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Monday, 24 July 2023
Second Meeting of Global Rule of Law Commission at Cascais
Second working session – GRoLC annual report for the year 2023
24 - 25 July 2023
The European Public Law Organization (EPLO), Regional Branch in Portugal, organized the second meeting of its Global Rule of Law Commission, headquartered in Cascais, on 24-25 July. The meeting occurred at the Sala do Futuro of the Municipality of Cascais. Marisol Peña Torres, former President of the Constitutional Court of Chile and Ambassador A. Mavroyiannis were connected virtually (via Zoom).The July meeting was devoted to finalizing the Commission’s annual report on the Rule of Law to be submitted to the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly. The report examines the state of the Rule of Law globally and in particular regions, which by the year 2023 will be the European Union and the United States.
The Director of EPLO, Professor Spyridon Flogaitis, welcomed the Commission and mentioned its crucial role considering the Commission’s diverse regional composition, following the United Nations rules, to develop a comprehensive global concept of the rule of law with respect to universal values and diversity in the dialogue of civilizations, among other objectives. The distinguished members discussed in depth and analyzed the Global Rule of Law Report that will be presented at the 6th General Assembly of the United Nations, expressing their opinions freely and emphasizing the importance of specific indicators and conditions of the Rule of Law. They praised the hard work being done by Europe and USA, the two focus areas of research for the first year of its operation. They simultaneously raised concerns about the general state of the Rule of Law due to differences and diversities. As the President of the Commission Guliano Amato mentioned, its final aim is to check the global rules as part of the rule of law in the different meanings throughout the world to assess the common ground that has to be shared and define the diversities that are acceptable as distinct from the diversities that are not acceptable. The eminent members also sincerely thanked Ms. Teresa Violante, Director of the Institute of the Global Rule of Law, which supports the Commission’s work and research. The afternoon working session was attended by UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, who congratulated the EPLO for its Global Rule of Law Initiative and the Commission for its essential work.
A concluding ceremony of the 2-day meeting was held at the Salão Nobre (Signature Room) of the City Hall of Cascais on 25 July. The Minister of Justice of the Portuguese Republic, Professor Catarina Sarmento e Castro was present during the concluding remarks of the 2nd Meeting of the GRoLC. She expressed that she felt honored and among friends who share the same values and the same ideas as fundamental rights, separation of powers, and the rule of law, which are the fundamental basis of our democracies, and who are on the same road to achieve knowledge and deliver results and work. Moreover, the Embassies and the Diplomatic Missions accredited to the Portuguese Republic were invited to the concluding remarks session. Among others, the Ambassador of Thailand, Ms. Krongkanit Rakcharoen, the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Vassilis Papadopoulos, the Ambassador of Italy, Mr. Carlo Formosa, attended the concluding remarks
The meeting, both days, was followed by business lunches and dinners. During the 25 July dinner, the Secretary of State for European Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, Professor Dr. Tiago Antunes, along with the Chief of Staff of the Secretary of State, Dr. Pedro Espírito Santo, were present and had the chance to discuss further various issues of the Rule of Law.