The European Union (EU) as well as its partners, Denmark and Sweden, in the Justice Partnership Programme (JPP) place special importance on helping up its judicial reforms, said the EU mission chief in Vietnam.

The European donors have contributed 18.7 million EUR to the programme’s total budget of 20.1 million EUR which is to run from 2010 to 2015.

At the first meeting of the Partnership Committee in Hanoi on April 22, Sean Doyle, Ambassador and Head of the EU mission in Vietnam, also said clear policies and resolve will ensure the JPP success.

The beneficiaries from JPP included the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuracy and Vietnam’s Bar Federation, under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice.

The move is also to support non-Governmental organisations’ initiatives in legal reforms.

Deputy Minister of Justice Hoang The Lien hailed Partnership Committee as an effective forum for the donors and the beneficiaries to ensure the scheme is effective.

The committee focused the discussion on the latest priorities in Vietnam ’s judicial reforms strategy for the 2010-11 period and orientations for those agencies and organisations that take part in the drawing up of the action plan, which should be based on the strategy.

The Partnership Committee, chaired by Deputy Minister of Justice Hoang The Lien and Danish Ambassador Peter Lysholt, will meet once annually./.