IRZ presents its advisory projects in the area of rule of law promotion at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (from left to right): Wolfram Hertig (IRZ), Dr Stefan Hülshörster (IRZ), Dr Sebastian Jeckel (BMJ), Alexandra Albrecht (IRZ), Parliamentary State Secretary Benjamin Strasser, Member of the German Bundestag (BMJ), Piotr Malachowski (BMJ), Mieke Hein (IRZ).
Ukraine
The rapid and long-term reconstruction of Ukraine and the country's accession to the EU were the focus of this year's Ukraine Recovery Conference, which took place in Berlin from June 11 to 12, 2024. Germany and Ukraine were co-organizers; within the German government, the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development hosted the event. At the invitation of the Ministry and the Federal Foreign Office IRZ also presented its advisory projects in the area of promoting the rule of law.
IRZ has been advising Ukraine for many years within the Ukraine in the context of various reform projects and is currently supporting it on its way to EU membership with special the EU with special funds provided by the German Bundestag. As an EU accession candidate, the country faces enormous challenges: Ensuring human rights and the rule of law, guaranteeing the functioning of public service institutions, harmonisation of the legal system with EU standards. This is where IRZ provides support, as these are topics that have been part of its consulting portfolio for over 30 years.
On the topic of "Rule of law, judicial reform and the establishment of an international compensation mechanism" was discussed by the President of IRZ, Parliamentary State Secretary Benjamin Strasser, Member of the German Bundestag with high-ranking guests in one of the conference sessions.
The delegation visits the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice; front centre: Justice Minister Dr. Kathrin Wahlmann, behind her to the right: State Secretary Dr. Thomas Smollich. Ukraine, Moldova and Georgiaukraurk
In late August 2023, the IRZ invited three delegations from Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia to Lower Saxony to exchange experiences on issues of ensuring the independence of the judiciary. This event was prepared together with the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice.
Justice Minister Dr. Kathrin Wahlmann welcomed the delegations. The expert talks were led by the State Secretary in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice, Dr. Thomas Smollich, and the Director of the IRZ, Dr. Stefan Hülshörster.
The President of the Lower Saxony State Court and President of the State Labour Court, the Chairman of the Chief Judges' Council, the Presidents of the Social Court and the Hanover District Court and the President of the Braunschweig Higher Regional Court were also involved in the talks, along with other employees from the Ministry of Justice.
From Ukraine, the Deputy Minister of Justice, Banchuk was joined by representatives from the Supreme Court, the High Judicial Qualification Commission and the High Council of Justice; on the Moldovan side, in addition to the Deputy Chair of the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, the interim President of the Supreme Judicial Council and the President of the Supreme Council of the Public Prosecutor's Office took part and a representative of the Ministry of Justice and, from Georgia, a judge of the Supreme Court was joined by the President of the Georgian Bar Association and the Director of the National School of Judges.
The composition of the delegation ensured an intensive exchange of ideas and experiences, during which the guests also presented the current status of their reforms, particularly regarding their efforts to prepare for accession to the EU.
The visit was rounded off by expert talks with the co-Chair of the German Association of Judges and with the Parliamentary State Secretary, Benjamin Strasser, MP in the Federal Ministry of Justice in Berlin.
Participants of the XVI Colloquium with the President of the Rhineland-Palatinate Higher Administrative Court, Prof. Dr. Lars Brocker and the Director of the IRZ, Dr. Stefan Hülshörster. Ukraine
The XVI German-Ukrainian colloquium on administrative procedural law was held from 16-22 July 2023. The IRZ has organised this annual meeting between German and Ukrainian administrative judges since 2005, and the event aims to promote cooperation and exchange in the area of administrative law.
The IRZ has been advising Ukraine both on the establishment of a Ukrainian administrative court jurisdiction and on the drafting of the Administrative Procedures Act since the 1990s, and works intensively and effectively with the Rhineland-Palatinate administrative court jurisdiction.
The colloquium was held again this year after a break from 2020 to 2022 due to the pandemic and the war. The colloquium provided an ideal platform for professional exchanges, in-depth discussions and practical insights into the work of the German colleagues, among others through participation in the meetings. Three judges from the Administrative Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Ukraine took part in the week-long meeting. The guests were warmly welcomed on the first day of the colloquium by Prof. Dr. Lars Brocker, President of the Constitutional Court and the Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate, and Dr. Stefan Hülshörster, Director of the IRZ.
A highlight of the colloquium was the visit to the State Parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate to Mainz on 19 July. The Ukrainian guests were received in the historical building of the Deutschhaus by the President of the State Parliament, Hendrik Hering, and the Director, Ursula Molka. The participants were then able to attend a plenary session of the State Parliament from the visitors' gallery to gain an insight into parliamentary activities and practices in Germany.
The XVI The German-Ukrainian colloquium on administrative procedural law was undoubtedly a great success and contributed to further strengthening the long-standing cooperation with Ukraine in the field of administrative law.
