Memorandum of understanding between the Council of Europe and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe

An new historic step has been taken in strengthening the cooperation between the Council of Europe and the CCBE. On 18 June 2021, the Council of Europe Secretary General, Marija Pejčinović Burić and the CCBE President, Margarete von Galen, signed a Memorandum of Understanding which aim is to create a framework of cooperation for the purpose of promoting the rule of law by supporting and strengthening the independence of lawyers to exercise their profession freely, to provide effective and high-quality advice, assistance and representation to their clients, and to enjoy public confidence in their profession.

The signature ceremony took place in Strasbourg. The CCBE delegation was composed of the CCBE President, the CCBE past president Ranko Pelicarić, the European Convention Working Group Chair, Laurent Pettiti, the Secretary General, Simone Cuomo and the legal advisor Nathan Roosbeek.

The CCBE delegation also participated in a meeting with Council of Europe representatives, Christophe Poirel, Director of the Human Rights Directorate and Livia Stoica, Head of Division for Legal Co-operation and Secretary to the European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ), to discuss the practical aspects of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.

On the occasion of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, a meeting was furthermore organised with the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Robert Spano and the Registrar Marialena Tsirli.