The Public Council of International Experts Held an Orientation Session in Kyiv

On 27–29 August, the Public Council of International Experts (PCIE) held an orientation session with the participation of the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ).

During the session the participants discussed the Council’s strategy for future operations and issues of collaboration with key stakeholders. In particular, the discussions focused on:

• methods and strategies for organizing work of the PCIE;

• building dialogue and fostering interaction between the PCIE and the HQCJ, with an emphasis on facilitating the process of vetting and selecting judges of the HACC;

• familiarization with the best practices of institutions involved in the selection of judges and members of Ukraine’s judiciary and judicial self-governance bodies;

• exploring opportunities for cooperation with civil society organizations in order to promote transparency and publicity in the selection process of the HACC’s judges.

International technical assistance projects support the PCIE’s activities by providing technical and financial resources, technical infrastructure, legal guidance, and communication support. During the orientation session the PCIE members heard from experts who supported the work of previous judicial selection commissions, including members of the previous PCIE. The session also included presentations on the context of Ukraine’s anti-corruption and judiciary reforms, as well as updates regarding legislative developments relevant to the PCIE and the judiciary as a whole.

The Public Council of International Experts (PCIE) has been established to assist the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) in assessing whether candidates for positions of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) comply with the criteria of integrity, knowledge, and practical skills in line with the Law of Ukraine “On the High Anti-Corruption Court”.

In April of 2024 a new composition of the PCIE was selected. It includes six foreign legal experts – judges and prosecutors with extensive experience from Estonia, the United States, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Canada.