurt by a Russian delegation from local self-administration on the topic of “Identity and mobility“– the legal framework for preservation and modernisation of the cultural heritage in the course of time

Administration of Justice

  • Support for the 4th International Lawyers‘ Forum in Berlin
  • Participation in the Xth International Conference on Enforcement in Moscow
  • 5th German-Russian Lawyers‘ Forum “Cross-border family disputes between Germany and Russia“ in Hamburg
  • German-Russian seminar on enforcement in Berlin

Criminal Law and Penitentiary Law

  • Participation in the IVth International Forum on Penitentiary Law “Crime, punishment, rehabilitation“ in Ryazan

Basic and Further Training

  • Language course “Translation of German legal texts“ for Russian lawyers at the Russian School of Private Law in Moscow
  • Attendance by Russian participants of the ninth “IRZ Summer School on German Law“ in Bonn
  • Participation of three Russian lawyers in the internship programme for lawyers
  • Participation of two Russian notaries in the internship programme for notaries

Outlook

It remains to be seen how the political situation will develop. Nonetheless, IRZ intends to continue the bilateral cooperation with the Russian Federation at working level as part of its project support. Civil and commercial law, the law of lawyers and the notarial law will stay as important legal areas within the framework of this collaboration. Moreover, increasing the effectiveness of enforcement and local self-administration will also continue as relevant topics. IRZ will push forward with its basic and further training measures in other legal areas as well.