Justice Minister discusses judicial cooperation during visit to France

Paris: Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Maawda, Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, led a delegation from the Ministry on a visit to the French Republic to discuss cooperation and exchange expertise in legal and judicial fields.

During the visit, the Minister met with Elisabeth Barsacq, Head of European and International Affairs at the French National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL). The meeting discussed legislative frameworks and best practices in personal data protection and safeguarding individual rights, as well as relevant international cooperation mechanisms. The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its practical applications were also reviewed, along with means to exchange expertise and develop effective privacy policies.

Both sides commended the strong and longstanding ties between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the French Republic, noting the continued growth and development of relations across various fields.

The Minister also met Valérie Delnaud, Director of Civil Affairs and the Seal at the French Ministry of Justice. The meeting discussed the development of civil judgment laws in France and reviewed the evolution of civil legislation and mechanisms for enforcement.

The delegation also visited the Paris Commercial Court, where a meeting was held with Patrick Sayer, President of the Court, and Bertrand Kleinmann, Vice President of the Court. The visit aimed to review the operational mechanisms of the French commercial courts and their specialised judicial system. Discussions covered the court’s structure and administrative framework, the role of commercial judiciary in supporting the economy, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, procedures for handling complex commercial cases, and the functions of the court’s international chamber.

The visit also included the French National School for the Judiciary (ENM), where the delegation met with Haffide Boulakras, Head of the ENM in Paris. The meeting focused on France’s approach to judicial training and the systems in place for education and continuous professional development. Discussions addressed theoretical and practical training methods and opportunities for exchange visits and joint training programmes between judicial institutes in both countries.