Representatives of the Supreme Court and the EU Project Pravo-Justice discussed key areas of further cooperation in the context of preparing Phase IV of the project

The President of the Supreme Court, Stanislav Kravchenko, expressed gratitude to the EU Project Pravo-Justice for its long-standing and consistent support of the Ukrainian judiciary, especially under the conditions of the full-scale war, and emphasized that European integration is not only Ukraine’s principled and unwavering choice but also a strategic area of activity for the Supreme Court. He noted that it is particularly valuable that the project remains one of the Supreme Court’s key partners in the process of aligning national judicial practice with European Union standards.

Among the most significant outcomes of cooperation achieved over the past year, the President highlighted the update of the Supreme Court’s Database of Legal Positions as a unique technological tool for ensuring the unity of judicial practice, improving the quality of law enforcement, and enhancing the openness and accessibility of established case law.

The Head of the EU Project Pravo-Justice, Oksana Tsymbrivska, stressed that the key framework of Phase IV will be support for the judiciary in the European integration process, taking into account practical needs in the implementation of the Rule of Law Roadmap. In this context, the experts of the project’s assessment mission were introduced; they are working on issues of accountability for international crimes, the rule of law, and coordination of European integration processes with donors and key stakeholders.

The expert group includes Reda Moliene, Pascal Turlan, and Matjaz Saloven.

The Acting Chief of the Supreme Court Staff, Rasim Babanly, focused on the practical aspects of future cooperation and the need for clear planning of activities within Phase IV of the project.

Among the key areas in which the Supreme Court requires further expert support, the following were identified: development of remote justice capabilities; preparation of amendments to procedural codes aimed at counteracting abuse of procedural rights; technical support and further targeted improvement of the Supreme Court’s Database of Legal Positions, including its integration with the Unified Judicial Information and Communication System (UJICS); as well as training for judges and staff on European Union law.

In addition, among the areas of further cooperation, the meeting participants agreed on the development and implementation of a communication strategy for the judiciary, as well as the continuation of thematic training on the consideration of criminal proceedings related to war crimes, as one of the most complex and relevant categories of cases.

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Head of the EU Project Pravo-Justice, Chief Expert on Judicial Reform Olha Sribniak; Head of the “Judicial Reform” Component Volodymyr Chaban; Chief Expert on Court Modernization Svitlana Maistruk; and the Acting Head of the Division for International Cooperation of the Supreme Court Anastasiia Kulyk.