Strengthening the Quality and Efficiency of Justice in Kosovo* (KoSEJ II)

May 2019 - December 2022

The activities are implemented in the framework of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility of the Western Balkans and Turkey II co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe.

An earlier phase of this programme (July 2016 - May 2019) was supported by the European Union.

The objectives of the Action

The overall objective of the KoSEJ II Action is to continue to improve the day-to-day functioning of the justice system in Kosovo by strengthening its efficiency and quality in accordance with European standards. It provides concrete and targeted support to courts and central authorities by empowering them with the methodology and tools of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) in light also of the recommendations made under the first phase of Action (KoSEJ).

The first specific objective is to ensure that the judiciary works with more reliable and specific statistics in light of KoSEJ recommendations and is empowered to address challenges to the efficiency of justice with CEPEJ standards and tools. This shall include the establishment of a sustainable and consistent methodology and process of data collection and analysis for sound policy making, including with reliable statistics in the new case management system.

The second specific objective is to improve the quality of its services in accordance with CEPEJ standards and tools such as with the use of CEPEJ satisfaction surveys and court coaching projects to address weaknesses identified by users.

The third specific objective is to assist the Kosovo Justice Academy (KJA) improve its training capacities in efficiency and quality according to CEPEJ tools and methodology.

Main beneficiaries and partners

Ministry of Justice, Kosovo Judicial Council, Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, Kosovo Justice Academy, Kosovo Bar Association, Courts and Courts’ users.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence".

Link to the page: Towards a better evaluation of the results of judicial reforms in the Western Balkans – “Dashboard Western Balkans“

Assessment reports

First report: In-depth assessment report (English, Albanian, Serbian)
Second Report: Comparative assessment (2014 – 2017) (English / Albanian / Serbian)
Third Report: Comparative assessment (2014, 2017 and 2018)
Fourth report: Comparative Assessment (2014 – 2020) (English, Albanian, Serbian)
IT Report: Information Technology in courts in 2020 (English, Albanian, Serbian)

Translations of CEPEJ documents

CEPEJ glossary (in Albanian / in Serbian)
Councils for Judiciary in EU Countries

Contacts

Council of Europe - Strasbourg

Bureau du Conseil de l'Europe à Pristina (Kosovo)

Stéphanie Lefeuvre

Project manager

Njomza Carkaxhiu
Project assistant

News

Back Workshop on Automatic Re-Assignment of Criminal Cases

On 15 June 2021, the CEPEJ organised a hybrid workshop on implementation of an automatic Re-Assignment of judges and/or judicial panels in criminal cases during which CEPEJ experts presented their findings and recommendations. These recommendations aim to address situations when judges designated to adjudicate criminal cases retire, move to a different court or go on extended leave and their cases have are re-assigned manually.

The CEPEJ experts already recalled that the re-assignement of criminal cases should remain an exceptional and automatic procedure, based on strict rules which was part of the online discussions.

The objective of this workshop was to come to an agreement between all stakeholders to set up an action plan for the implementation of IT functionalities which enable automatic and random re-assignment of criminal cases in the Kosovan courts.

The workshop which brought together about 20 participants has been attended by representatives of the High Council of the Judiciary (KJC), of the Ministry of Justice, of the European Commissionand of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo* (EULEX).

This activity was organised by the KoSEJ II Action “Strengthening the Quality and Efficiency of Justice in Kosovo”, which is part of the joint programme entitled "Horizontal Facility of the Western Balkans and Turkey II", co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

Kosovo 15 June 2021