Minutes of the Training Committee conference call

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23 September 2003, 1.00pm (Brussels time)

Present:

Chairman: Julian LONBAY

Members/non-members: Julen FERNANDEZ CONTE, Maria GALANOPOULOU, Inger HOEDT-RASMUSSEN, Pierre LAFONT, Alain MARTER, Iñigo NAGORE, Waltraute STEGER

CCBE Secretariat: Sieglinde GAMSJÄGER

Members absent: Nicolas DECKER, Luciano GAROFALO, Andrej POPOVEC, Ulrich SOMMER, Christina TSAGLIS, Martin VYCHOPEN

  1. Approval of the minutes

The minutes of the conference call of 9 July and of the meeting of 4 September were approved.

  1. Draft paper on continuing training

Julian Lonbay referred to the comments received to the draft recommendation on continuing training and the amended version of the recommendation (English/French) which was made available to the members at the training committee website.

The Committee went through the revised draft recommendation and suggested some further amendments to the text. Julian Lonbay offered to write up the amendments agreed upon and to circulate the amended version to the members of the Committee, asking for comments by Friday, 26 September. It was noted that – depending on further comments - it might be necessary to draft another revised paper. However, it was pointed out that a final text need to be agreed upon by 1 October so that it can be circulated to the delegations on 3 October in preparation for the Standing Committee meeting on 17 October. It was noted that the proposal is put on the agenda of the October Standing Committee meeting for approval and of the November Plenary Session for final approval and adoption.

  1. Other issues

a) Proposal from the Chair: That the TC should have a short (10 minutes) presentation by a member at each of its meetings. Topics related to matters covered by the TC’s work and in agreement with the Chairman.

The members agreed with the proposal of the chairman. Inger Hoedt-Rasmussen offered to give a presentation on the latest development regarding mandatory continuing education in Denmark at the next committee meeting which is scheduled to take place on 27 November 2003 at 10.00am in Bruges.

b) Request from the Chair: Please send in links and information on TC matters that could be added to the TC / ELIXIR website.

Julian Lonbay invited the members to provide him with national training materials/links which can be put on the training committee website (even if not available in English or French).

c) Mutual recognition of professional qualifications (point added during conference call)

Julian Lonbay noted that the Austrian delegation raised some concerns with regard to the Commission proposed directive on mutual recognition of professional qualifications and its parts that concerned the mutual recognition of diplomas. Given that the Austrian comments were only general in nature, the secretariat noted that the Austrian delegation will be invited to concretise their concerns. It was agreed to take this issue up within the committee and discuss the Austrian’s concerns as soon as received.

d) European Law Faculties Association (point added during conference call)

Julian Lonbay commented that the European Law Faculties Association (ELFA) will have meeting on 20-21 February in Strasbourg. The board of ELFA would like a member of the CCBE training committee to give a talk on a specific theme. He would communicate the theme to the members further to the conference call and invited the members to indicate whether they are interested.

  1. Next meeting

Since many members would have difficulties to assist a joint meeting with the FBE training commission (in conjunction with the FBE Stage 2003 session) in Bilbao, it was agreed to propose to the FBE to hold a joint meeting in conjunction with the next training committee meeting on 27 November in Bruges. The secretariat was asked to organise the joint meeting. However, it was agreed that those members present in Bilbao should participate in the FBE training commission as observers.

Julian Lonbay indicated that the sub-committee (consisting of Inger Hoedt-Rasmussen, Julen Fernandez-Conte and himself) will have a meeting on 7 October at the CCBE offices in order to discuss on how to take forward the issue of initial training.

It was confirmed that the next face-to-face meeting will take place on 27 November at 10.00am in Bruges.

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conseil des barreaux de l'union européenne

council of the bars and law societies of the european union

ccbe – 23 september 2003