Introduction 

The objectives of Citizens Lab are to empower and equip citizens and civil society with the necessary skills and tools to push for good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights, and democratic principles. The platform aims to generate healthy and informed debates that can challenge and push forward the policy-making process. It also seeks to empower civil society through a fund aimed at supporting civil society to get expert advice on their advocacy initiatives.  

A number of reports make reference to a major decline in Malta’s international rankings related to good governance, rule of law, democracy and freedom of expression. This was further accentuated after Daphne Caruana Galizia – an investigative journalist in Malta – was murdered in October 2017 and the response of the authorities was neither satisfactory nor transparent in the eyes of many of the citizens. 

Through this call, Citizens Lab aims to equip civil society with a deeper understanding of the annual European Commission Rule of Law report, how to prepare and strengthen their annual submission to the report and to draw up a methodology enabling Voluntary Organisations to consolidate their individual reports into one final submission. 

The EC Rule of Law report 

The EC Rule of Law report which is compiled annually examines developments across the Member States, both positive and negative, in four key areas for the rule of law: the justice system, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and other institutional issues related to checks and balances. In examining these areas, the Commission has continued deepening its assessment and following up on the challenges and developments identified in the previous reports. 

All Member States are invited to provide information on significant developments. The written input from Member States is supplemented by exchanges during the country visits and by information received from stakeholders. 

The challenges identified by the previous Rule of Law Reports have provided inspiration for several recent EU initiatives over the past year, including the proposal for a European Media Freedom Act and the Anti-Corruption Package. 

Details of the call 

SOS Malta is seeking the services of a qualified legal professional to empower Voluntary Organisations in Malta to actively contribute to the European Commission (EC) Rule of Law Report 2025.  The aim is to enhance the capacity of Voluntary Organisations in understanding and effectively engaging with the EC reporting process. 

The primary objectives are as follows: 

• To provide training to Voluntary Organisations on the key components and indicators considered in the EC Rule of Law Report.
• To equip Voluntary Organisations with the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct assessments related to the rule of law in their respective areas of focus. 
• To guide Voluntary Organisations in collecting relevant data and evidence for submission to the EC Rule of Law Report. 
• To facilitate a collaborative process among Voluntary Organisations for the development of consolidated and impactful submissions. 

The legal expert is expected to: 

• Develop and deliver training sessions for Voluntary Organisations on the EC Rule of Law Report, its objectives, and the specific areas of interest.
• Assist Voluntary Organisations in understanding the indicators and criteria used by the EC in assessing the rule of law.
• Provide guidance on conducting local assessments and gathering data aligned with EC reporting requirements.
• Facilitate workshops/focus groups or webinars to encourage collaboration and the sharing of insights among Voluntary Organisations.
• Develop a methodology to enable Voluntary Organisations to submit a collective report for 2025. 

  Qualifications and Experience 

• A degree in law with expertise in international law, human rights, environment or a related field. 
• Proven experience in providing training and capacity-building initiatives 
• Familiarity with the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report and related processes.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills. 

Interested candidates are invited to submit their proposals, including a detailed CV, a cover letter, a budget/quotation (including VAT if applicable) and a draft proposal of how they plan to draw up the methodology. 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

• Qualifications and experience of the candidate.
• Methodology and approach proposed for the training sessions. 
• Budget and cost-effectiveness. 

SOS Malta reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received. 

Timeline 

The deadline for expressions of interest is 22nd January 2024 at 5pm. The deadline for the focus groups and methodology to be finalised is March 31st, 2024.

Contact Information: 

Request for any clarifications can be directed to kristina.maria.abela@sosmalta.org.   

An expression of interest should be sent to kristina.maria.abela@sosmalta.org and info@sosmalta.org.