Expert review of legislation to check whether disciplinary procedures meet the following eight criteria: • They respect the presumption of innocence; • They ensure the right of civil servants to defend themselves against the charges and to submit their own version of the facts and evidence; • They ensure civil servants the right to use legal advice according to their choice, including union representatives; • They ensure the right to access the relevant documents that constitute the basis for the charges; • They ensure the right to grant a hearing, either orally or in writing, prior to any resolution issued by the disciplinary authority; • They ensure the right to appeal the decision of the disciplinary authority; • They ensure the right to be heard during appeal procedures; • The disciplinary procedure contains at least the following procedural steps, regulated in detail in legislation: a) initiation of the procedure; b) impartial investigation of the facts; c) hearing of the civil servant concerned and bodies involved in initiation of the procedure; and d) the decision and the review.