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28/12/2020    S252

Netherlands-The Hague: Notice of Call for Expressions of Interest for the Establishment of a List of Experts to Assist EuroMed Justice Programme

2020/S 252-634452

Reference 2020/EJ/14/CEI

 1.Contracting authority

Eurojust, PO Box 16183, The Hague, NL332 Agglomeratie ’s-Gravenhage, 2500 BD, NETHERLANDS, EUROMED-JUST-CEI@eurojust.europa.eu
 2.Registration procedure

The objective of this call for expressions of interest is to set up a list of external experts to support EuroMed Justice Programme in the updating, drafting and presentation of legal and gaps analyses, comparative studies, manuals or handbooks related to International cooperation in criminal matters in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Interested applicants are invited to submit their application via the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/euromedjustcei
Applications must be submitted one of the official languages of the European Union. Since EUROMED’s Justice Programme working language is English or French, EUROJUST would highly appreciate to receive applications written in English or French.
Inclusion on the list entails no obligation on the part of the contracting authority concerning the conclusion of contracts.
 3.Information and documents to be provided

Interested parties should provide together with their application:
(a) A declaration on honour to be found as part of the application form (‘Information and documents to be provided’) stating that they are not in one of the situations of exclusion listed at point 10 and that they fulfil the selection criteria listed at point 11.
In case of doubt, they may be requested to provide supporting evidence of non-exclusion and or selection.
(b) A legal entity form for Natural Persons (PDF version), together with the requested supporting documents (template available at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/legal-entities_en).
(c) A financial identification form (PDF version), together with the requested supporting documents (template available at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/financial-identification_en).
Submission of an application implies the acceptance of the terms and conditions laid down in this call for expression of interest and all the relevant Annexes.
 4.General description of the procedure

4. Selection process and specific assignments
4.1. Selection
Natural persons are invited to submit an expression of interest in accordance with the rules set out in this notice.
Applicants may apply for one or several thematic areas indicated at point 7 by selecting the relevant fields in their application.
Eurojust will draw one list of experts divided in up to four sublists of experts who meet the criteria set out at point 11. These sublists correspond to each of the fields described at point 7 and will be divided in two subgroups, one for short term experts and one for senior short term experts.
The selection procedure will be carried out at least on a yearly basis by a panel appointed by EUROJUST. Applications shall be considered valid only if sent before the deadline indicated in point 9 below.
The result of the selection procedure is, in case of a positive outcome, the inclusion of the applicant in the list of prospective individual external experts, for the duration specified in point 9 below.
All applicants will be informed of the results of the procedure (i.e. whether or not they have been placed on the list).
4.2. Assignment of the expert and signature of the contract:
Where a particular task relating to the field described at point 7 is to be performed by an external expert, EUROJUST will assign experts to the task on the basis of the skills, experience and knowledge necessary and in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and absence of conflict of interests.
EUROJUST will ensure that the choice of expert is made in a balanced manner with an appropriate rotation of experts. Account will also be taken, for example, and depending on the specific tasks to be assigned, of the geographical representativeness and linguistic abilities of applicants. In addition, whilst maintaining the principle of choosing the most qualified experts, EUROJUST will seek to obtain a gender balance.
A contract shall be signed between EUROJUST and the selected expert for the performance of allocated task(s). A model contract, including the relevant Annexes, is available at the following space:
https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/call-expression-interest-establishment-list-experts-assisteuromed-justice-programme
In accordance with the model contract provisions, the selected expert shall be entitled to a payment as indicated in point 12. If applicable, travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed as indicated in the model contract.
The experts are requested to commit themselves to respect applicable national legislation (including taxation, social security and labour laws) with regard to any payment received from EUROJUST.
 5.Protection of personal data

If processing a reply to the invitation to tender involves the recording and processing of personal data (such as name, address and CV), such data will be processed pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC. Unless indicated otherwise, your reply to this notice and any personal data requested are required for the purposes indicated above in point 4 and will be processed solely for those purposes by the contracting authority indicated in point 1. Details concerning the processing of personal data are available in the privacy statement at: https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/data-protection-notice-processing-personal-data-contextcreating-list-short-term-experts-euromed
Your personal data may be registered in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) should you be is in one of the situations mentioned in Article 136 of the Financial Regulation. For more information, see the privacy statement: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/explained/management/protecting/protect_en.cfm
 6.Use of the list resulting from this notice

The list resulting from this notice will be used exclusively for the execution of the tasks within the fields described at point 7 below the applicable threshold of the Directive on public procurement (2014/24/EU). This ceiling applies to the total of all payments (including both remunerations and reimbursement) to be made to each expert throughout the duration set for the list. Furthermore, the cumulative length of the contracts shall not exceed 75 days per calendar year per expert.
 7.Full description of the fields covered by the call for expressions of interest

