CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN JUDGES (CCJE) 16th plenary meeting London (United Kingdom), 14 October 2015 (2 pm) – 16 October 2015

Place: Rolls Building (Court 15), Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1NL

ANNOTATED DRAFT AGENDA

The working documents are available on the CCJE shared workspace

1. Opening session

· [Authorities of the United Kingdom]
· Mr Bart van Lierop, President of the CCJE
· [Representative of the Council of Europe]

1. Adoption of the agenda

2. Information by the President, the CCJE members and the Secretariat

Delegations are invited, in particular, to inform the CCJE about various events (since October 2014) where they have introduced the work of the CCJE.

1. CCJE Opinion No. 18(2015)

· Examination, in view of its adoption, of draft Opinion No. 18 on “The position of the judiciary and its relations with the other powers of state in a modern democracy”
Working document

Draft Opinion No. 18(2015)

(Under preparation)

Reference documents

Compilation of the replies to the questionnaire
(see the CCJE’s website, preliminary works on Opinion No. 18(2015))
CCJE (2015)1

Analysis of the replies to the questionnaire
CCJE (2015)2

1. Situation of the judiciary and judges in the Council of Europe member States

· Examination, in view of its adoption, of the updated version of the “Situation Report on the judiciary and judges in the Council of Europe member States” – 2015 Edition

Working document
Draft Situation Report on the judiciary and judges
in the Council of Europe member States – 2015 Edition
(under preparation)

· Follow-up to the report by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe: “The state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe”

o On-going CCJE/CCPE process for preparing a draft “comprehensive review of the main challenges for judicial impartiality and independence in the member states”

o Discussion on the preliminary findings prepared by the CCJE Bureau and the scientific expert, Anne Sanders

Working document
Draft structure of the review

(under preparation)

1. Terms of Reference for 2016 and 2017

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is expected to adopt in November 2015 the Terms of Reference for all committees, including those of the CCJE.

The CCJE is invited to make proposals concerning the themes of its Opinions to be adopted in 2016 and 2017.

working document
Draft Terms of Reference of the CCJE for 2016 and 2017
(under preparation)

1. Working methods of the CCJE

· Election of the President and of the Vice-President of the CCJE

According to CM Resolution Res(2011)24, the CCJE will proceed with the election of its President and Vice-President. The President and Vice-President are elected for a one-year period, renewable once.

Mr Bart VAN LIEROP (Netherlands) held the office of President of the CCJE in 2014 and 2015. He cannot be reelected.

Mr Richard AIKENS (United Kingdom) held the office of Vice-President of the CCJE in 2014 and 2015. He cannot be reelected.

Any member wishing to put forward his/her candidature as President or Vice-President should inform the Secretariat before 14 October 2015, 12.00.

· Possible election of a member of the CCJE Bureau

According to CM Resolution Res(2011)24, Bureau members are elected for a two-year period, renewable once. Ms Nina BETETTO (Slovenia) and Mr Johannes RIEDEL (Germany) were elected as members of the Bureau for 2015 and 2016.

Depending on the results of the election of the President and Vice-President, the CCJE may have to proceed with the election of a member of its Bureau.

Any member wishing to put forward his/her candidature within this framework should inform the Secretariat before 14 October 2015, 12.00.

· Appointment of the CCJE’s Working Group for 2016

According to CM Resolution Res(2011)24 (“Where necessary, in order to expedite the progress of their work, committees may entrust a limited number of committee members with a specific task to be fulfilled by their next meeting”) the CCJE can decide to set up a Working Group (CCJE-GT) which will be entrusted with the preparation, in view of its 17th plenary meeting, of the draft Opinion for 2016. The members of the Bureau of the CCJE will also attend the CCJE-GT meetings.

There is no automatic re-appointment of a member of the Working Group from one year to the next.

Any member of the CCJE who would like to be a member of the Working Group for 2016 should inform the Secretariat before 16 October 2015, 10.00.

• Appointment of the CCJE Gender Equality Rapporteur for 2016

According to CM Resolution Res(2011)24 (“Where necessary, in order to expedite the progress of their work, committees may entrust a rapporteur with a specific task to be fulfilled by their next meeting”), the CCJE can decide to appoint a Gender Equality Rapporteur for 2016.

Any member of the CCJE wishing to put forward his/her candidature as the Gender Equality Rapporteur should inform the Secretariat before 16 October 2015, 10.00.

1. Calendar of the CCJE’s and CCJE-GT’s meetings in 2016

2. Any other business

Reference documents

Report of the 18th meeting of the CCJE-BU

CCJE-BU(2015)2

Report of the 19th meeting of the CCJE-BU
CCJE-BU(2015)6

Report of the 28th meeting of the CCJE-GT

CCJE-GT(2015)1

Report of the 29th meeting of the CCJE-GT

CCJE-GT(2015)2

Report of the 15th plenary meeting of the CCJE

CCJE(2014)5

Source; Council of Europe

By

Robert Williams

Editor in Chief

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