A two-day thematic seminar on Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law was held on 5 and 6 March for EU legal practitioners. Held at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the event is part of the EU-CoE project "Judicial Training on Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights", funded under the European Union Justice Programme (2021-2027). The seminar brought together 50 judges and prosecutors from 13 EU Member States.

The seminar underlined the paramount importance of judicial independence in upholding the rule of law and served as a dynamic platform for participants to engage in meaningful discussions, exchange ideas, and deepen their understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of judicial independence.

After a warm welcome by Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the Justice and Human Rights Training Division of the Council of Europe, the seminar started with an overview of the HELP programme and the HELP platform, presented by Giulia LO PRESTI, HELP project coordinator, who moderated the seminar.

The seminar included thematic sessions on key aspects of the judicial independence and provided an overview of the challenges, opportunities and ongoing efforts for the preservation of the rule of law.

Judge Nina BETETTO, Member and former President of the CCJE, as well as co-author of the HELP course on Ethics for Judges, Prosecutors, and Lawyers, delivered a very inspiring presentation. Ms. Betetto shed light on the crucial link between judicial independence and the preservation of the rule of law, emphasizing its pivotal role in maintaining a just and democratic society.

Ingrid DERVEAUX, Judge and Secretary General of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN), provided valuable insights into the impact of training programmes on the preservation of judicial independence. Ms Derveaux explored the challenges and opportunities in the field of judicial training and highlighted its impact on the overall integrity of the judicial system, presenting also the EJTN action and projects.

Artashes MELIKYAN, Head of the Judicial Independence Unit, Secretary of the CCJE and CCPE, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe, provided participants with an overview of the Legal Cooperation Division and the CCJE Secretariat. Mr. Melikyan outlined the CoE's commitment and efforts to uphold the independence of the judiciary and reviewed some of the relevant opinions of the CCJE.

Szymon JANCZAREK, Legal Advisor at the Department for the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, addressed the practical aspects of ensuring the independence of the judiciary by presenting the enforcement measures of recent judgments of the Strasbourg Court in cases related to the independence of the judiciary.

On the same occasion, the HELP course on Ethics for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers was officially launched. The participants were introduced to the course under the guidance of Nataša BELAMARIĆ, international expert and HELP tutor, who introduced them to the course page, the different modules and the final assignment.

As a significant part of the seminar, participants had the opportunity to visit the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Elisa LLOP CARDENAL, senior lawyer at ECtHR, presented a general overview of the court's role and work. Additionally, the participants attended the hearing of the Grand Chamber in the case "Ships Waste Oil Collector B.V. and Others v. The Netherlands" and gained valuable insights into the work of the Court.