Venice Commission 66th Plenary Session (Venice, 17-18 March 2006)

Meeting with the ECHR and Meeting of the SAJC (Strasbourg, 20 March 2006)

PROGRAMME

Thursday, 15-16 March 2006

Arrival of participants

Friday, 17 March 2006

9h30                            Plenary session of the Venice Commission

13h00                          Lunch at the “Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista” for participants offered by the Regione Veneto

17h30                          End of session

Saturday, 18 March 2006

9h30                            Plenary Session of the Venice Commission - continuation

11h00                          Constitutional Review in Common Law Countries and Countries with Specialised Constitutional Courts – exchange of views between the SAJC and the Venice Commission:

- Introductory remarks by Ambassadors James A. Sharkey and P.Lonardo, Permanent Representatives of Ireland  and Italy to the Council of Europe respectively;

- Short presentation by the Chief Justice of South Africa, Mr. Puis Langa;

- Short presentation by Mr Jan Mazak, President of the Slovak Constitutional Court, member of the Venice Commission.

- Discussion  

13h00                          Closing of the plenary session

Monday 20 March 2006

10h30 – 12h15            Meeting with the judges of the European Court of Human Rights. Short presentations, followed by discussion:

1. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and criminal law - by Judge Spielmann (Luxembourg)

2. The right to cross-examine in criminal proceedings - by Judge Jebens (Norway)

3. The von Hannover case of the European Court of Human Rights (right to private life v. freedom of expression) - by Judge Hedigan (Ireland)

4. Issues relating to Article 3 of the ECHR - by Judge Ineta Ziemele (Latvian) 

Main building of the Council of Europe

12h30 – 14h15                        Lunch offered by the Court, Restaurant Blue

Room 17, ground floor, Council of Europe

14h30 – 18h00                        Working Meeting of the SAJC:

- the Draft Guidelines on Addressing Issues of Concern among Member States of the Southern African Judges Commission

Blue Restaurant, Council of Europe

18h00-20h00               Reception on the occasion of the St. Patrick’s Day, hosted by Ambassador James A. Sharkey, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the Council of Europe

Tuesday, 21 March 2006

Departure from Strasbourg