The purpose of this call for expression of interest is to establish a list of qualified experts in the field of international cooperation in criminal matters (experts and senior experts) to support, on an ad-hoc basis, the implementation of EuroMed Justice Program.
The main tasks to be carried out by the selected experts would be:
(a) Under the guidance of CrimEx (information of CrimEx can be found https://www.euromed-justice.eu/en/documents/activity) and the coordination of the Program management team to update and develop the analyses and tools of the IV phase of EuroMed Justice project (Digital Evidence Manual, Legal and Gap Analysis, Train of Trainers Tools, Handbook on International Cooperation, EuroMed Fiches, etc). More information about these outputs can be found here: https://www.euromedjustice.eu/en/publications
(b) Under the guidance of CrimEx, and the coordination of the program management team to design, draft, review and merging new deliverables, in line with EuroMed Justice Action Plan. This can include but is not limited to the drafting of a manual/guide/comparative study on the protection of personal data within International cooperation in criminal matters procedures, the drafting of an manual/guide on parallel/joint investigations and spontaneous exchange of information, drafting other manuals/guides/studies as decided by CrimEx.
(c) Under the coordination of the program management team present and promote the deliverables and updates developed under the program in different events organised within the framework of EuroMed Justice program or by external stakeholders; the above list of tasks to be carried out is not considered exhaustive. Eurojust reserves the right to request deliverables not explicitly mentioned in the above list of expected services, but related to the field of expertise object of the present call for interest.
Interested individuals will apply for one or more thematic areas which will correspond to a sublist of experts.
Thematic area 1:
International cooperation in criminal matters, including but not limited to mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, extradition, transfer of proceedings, transfer of sentenced persons, joint investigations/investigation teams, parallel investigations, spontaneous exchange of information, emergency procedures.
Thematic area 2:
Procedural criminal law and investigative techniques – AML investigations, asset recovery and confiscation of crime proceeds, special investigative techniques, procedures to investigate terrorism cases, procedural rights for victims and defendants, etc.
Thematic area 3:
Criminal law – terrorism related crime, financial crime, drug trafficking, traffic of human beings, migrant smuggling, etc.
Thematic area 4:
Cybercrime, electronic evidence and data protection related aspects with regard to the criminal matters and in International cooperation in criminal matters procedures.
 8.Place of delivery

The services of the external experts are to be provided mainly:
— at the expert’s premises for preparatory or reporting tasks;
— in EU Member States for activities performed in the context of EuroMed Justice Programme core business;
— in third countries for activities performed in the context of EuroMed Justice Programme core business, externally funded projects.
 9.Expiry date of the list resulting from this call for expressions of interest

The list resulting from this notice is valid for 3 years from dispatch of this notice. Interested parties may submit an expression of interest at any time prior to the last three months of validity of the list.
 10.Exclusion criteria

Experts shall be excluded from participation if they are in any of the situations listed in Article 136 of the Financial Regulation. All applicants must provide a declaration on honour (see link at Point 3 above), duly filled in, signed and dated, stating that they are not in one of the situations of exclusion listed therein.
 11.Selection criteria

(a) Criteria relating to technical and professional capacity
Experts to be placed on the lists shall be selected based on their professional and technical capacity to perform the tasks described in this call according to the following criteria:
— the applicant shall be a natural person, not a legal entity;
— the applicant shall have:
• a university degree in law, political sciences, social sciences, international relations or related fields,
• at least 3 years of professional experience for short term experts/5 years of professional experience for senior short term experts in areas related to the criminal justice of which at least 2 years must have been acquired in an international context and/or in technical cooperation project,
• at least 3 years of professional experience, for short term experts/5 years of professional experience, for senior short term experts, in areas related to the list they are applying for,
• a proven track record of working/consulting/counseling/writing articles in areas related to the list they are applying for,
• a good knowledge of the International and European (EU and Council of Europe) legal instruments on cooperation in criminal matters,
• a good knowledge of the regional context in the South Partner Countries (SPCs) with regard to criminal and procedural criminal law and international cooperation in criminal matters,
• excellent analytical, research and reporting skills,
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
• computer literacy,
• confirmed drafting skills in English and/or French.
Advantageous competencies and experience:
— experience in working as a prosecutor, judge or in other criminal justice authority from EU MSs;
— experience in working as a prosecutor, judge or in ther criminal justice authority in one of the SPCs;
— knowledge of/experience in the implementation of EU or international projects in the area of criminal justice;
— participating as expert in the previous phases of the EuroMed Program.
All the selection criteria requested above will be assessed based upon the information applicants provide in their application. EUROJUST reserves the right to request any additional documentary evidence if deemed necessary in order to verify applicants' skills and knowledge. The applicants have the possibility to list in the application form any relevant studies, papers, articles they have authored, co-authored or contributed to. Please note that it is the responsibility of the applicant to inform EUROJUST immediately of any changes to their administrative and technical details which would result in a change to their original application.
 12.Conditions of remuneration and reimbursement of experts

Experts shall be remunerated at a fixed price of EUR 450 per day worked for short term senior experts and EUR 350 per day work for short term experts. The working day will be calculated for 8 hours of work.
Travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed under the conditions set out in the contract.
 13.Ex-post transparency

A list of experts (name and subject of the tasks executed) who have concluded a contract following the procedure set out at point 4 shall be published on the website of the contracting authority.
If an expert has concluded a contract of more than EUR 15 000, the name, the locality (region of origin), amount, and subject of the contract shall be published on the website of the contracting authority no later than 30 June of the year following contract award. The information shall be removed 2 years after the year of contract award.
 14.Date of dispatch of notice

15 December 2020.
 15.Date of receipt by the Publications Office