Objectives and desired results

1) General objective

To provide specialised international expertise and analytical support for reform of the Ukrainian judicial expertise system in the context of the Rule of Law Roadmap, including legal and institutional analysis, recommendations based on European and international standards, and support for coordination and capacity development.

2) Specific objectives

• Analyse the Ukrainian regulatory and institutional framework for judicial expertise and provide recommendations for its modernisation in line with European and international standards.

• Support institutional independence, governance and accountability arrangements for the judicial expertise system.

• Review approaches to professional competence, quality assurance, ethics and professional standards for judicial experts.

• Support alignment of forensic examination standards and methodologies with European and international good practices.

• Contribute to strengthening the professional self-governance and capacity of the judicial experts’ community, including through training and knowledge exchange; and provide expert input on legislation and policy documents related to the Rule of Law Roadmap.

·  Provide support in developing professional self-governance of private judicial experts.

·  Contribute to the enhancement of access to the training for judicial experts.

3) Anticipated results

• An assessment of the Ukrainian legal and institutional framework for judicial expertise is provided, with practical recommendations for reform.

• Recommendations are developed on institutional independence, governance, professional competence and quality assurance in judicial expertise.

• Proposals are provided for aligning forensic examination standards and methodologies with European and international practices.

• The professional community and relevant institutions benefit from knowledge-sharing and capacity-development support.

• The Project and relevant Ukrainian stakeholders receive timely analysis of draft legislation, implementation challenges and options for reform under the Rule of Law Roadmap.

• International expertise and European and international practices are reflected in Project outputs and technical assistance activities.

Description of the assignment

1) Planned activities

The Expert shall work under the overall supervision of the Senior National Key Expert on Enforcement and Pillar 1 Lead, and in close coordination with the Project team and relevant Ukrainian authorities and stakeholders involved in judicial expertise reform.

Depending on the priorities agreed with the Project and the relevant stages of the Rule of Law Roadmap, the Expert may be required to provide some or all of the following services:

A. Legal and institutional framework

• Review Ukrainian legislation and draft legal acts governing judicial expertise, including institutional arrangements, governance, independence and accountability.

• Provide recommendations for modernising the regulatory framework in line with European and international standards and the relevant measures of the Rule of Law Roadmap.

• Identify regulatory gaps, inconsistencies and implementation risks and propose feasible options adapted to the Ukrainian legal and institutional context.

B. Standards, methodologies and quality assurance

• Recommend approaches to quality assurance, reliability of expert evidence, professional competence, ethics and continuing professional development.

• Support the development of guidance and training materials on standards, methodologies and quality management, as requested by the Project.

C. Professional community and self-governance

• Assess current arrangements and capacity of the professional community of judicial experts, including opportunities to strengthen professional self-governance.

• Provide recommendations and contribute to knowledge-sharing or capacity-building activities for judicial experts and relevant institutions.

D. Rule of Law Roadmap implementation and expert advice

• Provide legal and policy analysis of legislation, draft laws, secondary legislation and policy documents relevant to judicial expertise reform.

• Analyse relevant European and international standards, guidance and practices, identifying approaches that can be adapted to Ukraine.

• Conduct institutional assessments, gap analyses and consultations with relevant authorities, judicial expertise institutions and professional stakeholders.

• Prepare expert opinions, analytical notes, comparative studies, policy briefs, comments and proposals on draft legal acts, strategies and implementation plans.

• Contribute to monitoring implementation of relevant Rule of Law Roadmap measures and to the Project’s analytical and reporting inputs.

E. Coordination and presentation of results

• Participate in working groups, meetings and coordination platforms dedicated to judicial expertise reform and implementation of relevant Rule of Law Roadmap measures.

• Present findings, recommendations and other materials prepared under the assignment at working meetings, consultations and capacity-building events.

2) Anticipated deliverables

3) Consultation

The Expert shall work under the overall supervision of the Senior National Key Expert on Enforcement and Pillar 1 Lead.

The Expert shall maintain regular communication with the designated Project experts concerning priorities and allocation of tasks; scope, methodology and expected outputs; legal questions and factual materials requiring assessment; consultations with relevant authorities and stakeholders; preparation and delivery of training or knowledge-sharing activities; submission, review and revision of deliverables; and circumstances that may affect the quality, timeliness or impartiality of the assignment.

The Expert shall promptly communicate any potential conflict of interest, confidentiality concern or other circumstance that may affect the performance of the assignment.

4) Implementation period

Start date: January 2027

End date: June 2030

Effective duration of the assignment: 42 months

5) Place of performance

The assignment shall primarily be performed on a home-based basis. Travel to and within Ukraine may be required upon formal request by Expertise France and subject to applicable security and contractual arrangements.

Participation in meetings, consultations and other Project activities may take place in person or online, subject to prior agreement with the Programme Key Expert.