HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE Rule of Law in Europe 17 - 18 MAY
Convento de São Francisco (Coimbra, Portugal)
17 May
9.00 | 9.30 Opening Session
Manuel Machado, Mayor of Coimbra
Amílcar Falcão, Rector of University of Coimbra
Francisca Van Dunem, Minister of Justice of Portugal
Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice
Augusto Santos Silva, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal
9.30 | 11.00 Session 1
The role of civil society for upholding the rule of law
This panel will discuss the role of civil society to uphold the rule of law and the ways to involve citizens in decision making.
Moderator: José Manuel Aroso de Linhares, Coimbra University, Faculty of Law
Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the LIBE Committee (pre-recorded message)
Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands
Caroline Fennell, Chair of European Network of Human Rights Institutions (VTC)
Berber Biala-Hettinga, Senior Executive Officer of Amnesty International (VTC)
Pepijn Gerrits, Executive Director, The Netherlands Helsinki Committee
Dulce Lopes, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
11.15 | 12.45 Session 2
The role of European and national courts for upholding the rule of law
This panel will address the role of domestic and international courts as standard-setting institutions and conflict-resolution adjudicators (focus also on the implementation of judgments).
Moderator: Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque, Catholic University of Portugal, Faculty of Law
Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights
Koen Lenaerts, President of the European Court of Justice (VTC)
António Joaquim Piçarra, President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Portugal
Karoline Edtstadler, Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution at the Federal Chancellery of Austria (VTC)
Frank Clarke, representing Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts (VTC)
Pedro Caeiro, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
Pierre -Dominique Schupp, Vice-President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (VTC)
José Manuel Quelhas, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
14.30 | 16.00 Session 3
Communicating the rule of law
It will explore the impact of the rule of law in citizens’ lives / exercise of rights and the importance of sharing good practices.
Moderator: Pedro Benevides, Journalist
Mark Ellis, Executive Director of International Bar Association IBA (VTC)
Filippo Donati, President of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (VTC)
Rui Cunha Martins, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Liberal Arts
Michael Meyer-Resende, Executive Director at Democracy Reporting International (VTC)
Elena Calistru, President of Funky Citizens
Alexandre Soveral Martins, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
16.15 | 17.30 Session 4
The rule of law under the Lisbon Treaty Moderator: Mariana Martins Pereira, Lawyer
Nuno Piçarra, Judge at the Court of Justice of the European Union (VTC)
Ana Gaudêncio, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
Elzbieta Chojna-Duch, University of Warsaw
Alessandra Silveira, University of Minho, School of Law (VTC)
András Jakab, University of Salzburg
Portuguese Musical Moment
18 May
9.00 | 10.30 Session 5
The rule of law in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
This panel will explore how rule of law is important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular for the oversight of the emergency measures and to better protect human rights, including those of minorities and most vulnerable groups in Europe.
Moderator: Jónatas Machado, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
Clément Beaune, Secretary of State for European Affairs of France
Lúcia Amaral, Portuguese Ombudsman
Juan González-Barba Pera, State Secretary for European Union of Spain
Cláudia Santos, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law (VTC)
Nicos Alivizatos, Member of the Venice Commission (format tbc)
André Dias Pereira, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
Paula Veiga, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
10.45 | 12.00 Session 6
Rule of law, social progress and economic recovery
This panel will focus on the link between the protection of the rule of law, economic recovery and the development of social rights in Europe.
Moderator: Isabel Nery, Journalist
Hans Dahlgren, Minister for EU Affairs of Sweden
Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, Chair EMPL Committee, European Parliament (VTC)
Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights (VTC)
Cristian Pîrvulescu, Chair of the fundamental rights and rule of law group of the European Economic and Social Committee
Joana Vicente, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
José Casalta Nabais, University of Coimbra, Faculty of Law
12.00 Closing Session
Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office, Germany
Gašper Dovžan, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia
Vera Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency (VTC)
Ana Paula Zacarias, Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal