Russisch respect voor mensenrechten zou goede invloed hebben op de relatie tussen de EU en Rusland (en)

At today's meeting, the EU and Russia discussed future measures with respect to co-operation in justice affairs. The EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council (PPC) meeting discussed the implementation of the joint road map for freedom, security and justice between the EU and Russia.

The participants of the meeting, led by the Finnish Minister of Justice Leena Luhtanen and the Finnish Minister of the Interior Kari Rajamäki, comprised Viktor Ivanov, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Ustinov, Minister of Justice; Rashid Nurgalijev, Minister of the Interior; and Jury Chaika, General Public Prosecutor, with Brigitte Zypries, Minister of Justice, and Wolfgang Schäuble, Minister of the Interior representing the next EU Presidency, Germany, accompanied by Franco Frattini, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security.

The meeting discussed i.a. the Russian legal system and the development of the Russian judiciary.

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  Respect for human rights and the independence of the judicial system form elements which could promote mutual trust and co-operation in justice affairs between the European Union and Russia, stressed Minister Luhtanen.

In recent years, Russia has developed its legal system vigorously. Since early 2006, Russia has trialled a legal aid system modelled on Finland, and the experiment will be continued.

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  This experiment will create considerable improvements in the legal protection of an individual citizen and the fulfilment of civil rights. From the perspective of citizens' legal protection, it is highly important that people can receive free legal aid in civil matters too, continued Luhtanen.

Russia has expressed its willingness to become engaged in more tangible co-operation with the EU in civil matters. Both parties emphasized the importance of the implementation of the civil law co-operation conventions.

In the EU's opinion, it is particularly important that Russia accede to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

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  Through its existence alone, the Convention prevents child abduction. Shortcomings in the international legal system actually contribute to committing child abduction.

For the purpose of strengthening criminal law co-operation, intensified co-operation in particular between Eurojust and Russia would mark a major step in the development of relations and networks between the judicial authorities of the EU and Russia. Based on a decision made in Helsinki, the EU and Russia aim to agree on such co-operation as soon as possible. Eurojust is an EU body tasked with enhancing co-operation between prosecutors in EU countries and promoting the co-ordination of cross-border investigation and prosecution.

The meeting also dealt with the problem of corruption in Russia. The EU and Russia decided, for example, to hold joint training events in issues related to corruption prevention.

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  Effective legislation coupled with training for staff serving in the judiciary and, on a more extensive basis, officials and law-enforcement authorities form key objectives. Information campaigns are also highly important in order to arouse general awareness, stressed Luhtanen.

During the current year, Russia has already approved both the UN Convention against Corruption and the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption by the Council of Europe. At the Helsinki meeting, the EU also encouraged Russia to approve the corresponding convention applying to civil law.

For more information, please contact:EU Co-ordinators Sebastian Sass, tel. (09) 1606 7520 and Matti Joutsen, tel. (09) 1606 7778, Senior Adviser Marina Venäläinen, tel. (09) 1606 7947, e-mail: firstname.lastname@om.fi