The Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) of the Council of Europe has adopted, at its 20th plenary meeting from 6 to 8 November 2019 in Strasbourg, its Opinion No. 22 entitled "The role of judicial assistants". The Opinion will be forwarded to the Committee of Ministers with a view to its dissemination in the Council of Europe member States. The Opinion examines issues such as the framework for judicial assistants in their role of supporting judges, the importance of respecting the right to a fair trial in accordance with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the cooperation between judges and judicial assistants, the nature of the assistants' tasks, their status, appointment procedures and various aspects related to their career. The Opinion also reiterates the importance of preserving the independence and impartiality of judges during the exercise of their mandate.

• Link to Opinion No. 22 of the CCJE on the role of judicial assistants
• Link to the preliminary works