Projects & Initiatives

Overview

Court staff integration has been a strategic priority for EJTN since 2021. Following the European Commission’s study on court staff training needs, EJTN adopted an inclusive approach, addressing their needs alongside those of judges and prosecutors across all Working Groups. Building on longstanding cooperation, EJTN and the Academy of European Law (ERA) are jointly implementing an EU co-funded training project for court staff and bailiffs. 

Achievements in 2024

In 2024, a total of 2,234 court staff participated in EJTN’s continuous training activities – an impressive 24% increase from the previous year.

In collaboration with ERA, EJTN organised three seminars as part of the EJTN-ERA project on court staff and bailiffs’ training in European civil and criminal law, bringing together 75 court staff from 14 EU Member States. These seminars followed a modern and practical approach to judicial training, enhancing participants’ language skills and their understanding of European cross-border civil and criminal procedures.

EJTN also joined its French Associate Member, the National School of Clerks, in celebrating the school’s 50th anniversary. An EJTN representative actively participated in a roundtable on “European Union law, judicial bodies and proceedings: The role, knowledge and training needs of court staff”, reaffirming EJTN’s commitment to addressing court staff training needs.

Overview

The Judges@Europe Forum is a prestigious platform for fostering judicial training and dialogue across EU Member States. Established in response to the European Council Conclusions of March 2021 on strengthening the training of justice professionals, the forum offers a confidential space for European judges to exchange ideas and insights under the Chatham House Rule. Held for the first time in 2022, the event has the aim of consolidating the Rule of Law in the EU and encouraging the development of a common judicial culture in Europe. With participants coming from across the European Union, the Forum has established itself as one of the cornerstones of EJTN’s annual activities, thanks to the dedication of many EJTN Members.

Achievements in 2024

The 2024 edition of the Judges@Europe Forum took place on 18-21 November at the Siracusa International Institute in Sicily, Italy, bringing together 48 judges selected by lot to ensure diversity in jurisdiction, seniority and nationality. Centred on the theme of judicial impartiality, the Forum explored key aspects of judicial independence, the impact of digitalisation on decision-making, politically sensitive cases, media influence and the role of AI algorithms. The event provided participants with practical strategies to navigate modern challenges brought up by the rapid advancement of digital technologies, social media and Artificial Intelligence.   

Furthermore, two significant projects initiated during the 2023 Judges@Europe Forum were successfully completed in 2024.  

In June, EJTN launched a groundbreaking, bilingual publication The Rule of Law and the Good Administration of Justice in the Digital Era with Larcier Intersentia. Compiling insights from the 2023 Forum, it focuses on judicial accountability in the digital age, covering topics like disciplinary proceedings, judicial performance, transparency and the challenges posed by digitalisation. The publication fosters a deeper understanding of the intersection between judicial processes, the Rule of Law and technology across Europe. 

In December, in partnership with the Council of Europe’s HELP Programme, EJTN launched the Judges Upholding the Rule of Law Crash Course building on insights from the 2023 Forum. This free online resource, available on the HELP e-learning platform, is composed of modules focused on judicial accountability, performance and transparency in the digital age, including interactive case studies and practical resources. 

Overview

The Pilot Action on Judicial Training (Western Balkans II Project) was launched in 2022 as a three-year initiative, set to conclude in early 2025. This special project is part of the IPA II Multi-Country Action Programme 2020, funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR). Its primary objective is to develop EU law training programmes at the Montenegrin Centre for Training in Judiciary and State Prosecution (CTJSP) and the Serbian Judicial Academy (JA), while also enabling justice practitioners from all Western Balkan judiciaries to participate in EJTN events. The project benefits all judicial training institutions across the region.

Achievements in 2024

Since the project’s launch, and in close collaboration with EJTN Members and Observers, EJTN has developed several tailored EU law training programmes to address the specific needs of the Western Balkans region. In 2024, a total of 133 national experts and future trainers attended seven in-depth workshops contributing to the establishment of national EU law training networks.

These workshops provided participants with practical, hands-on learning experiences, featuring real-life case studies that reinforced the programme’s concrete and applicable nature. The tailored EU law training programmes covered criminal, civil, administrative and commercial law, as well as the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Fostering regional cooperation and knowledge exchange remains a key priority. In 2024, 18 justice practitioners from the region took part in EJTN events across Europe, further strengthening cross-border collaboration.

The impact of this project will continue shaping judicial training in the region for years to come.

Overview

EJTN, in partnership with the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission (DG COMP), launched an initiative under the Single Market Programme to equip judicial and law enforcement professionals with the skills to detect and address anti-competitive behaviour in 2024. By fostering closer cooperation between competition authorities and non-competition enforcers, the project helps financial and economic crime investigators identify and report infringements. With support from CEPOL, EJTN and DG COMP are working together to strengthen long-term capacity in competition law enforcement, promoting fair competition and upholding the integrity of the EU’s Single Market. The project foresees the implementation of training sessions in several EU Member States, study visits to DG COMP and the drafting and dissemination of Guidelines on EU Competition Enforcement.

Achievements in 2024

In 2024, a total of 124 participants received training under this programme, with six additional training sessions and two study visits scheduled for 2025.

Training sessions and study visits to DG COMP cover key topics like cartels, abuse of dominant position and landmark cases such as the Exotic Fruits case.

In addition, the EU Competition Enforcement Guidelines will be launched in June 2025, with country-specific adaptations for all 27 EU Member States to ensure effective implementation.

These activities equip judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials involved in financial and economic crime investigations with essential knowledge of EU competition law. Additionally, they strengthen collaboration between competition authorities and judicial and law enforcement professionals, enhancing the detection and prosecution of anti-competitive practices, and provide clear guidance on identifying and reporting such behaviour.