CODEMAL

Main focus of the project is to foster cooperation between justice professionals – lawyers (advocates) and mediators, with the aim to promote effective and coherent application of the Brussels II rules among justice professionals. Judicial and mediation training for merged groups of beneficiaries – lawyers and mediators, to increase mutual and inter-professional understanding for smoother solution of cross-border Family law disputes, especially those involving the best interests of the child. The overarching result is closer cooperation between two justice professionals – lawyers and mediators in cross-border family law sector. To reach this result the partners will organize practical seminars for both groups of professional, as well as arrange support materials to grant long lasting effect of the project.

Project number: 854024-CODEMAL-JUST-AG-2018/JUST-JTRA-EJTR-AG-2018
Duration of the project: 30 Monate (1.9.2019.-28.2.2022)
Website: http://codemal.turiba.lv/index.php?id=1

+++ Online event: Kooperationen in der Konfliktarbeit

Under the title "Stärkung der Zusammenarbeit zwischen RichterInnen, AnwältInnen und MediatorInnen", a highly attended online event was hosted on Jan. 31, 2022. Sascha Ferz and Karin Sonnleitner presented the booklet Best Practice & Recommendations for Mediators and Lawyers (download) including the central results from the CODEMAL project. Mag.a Stefanie Schmidt & Mag. Wolfgang Klasnic followed up on this with their contribution on Beziehungsaspekte der Mediation and reported on two key discussion points they had worked on with fellow lawyers and mediators in the context of an international workshop in the Netherlands. Finally, Mag.a Dr.in Susanna Kleindienst-Passweg & Mag.a Adelheid Beer made visible in their presentation EinigungsrichterInnen & grenzüberschreitende Familienkonflikte how a judicial settlement procedure can complement mediation-based conflict resolution.

+++ Training seminars „Familienkonflikte über Ländergrenzen hinweg" (in presence & online)

The first CODEMAL training seminar „Familienkonflikte über Ländergrenzen hinweg" took place on 7.5. (in presence in Graz), 28.5 and 29.5.2021 (both online). Experts analyzed general and specific legal and mediation issues in cross-border family cases as well as resulting psychological aspects and also reported on their practical experiences.

+++ 7. Project meeting (online)

On 16.04.2021, the project partners met virtually for the seventh project meeting. Due to the ongoing tense pandemic situation, the partners discuss the conversion of the training seminars to an online format. Furthermore, the project's website has been completed (http://codemal.turiba.lv) and the next work steps for the preparation of recommendations and best-practice examples have been formulated.

+++ 6. Project meeting (online)

On February 12, 2021, the sixth virtual project meeting took place, in which upcoming deadlines were discussed. The meeting in Graz planned for April 2021 will probably be postponed to autumn. The proposals on the recommendations expressed by the various partners have been received by the project coordinators, will be structured and then sent to the partners for review.

+++ 5. Project meeting (online)

On 15.12.2020, the project partners met virtually for the fifth project meeting. Partners who already held training seminars shared their experiences and training material. Furthermore, the project partners informed each other about the changed training dates due to the ongoing pandemic. Furthermore, Tomaš Klimann MSc was introduced as a new member of the Graz team.

+++ 4. Project meeting (online)

On October 2, 2020, the project partners met virtually for the fourth project meeting, in which they discussed the planned dates for the training sessions. The training dates in Austria are planned for the end of January 2021 in Graz and the end of February 2021 in Vienna.

The content structure of the joint publication was defined and other organizational issues (e.g. deadlines) were clarified.

+++ 3. Project meeting (online)

On 26.06.2020, the project partners met virtually for the third project meeting. They discussed proposals for a joint publication and exchanged ideas about the planned trainings (content of the training, seminar schedule, adaptation to an online format). The project partners agreed on the basis for the recommendations for mediators and lawyers.

The collection of best-practice examples for mediators and lawyers is also part of this project. Here, too, formal and substantive issues were coordinated.

+++ 2. Projcet meeting (online)

On June 5, 2020, the project partners met virtually for the second project meeting. The evaluation of the questionnaires, creation of material collections (best practice examples, uniform recommendations) and the organization of practical training seminars for lawyers and mediators were on the agenda.

In a follow-up meeting on June 26, 2020, the content of the training seminars was formulated in detail. These take place in January and February 2021 on the topics of "general and advanced legal and mediation issues in cross-border family cases" and the “psychological aspects”.

+++ 1. Project meeting at the University of Riga, Latvia

On the 8^th of October 2019 the first project meeting of the project CODEMAL took place in Riga. After clarifying some administrative issues, the participants collected ideas on the elaboration of questionnaires for mediators and lawyers as well as techniques to foster cooperation between these professions.