Lorenzo Cuocolo illustrates the standards of European law to Turkey's judicial authorities

Lorenzo Cuocolo, a law professor at Bocconi, has returned from Turkey after participating in one of the stages of the Council of Europe's project to illustrate to the judges of Turkey's Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Council of State and High Council of Judges and Prosecutors, the standards and mechanisms of European law in view of Turkey's possible entrance into the EU.

The project, launched in February, aims to enhance the role of the supreme judicial authorities in Turkey and to initiate changes in Turkey's normative framework towards EU law. Over 30 months, through round tables, conferences and study visits, a group of experts selected by the Council of Europe will illustrate the European standards regarding subjects such the right to a fair trial; the right to freedom of expression; property rights and the protection of social rights.

"It proved a strong, and very interesting, experience considering the delicate moment the country is living – torn between those that push for agreements with the West and those who prefer the call of Islam. Being there on behalf of the EU we could really feel this contrast," explains Cuocolo. "This is an important project to help Turkish judges understand how European law works and it wasn't easy to organize considering the at times suspicious attitude of the judges who were, understandably, not enthusiastic to receive lessons from foreigners."

Cuocolo, the only Italian part of the project, was chosen as an expert of environmental law and last week held three seminars in Ankara on the protection of the environment in Europe.

"The judges were well disposed and attentive but, on the whole, there is a lack of attention to the themes of environmental law. There is much to be done to bring Turkey up to European standards on this front," explains Cuocolo. "Turkey does have a series of laws for the protection of the environment but they are not considered very important – they haven't understood that it is as important as the defence of freedom and private property. But in my seminars I mentioned what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico and it seems to me this helped them understand how the protection of the environment is destined to achieve ever growing importance internationally."