On November 18, the EU “Pravo-Justice” Project, in cooperation with Team France and with the participation of the European Union in Ukraine, held a “peer-to-peer” dialogue during which Ukrainian and French experts discussed the role of the legal professions in ensuring the rule of law.

The event was attended by representatives from France: the Ministry of Justice, the National Bar Council, the High Council of Notaries, and the National Council of Judicial Officers, as well as Ukrainian partners: the Association of Private Enforcement Officers of Ukraine, the National Association of Arbitration Administrators of Ukraine, the Notary Chamber of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Bar Association, Lawyer of the Future, Pro Justice, and experts from the EU Project “Pravo-Justice.”

During his speech, Roman Chumak, head of the NGO ProJustice, emphasized: “For civil society organizations, particularly those like ProJustice, donor support plays a key role. Thanks to international projects and grant programs, the civil society sector gains the opportunity to develop systematically, conduct high-quality research, and produce analytical materials that can subsequently serve as a basis for improving national legislation and its implementation. Such initiatives are an integral part of Ukraine’s institutional strengthening and an important component of its progress toward full membership in the European Union.”

During the meeting, participants discussed common approaches to the development of the legal professions and their role in strengthening the rule of law, in particular:

• the current state and trends in the development of the legal professions in Ukraine and France;
• France’s experience with the functioning of self-governing professional organizations and the possibility of applying certain practices in the Ukrainian context;
• the challenges faced by representatives of the legal professions in the process of reforming and enhancing trust in the justice system;
• the role of professional self-governance and the importance of self-regulation in ensuring the independence of the legal professions;
• the tasks facing Ukraine on its path to European integration regarding the further improvement of regulation in these areas.

“We are committed to continuing and deepening our cooperation with our Ukrainian partners, because justice and the rule of law must take precedence over force and impunity. This is extremely important for us, for the European Union, and, of course, for Ukraine,” emphasized Sébastien Cider, magistrate and head of the Cooperation Division at the Delegation for European and International Affairs of the French Ministry of Justice.

“The rule of law is a shared responsibility. It rests not only with judges and prosecutors, but also with lawyers, notaries, private enforcement agents, and other legal professionals. Only by working together, recognizing this responsibility, and striving to achieve European integration goals can we ensure the effectiveness and sustainable development of the justice system. That is why this meeting with our French colleagues was a wonderful opportunity for mutual exchange of experience and strengthening the partnership between Ukraine and the European Union,“ noted Oksana Tsymbrivska, Head of the EU Project ”Pravo-Justice.”