Matra Rule of Law Training Programme II 2023-2027

The “Matra Rule of Law Training Program” is funded by Matra and is focused on the rule of law. Matra is commissioned by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Herein the Netherlands partners with government organisations in countries that are (potential or) candidates for EU membership and Eastern Partnership countries. The aim of Matra is to strengthen the effectiveness of government or semi-government institutions in carrying out their duties and responsibilities, as well as fostering bilateral relations between the Netherlands and the target countries.

This programme is implemented by a consortium consisting of three partners: the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC), the Faculty of Law at Leiden University (UL), and The Hague Academy for Local Governance (THA). The programme spans four years (2023-2026) and is focused on officials active in the rule of law sector in pre-accession and CEPA countries. These countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Serbia, and Turkey (pre-accession), and Armenia (CEPA). Each year, seven training programs are conducted, consisting of an online training, a training in the Netherlands, coaching, and an online Back-Home action plan (BHAP) return day. The training programs will cover the following themes:

• Integrity of civil servants;
• Administration of justice;
• Management of borders;
• Public procurement;
• Human rights;
• Functioning of Democratic institutions;
• Management of public services;
• Judicial cooperation.

All training programmes will be conducted once a year, with the exception of the two training sessions on ‘Public procurement’ and ‘Judicial cooperation.’ These two sessions will alternate. In the fourth year, we will offer a leadership training for selected alumni. The Hague Academy for Local Governance is responsible for the training programmes on: ‘Integrity of Civil Servants’ and ‘Management of public services’, and shares the responsibility with NHC for the training on (Functioning of) Democratic institutions. The training “Integrity of Civil Servants” aims to enhance public integrity, a core value in European governance, for officials in target countries. It covers the three pillars of integrity identified by the OECD and includes study visits to key organizations in the Netherlands and Brussels.

The training “Management of public services” focuses on enhancing the organization of the public sector for improved public service delivery, emphasizing Public Administration Reform (PAR) as integral to the EU acquis. It explores multi-level governance, covering challenges in decentralization, privatization, and digitalization.

The training “(Functioning of) Democratic institutions” focuses on participants’ understanding of democracy, emphasizing the role of well-functioning institutions in preserving EU values. It explores international standards and practical strategies for officials to contribute to democratic policy-making and enhance government transparency.

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