Measures to modernise the Justice System

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/4fMHR)
The Council of Ministers has approved a range of initiatives to modernise the Administration of Justice. Furthermore, the meeting was used to discuss matters related to the protection of the environment, rural development and health.

The First Vice-President, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, reminded at the press conference held after the Government meeting that adapting the Administration of Justice to current demands and improving the service provided to the public “is one of the main objectives of the Government”.

With that in mind, the Council of Ministers authorised a framework collaboration agreement between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade through the corporate entity Red.es for the development of digital public services within the scope of the Administration of Justice.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega explained that “this agreement will digitalise the Spanish magistrates' courts [juzgados de paz] and will provide courtrooms with digital audiovisual recording systems”.

The introduction of new technology into the Administration of Justice will be accompanied by the corresponding training of staff. To that end, the Council of Ministers approved the training plan for public servants working for the General Administration of Justice service, with an estimated cost of almost three million euros to provide training to 14,000 public employees.

The Vice-President explained that “more than 1,300 IT courses will be taught on the Nueva Oficina Judicial [New Judicial Service] and the procedural reforms, as well as on new technology”.

Within this series of measures to modernise the Justice system, the Government has specified the work to be undertaken by the future Instituto de Medicina Legal [Legal Medicine Institute] through bodies of nationwide jurisdiction.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega specified that this new Institute will be a centre for the scientific and technological modernisation of forensic medicine and will provide services to the Tribunal Supremo [the Spanish Supreme Court], the Audiencia Nacional [the Spanish Central Criminal Court], the Juzgados Centrales [the Central Courts], the Registro Civil Central [the Spanish Central Civil Registry] and the corresponding Fiscalías [the Spanish Public Prosecutors’ Offices], as well as to bodies with military jurisdiction.

Furthermore, the Government analysed the conclusions reached by the Committee of Experts for adapting the current Ley de Demarcación y Planta Judicial [Judicature Act] to modern-day Spain, the proposals of which will set the groundwork for drafting this new legislation.

According to the Vice-President, this report covers the limits of collegiate organisation, the removal of judicial districts and the creation of new first instance courts [tribunales de base], as well as the proposal from the Committee of Experts to attribute fiscal investigations to the Public Prosecutor’s Office and to set up specialised and first instance courts.

The environment

The Council of Ministers examined the biodiversity policies agreed by the European Union in Madrid at a conference within the context of the rotating Spanish EU Presidency.

The so-called “Cibeles Priorities” establish ten political lines of action for defending the natural wealth of the Union, adding new impetus to matters in this area and the recovery of natural spaces in Europe.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega highlighted that “the rich biodiversity in Spain is a distinguishing factor for our country and offers several highly positive features”, another excellent reason to preserve it.

The Government also examined the Valsain Declaration from the Conference on the protection of forests in Europe held on 6 and 7 April as part of the agenda of the rotating Presidency of the European Union.

In terms of the environment, the Government also authorised the signing of four collaboration agreements with Castile-La Mancha, Castile and Leon, Extremadura and the Region of Valencia for a value of over 82.8 million euros regarding conservation action within the Natura 2000 networking programme.

In the area of rural development, the Government approved the so-called Plan Renove de maquinaria agrícola [Farming Machinery Renewal Plan]. The Vice-President announced that grants will be made available for a total value of seven million euros for the renewal of tractors and other machinery and for the promotion of new technology and farming equipment.

According to the Vice-President, these grants were “highly successful” in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and “contributed to the acquisition of more than 8,000 new machines in our farming sector”.

Health

The Minister for Health and Social Policy, Trinidad Jiménez, presented the Council of Ministers with a report on the development of drug use trends in Spain between 1994 and 2009 and on the management of the fund for assets seized from trafficking.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega believes that the document “reveals some positive initial data”; the public is more aware now of the risks involved in the consumption of drugs. Furthermore, she stated that the perception of the availability of illegal drugs has diminished, as too has the proportion of alcohol drinkers, and there has also been a significant fall in the consumption of tobacco.

Legislature and rotating EU Presidency

During her press conference after the Council of Ministers, the Vice-President took stock of the legislature and the Spanish Presidency of the European Union at the half-way point of both.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega reiterated that “the Government of Spain has devoted itself to overcoming the economic crisis and achieving recovery for employment”.

She added that the Government has fought “decisively and confidently to lay the foundations of a new economic model for Spain and a new institutional framework for Europe as a means of joint identity: the commitment to innovation, social cohesion and equality”.

The Vice-President recognised that “the Spanish economy has gone through some very tough times, with serious job losses that, although slowing, continues to be the main concern and focus for the Government, as it has always been and it continues to support those most suffering from the effects of the crisis”.

Furthermore, she stated that the Government immediately assumed “the responsibility of responding to each challenge with measures and decisions” and has sought “agreement, consensus and unity from politicians, social stakeholders and the public in general”.

María Teresa Fernández de la Vega added that Spain took on its six-month period of EU Presidency with two important challenges ahead of it: the design of a common strategy against the crisis and in favour of economic recovery and application of the Lisbon Treaty.

Therefore, important initiatives are being implemented that “all share a common factor: public welfare”, she said.