The Member States of the European Union fully support the strategy on judicial training for 2021-2024, presented in December 2020 by the Commission (see EUROPE 12614/12), according to draft EU Council conclusions dated 26 February and copied to EUROPE.
The Council of the EU welcomes the “ambitious and timely objectives” described in the new strategy, which “will boost European judicial training, helping to improve quality and efficiency and to modernise the EU’s justice systems”.
Indeed, the Commission has set itself the objective of ensuring that 65% of judges and prosecutors, 30% of notaries, 20% of bailiffs and 15% of lawyers receive continuous training in European law every year by 2024.
Member States consider that European judicial training should contribute to fostering respect for the rule of law and to strengthening the European culture of the rule of law. In this respect, they encourage training organisations to address these areas as compulsory components of the training they offer.
The draft text also stresses the need to ensure the capacity of training bodies to anticipate and react to changes in Community law, such as the creation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
It also invites EU agencies in the field of Justice and Home Affairs to become fully involved in European judicial training.
Judicial training and digitalisation
The EU Council points to the close links between judicial training and the “toolbox” on the digitisation of judicial systems, which was presented at the same time. “Training is referred to as a crucial tool for immersing justice professionals in the digital reality”, it writes.
The Council of the EU thus invites Member States to invest in the digitalisation of judicial training, for example in terms of organisational tools, learning methodology and the modernisation of e-learning facilities and equipment.
In particular, the text supports the establishment of the European Training Platform, announced by the Commission, which will bring together in one place all the information on training opportunities.
For its part, the European Commission is invited to better inform and simplify access to EU funding, in particular through the new programmes ‘Justice’ and ‘Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values’ (see EUROPE 12660/18), the European Social Fund, as well as the investments made possible by the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The draft text had already been the subject of an informal written procedure and several bilateral contacts and is now suitable for all delegations. The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU intends to inform the EU Justice Ministers of these conclusions during their videoconference on 11 March. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)