About the network

The national network contact points are the two advisors in the International Judicial Co‑operation Division at the Ministry of Justice, both of whom also perform the functions of representative of the central authority. The main functions of the contact points are the following:

• ensuring that the local judicial authorities receive general information concerning the EU and international instruments relating to judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters;
• supplying the other contact points and authorities as well as the local judicial authorities in their own Member State with all the information required for sound judicial cooperation between the Member States, in order to assist them in preparing operable requests for judicial cooperation and in establishing the most appropriate direct contacts;
• supplying any information to facilitate the application of the law of another Member State that is applicable under an EU or international instrument;
• seeking solutions to difficulties that may arise in connection with a request for judicial cooperation;
• facilitating coordination of the processing of requests for judicial cooperation in the relevant Member State, in particular where several requests from the judicial authorities in that Member State are due to be executed in another Member State;
• contributing to generally informing the public, through the network’s website, on judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters in the European Union, on relevant EU and international instruments and on the domestic law of the Member States, with particular reference to access to justice;
• collaborating in the organisation of, and participating in, the network’s meetings;
• assisting with the preparation and updating of information for the public;
• ensuring coordination between members of the network at national level;
• drawing up a biannual report on their activities, including, where appropriate, best practice in the network, submitting it at a meeting of the members of the network, and drawing specific attention to possible improvements in the network.

The network liaison magistrate is a justice of Viru County Court who also represents Estonia in the network of courts established by the Hague Conference on Private International Law. The liaison magistrate’s task is to advise court officials on European Union civil and commercial law and share with the network his/her experience concerning the application of diverse legislation.

In 2011, with the entry into force of the second Decision on the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (EJN-civil), which expanded the network’s activities to professional associations, the following bodies became members of EJN-civil in Estonia:

• the Estonian Chamber of Bailiffs and Trustees in Bankruptcy representing bailiffs and trustees in bankruptcy;
• the Estonian Lawyers’ Association representing lawyers and notaries.

At the meetings, the first of these professional organisations has been represented by different representatives of occupational and professional bodies, depending on the topic concerned, and a specific contact point was designated in 2022.

The Estonian Lawyers’ Association has been represented by its director.

The representatives of professional associations are responsible for the following:

• exchange of experience and information as regards the effective and practical application of EU and international instruments;
• collaboration in the preparation and updating of information sheets;
• participation of the professional associations in relevant meetings.

Depending on the topic discussed, the contact point also invites other national experts to share their experiences at network meetings. For example, the meetings have been attended by several other judges alongside the liaison magistrate, the representatives of other ministries and the Chamber of Notaries, Supreme Court advisers, representatives of the Consumer Protection Board, faculty members of the University of Tartu, etc.