Mediation in Administrative Law Proceeding: Comparative Legal Analysis of the Legislation of the Federal Republic of Germany and Ukraine

Abstract

The article highlights the content of mediation as an alternative method of administrative law dispute resolution through the prism of analysis of the relevant legislation. The relevance of this topic is primarily associated with the problems of resolution of administrative law disputes by the means of litigation. Therefore, mediation appears as a way to find a compromise for both parties, which can be achieved with the help of a mediator whose purpose is to resolve a conflict situation and assist in making a decision which would satisfy the interests of both parties. The purpose of this article is to study mediation as a method of alternative dispute resolution in the administrative process in its broadest sense, i.e., including administrative procedure and administrative proceedings, based on the comparative legal analysis of Ukrainian and German legislation. To achieve this goal and solve the tasks stipulated by it, the following scientific methods were used: systematic, formal legal, comparative legal, analysis and synthesis, and generalisation methods. The article examines the legislation on mediation: domestic and German. It is established that in the legislation and practice of European countries, mediation has been used for a rather long period of time in the resolution of administrative law disputes. Such a widespread use of mediation in administrative law issues is associated with Recommendation (2001) 9 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to member States on alternatives to litigation between administrative authorities and private parties, dated 5 September 2001, which emphasises that the use of alternative means of settling administrative disputes makes it possible to resolve these problems and bring the administrative authority closer to the public. The author substantiates the relevance of legal regulation of mediation as a means of resolving administrative law disputes in Ukraine.