EC Judicial Strategy

The European Commission has set up an Expert Group on European Judicial Training, which was recently renewed and now comprises penitentiary training. The expert group is managed by the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST) and made up of 30 experts, either in their personal capacity as experts or as representatives of common interest of stakeholders (namely, the judicial training institutions and networks).

Following a network-wide call for applications, the EPTA network named Mr. Cédric Le Bossé (cedric.le-bosse@justice.fr) from the French National Correctional Administration Academy) to represent its interests.

This webpage will be updated with all the information, documents & events that may be relevant for the members.

DOCUMENTS & LINKS

Expert group related

• The appointing decision of DG JUST for the expert group 
• Terms of reference 
• Minutes from Expert Group meeting (March 2020)
• Minutes from the expert group meeting (November 2021)
• Minutes from the expert group meeting (November 2022)
• Summary Report expert group meeting (November 2022)

Reports on European Judicial Training

• Report on European Judicial Training 2022
• Report on European Judicial Training 2021

Documents from the European Commission

• The ‘European judicial training strategy for 2021-2024’ adopted by the Commission in December 2020.
• Click here to read the full information about the Training of justice professionals and training practices.
• Press release: Modernising EU justice systems: New package to speed up the digitalization of justice systems and boost training of justice professionals
• Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union
• Council conclusions on alternative measures to detention: the use of non-custodial sanctions and measures in the field of criminal justice
• Strengthening mutual trust in the European judicial area – A Green Paper on the application of EU criminal justice legislation in the field of detention
• Framework decision 2008/909/JHA on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgments in criminal matters imposing custodial sentences or measures involving deprivation of liberty for the purpose of their enforcement in the European Union
• Framework decision 2008/947/JHA on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgments and probation decisions with a view to the supervision of probation measures and alternative sanctions
• Framework decision 2009/829/JHA on the application, between the Member States of the European Union, of the principle of mutual recognition to decisions on supervision measures as an alternative to provisional detention
• Report from the European Parliament on the implementation of the European Arrest Warrant and the surrender procedures between the Member States

European platforms of interest

• The European Training Platform (ETP) on the European e-Justice Portal
• Portal presenting the good training practices

2022 Judicial Training Report

This eleventh European judicial training report measures the participation of targeted justice professionals in training on EU law and non-legal skills, and the quality of training. It helps to monitor the implementation of the quantitative and qualitative objectives set by the European judicial training strategy for 2021-2024.

In 2021, over 240 000 justice professionals (18.1 % of all EU justice professionals) received training on EU law (30% increase compared to pre-Covid period ; during the Covid period, there had been a major increase in online training). However, huge differences remain between the different professions and between Member States. This may have a negative impact on the correct and consistent application of EU law.

The priority to train justice professionals and prepare them to the continuing challenging times is in line with the 2022 Commission Communication ‘Enforcing EU law for a Europe that delivers’. The Commission pursues its ambition for high-quality training (national or cross-border) and the inclusion of digital skills and the use of new technologies (High-level EU conference “Judicial Training: The right skills to embrace digitalisation of Justice” – April 2023)

Regarding the training of prison and probation officers in 2021 for the responding EU Member States:

• 29 % offered training on EU law in initial training (20% in continuing training), 33% on fundamental rights, 61 % on professional ethics, 55 % on professional skills, 56 % on IT-skills and 23 % on foreign languages.
• 32 % offered training for trainers (8 % on eLearning methodologies).
• 44 % evaluated their training activities and 40 % monitor training needs.

The ways in which training is offered to prison and probation staff in the responding EU Members States is diverse.

• 28% of face-to-face training activities “almost all the time/ every time”
• 28% of blended learning “occasionally”
• 19% of Hybrid training “never/almost never used “
• 27% of online training “occasionally”

Documents from the EU Judicial Training Conference 6-7 May 2021

• Conference EU judicial training programme
• ‘Modernising EU justice systems by boosting judicial training systems’ – presentation given by Cédric Le Bossé, representative of the EPTA network
• Report from the EU Judicial Training Conference (written by Cédric Le Bossé)
• Official report from the European Commission on the EU Judicial Training Conference