Map of international work
We promote the interests of the UK Government in the EU, the Council of Europe and other international forums, in matters of criminal, civil and family justice, data protection, human rights and democratic engagement.
We support the UK's legal services sector abroad and promote fair and effective justice systems internationally. We promote practical cooperation benefiting citizens, improving access to justice and rights, and liberalising markets.
This map should not be considered an authority on the delimitation of boundaries or the spelling of place names.
- markers represent the area or country the example refers to, but because of the technology involved might not be accurately placed.
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European Union
Lisbon treaty
The treaty reforms and streamlines EU institutions and processes. It will have significant implications for our criminal justice work and affect how laws are made.
Stockholm programme
This is a new five-year EU programme in justice and home affairs. We have been involved in discussions about what it should contain so that it enhances the security of all EU citizens and their rights to justice.
Justice and home affairs
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security has a mandate to ensure that the whole European Union upholds these ideals.
EU enlargement
We support enlargement as a tool for maintaining freedom, security, justice and prosperity.
The Hague conference on private international law
We actively participate in the promotion of inter-governmental cooperation on laws across the EU and the rest of the world, for example on the approach to adoption.
E-justice
We are coordinating information on the UK for an EU website on laws across member states.
Civil and family justice - succession and wills
The European Commission is looking at possible solutions for making the administrative aspects of succession easier through a European certificate of inheritance and a system for registration of wills.
Brussels I Regulation
We are leading on revisions to this convention on jurisdiction and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters.
EU funding
The EU funds many justice-related projects in the UK.
Priority bilateral relationships
USA
We are working with the US Department of Justice on sharing best practice in criminal justice, international justice programmes and international legal challenges.
Canada
We are cooperating with Justice Canada and Correctional Services Canada on sharing best practice in criminal justice, international justice programmes, international legal challenges, and constitutional and judicial reform.
India
Recent visits have helped to promote the UK’s legal services and opened dialogue with the government of India on judicial reform.
Prison and probation
Turkey
The EU funds a €1.79m project improving implementation of international standards in probation service work with young offenders and victims of crime, to be completed by October 2010.
Bulgaria
The EU funds a number of programmes in the country, including a €800k project increasing the prison service standards of prison security and offender resettlement (ended 15 April 2009), a €1m project developing modern European probation policy and practice (ends 30 November 2009) and a €214k initiative improving conditions in investigation and detention centres and enhancing rehabilitation (ends 17 November 2009).
Estonia
The Ministry of Justice of Estonia funded €30k cognitive behavioural programme training for 16 Estonian probation officers to reduce reoffending between September 2008 and September 2009.
Jamaica
The Ministry of Justice, FCO and Department for International Development funded a £2.97m programme working with staff on their management and supervision of offenders, to be completed by 30 March 2011.
Prison transfer agreements
We have prison transfer agreements with more than 100 governments around the world e.g. Vietnam
Courts and judiciary
Georgia
The FCO funds a £244,000 programme to increase court efficiency and public confidence in the judicial system, to be completed by July 2011.
North Cyprus
We are helping the Turkish Cypriot judiciary to improve the efficiency of the judicial system by implementing case management practices and developing bailiff reform (budget £154,000, funded by the FCO and to be completed by March 2010).
Algeria
The FCO funded the £12,870 Algerian/UK judicial cooperation programme.
China
We fund the Lord Chancellor’s training scheme for Chinese lawyers and the judicial training programme for young Chinese judges.
Justice, democracy and governance
Justice Assistance Network
We provide the chair and the secretariat for the network, which is the UK government's main forum for coordinating justice assistance in developing and transition countries.
Post conflict support
We work with the Stabilisation Unit, which supports countries emerging from violent conflict.
John Smith Memorial Trust
We help fund the trust, which enables young leaders in the former Soviet Union to learn about UK democracy.
Crown dependencies
We deal with constitutional issues and legislation for Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
The Isle of Man increased transparency of its tax laws in June 2009.
