BESp organized a study visit to The Hague for the Ministries of Justice and Chambers of Enforcement Agents from the Western Balkans

The “Balkans Enforcement Strengthening Project” (BESP) funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by CILC supported a study visit to The Hague from 13^th to 16^th of May 2025 for representatives from the Ministries of Justice and Chambers of Enforcement Agents from the Western Balkans.

Representatives from the five participating legal systems had the possibility to exchange with their Dutch colleagues and among themselves best practices for strengthening enforcement. The study visit was headed by Jos Uitdehaag, BESp Project Lead expert and Ms. Zlatislava Mihailoff, BESP Project Director.

On 13^th of May the participants had an opportunity to pay a visit and exchange with Dutch colleagues from the Enforcement agent office van der Velde en van Hal on enforcement practices. In the afternoon they had an honour to attend the 40th Anniversary of the Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC), dedicated to promoting the rule of law and building legal institutions through partnerships around the world. The celebration event was marked with keynote addresses by Mrs. Anne-Marie Bruist (CILC Director), Mr. Gerard Tangenberg, (Chair of the CILC Supervisory Board), Mr. Jan van Olden, (CILC founding member) and Prof. Adam Lazowski (University of Westminster, College of Europe), followed by a panel discussion with Judge Herman von Hebel (Netherlands), Prosecutor Simon Minks (Netherlands), Chief Prosecutor Altin Dumani (Albania), Margarita Potsiluyko (Probation Office, Ukraine) and Judge Lieneke de Klerk (Netherlands).

On 14^th of May the representatives from the Western Balkans exchanged with the Royal Professional Organization of Judicial Officers in The Netherlands (KBvG) and the Financial Supervision Unit (BFT) on disciplinary law for bailiffs, supervision, monitoring and control and ethics.

On 15^th of May a Conference of the Royal Chamber of Enforcement Officers in the Netherlands took place dedicated to innovations in the enforcement profession marked by in-depth discussions on: governance, innovation, training, digitalisation, and international cooperation.

On 16th of May 2025, the representatives from the Chambers of enforcement agents from Western Balkans attended the Spring Council of the UIHJ – UNION INTERNATIONALE DES HUISSIERS DE JUSTICE bringing together representatives from 33 countries. Members discussed strategic issues such as the impact of EU Directive 2018/958 on the regulation of professions, the progress of the working groups on artificial intelligence, as well as the draft new version of the Global Code of Enforcement.

BESp continues its assistance until the end of August 2025.