IV EU - CA ministerial conf on rule of law to convene in Astana
ASTANA. KAZINFORM In the framework of the Rule of Law Initiative of the EU - Central Asia Strategy, the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in close cooperation with France and Germany as coordinators of the European Union's Rule of Law Initiative for Central Asia, is organizing the Fourth EU-Central Asia Ministerial Conference on Rule of Law.
The conference will be hosted by Kazakhstan in Astana on 14-15 October 2014. It is co-organised by the European External Action Service and the European Commission. Managing Director of the European External Action Service Luis Felipe Fernandez de la Pena will visit Astana on 14 -15 October to take part in the Ministerial Conference on the Rule of Law. Together with Minister of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan Berik Imashev, Mr Fernandez de la Pena will deliver a speech at the opening session of the Ministerial Conference and conclude it on the following day, the EU Diplomatic Mission to Kazakhstan said. The Ministerial Conference aims at further strengthening the dialogue and cooperation between the EU and the Central Asian countries in the area of Rule of Law: Implementation review and outline for future orientations of EU-Central Asia Strategy. It will confirm the EU's engagement in the region will further enhance dialogue and exchange of experience on agreed thematic priority areas such as: Constitutional Law, Administrative Justice, Criminal Law and Procedure, Judicial Capacity and training of legal professions. It will define possible areas of full cooperation with Central Asian partners. It will also follow-up the implementation of the Third Joint Ministerial Declaration adopted in 2012 by the EU-Central Asian Ministers of Justice and will adopt a new Ministerial Declaration setting priorities for the European Union's Rule of Law Initiative for Central Asia, which will serve as a basis for defining the future work plan of the Initiative, including national and regional thematic seminars. The European Union's Rule of Law Initiative for Central Asia constitutes the overarching regional framework for enhanced cooperation in the Rule of Law area, aimed at supporting legal reforms in Central Asia and the sharing of EU experience. Under the auspices of the Rule of Law Initiative, the Rule of Law Platform regional project acts as a support mechanism to facilitate policy dialogue and promote the measures contributing to legal reforms in each of the Central Asian countries.