The notification on the process of termination of the legal assistance agreement on relations in civil, family and criminal matters between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation

Ministry of Justice/ Suur-Ameerika 1/ 10122 Tallinn / ESTONIA/ +372 620 8100 /fax +372 620 8109/ [email protected] / www.just.ee Reg.no 70000898

European Commission Ms. Ana Gallego Mr. Andréas Stein Mr. Peter Jozsef Csonka The notification on the process of termination of the legal assistance agreement on relations in civil, family and criminal matters between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation We hereby inform you about the initiation of the process of termination of the legal assistance agreement between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation.

The legal assistance agreement on legal relations in civil, family, and criminal matters between the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation was signed on 26 January 1993 and entered into force on 19 March 1995.

The precondition for states’ cooperation is mutual trust in each other’s legal systems. Due to the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine and severe breaches of the international law the Republic of Estonia has no trust in the Russian Federation’s legal system.

Therefore, the Estonian Ministry of Justice prepared the draft bill on terminating the legal assistance agreement with Russia. On 18 January 2024, the Government approved the draft bill on termination of the agreement and the draft bill was submitted to the Riigikogu.

Riigikogu has on 22 January initiated the proceedings of the parliament with the Legal Affairs Committee as the leading committee for the draft bill.

According to the draft bill, the legal basis for termination of the legal assistance agreement is Art 80 (2) of the agreement, which stipulates that the agreement is valid for 5-years periods if none of the Parties terminates it by informing the other Party about it at least 6 months before the end of the 5- year term of the agreement. The deadline to inform the other Party about the termination of the agreement before the next 5-years period is 18 September 2024. In case of informing the Russian Federation by this deadline the agreement is terminated as of 18 March 2025.

The draft bill is available in Estonian language at: https://www.riigikogu.ee/tegevus/eelnoud/eelnou/ab767d12-aa54-43bf-8138- b7dd82f47510/eestivabariigi-ja-vene-foderatsiooni-lepingu-oigusabi-ja-oigussuhete-kohta-tsiviil- perekonna-jakriminaalasjades-denonsseerimise-seadus Yours sincerely, Laidi Surva Acting Deputy Secretary General Laura Vaik +372 58654947 [email protected]

Our Ref: 19.02.2024 No 9-2/1800-1