PRESS RELEASE : Lord Chancellor meets French Justice Minster in Paris [June 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 19 June 2023.

The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP KC, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, was in Paris today (19 June) where he held meetings with his counterpart Éric Dupond-Moretti, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals of France.

Following highly productive and wide-ranging conversations, the two Ministers issued a joint statement (below) emphasising their shared determination to ensure accountability for war crimes in Ukraine and to work together to strengthen justice cooperation and meet shared challenges.

Joint statement

We, the Justice Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Republic of France, met in Paris today 19 June 2023 to further strengthen the close relationship between our two countries in the field of justice. As neighbours with shared values and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law, our discussions today offered an opportunity to reflect upon a relationship that is both broad and deep, and consider areas of mutual interest and future cooperation. Today’s challenges to justice and rule of law are international in nature, and we are united as friends and allies in our efforts to address them.

In our wide-ranging and productive discussions we were pleased to cover a number of important issues that face both of our countries, and on which we are committed to working collaboratively.

• We are determined to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, and to work together and with our allies to ensure those responsible for committing alleged atrocities are held to account.
• We noted the vital role the International Criminal Court plays in global efforts to end impunity for war crimes and we are proud to support the court’s investigations across the world including in Ukraine. Maintaining joint support for the International Criminal Court is one of the primary mechanisms to achieve accountability for war crimes and crimes of the gravest concern to the international community, ensuring that justice is delivered for victims.
• We are determined to strengthen the positive relationship between our two countries in the field of civil and judicial cooperation, reflecting the close ties between our two countries and ensuring that our legal systems work for the businesses and citizens of both countries, in particular the most vulnerable ones, as they live, work and do business between France and the United Kingdom.
• We have committed to sharing valuable knowledge and best practice in various areas, in particular regarding the fight against radicalisation in prison and the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation.
• We re-commit to agreements made by our leaders at the UK-France Summit of 10 March: and we will continue to enhance our cooperation in order to fight organised crime, in particular human trafficking and facilitation of illegal migration.

We look forward to working together to ensure that rule of law prevails internationally, and our justice systems work together to meet shared challenges and meet the needs of the citizens of our two great countries.