Through its wide range of training and exchange activities, the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) plays an important role in reinforcing the principles that form the foundation of the European Union, including respect for fundamental rights and the Rule of Law. On the occasion of Europe Day, the AIAKOS Programme stands as a concrete expression of this mission.
Among EJTN’s most impactful initiatives, the AIAKOS Programme shapes the next generation of Europe’s judiciary. Now in its 14th year, the programme has grown from a pilot initiative launched in 2013 into a fully-fledged initial training activity with a wide European reach and lasting impact.
Its importance is increasingly recognised at national level. Participation in an AIAKOS Programme exchange has become a mandatory component of judicial training in several EU Member States, including Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain, while others, such as Romania, are considering making it compulsory. In 2021, the programme also included participants from the Western Balkan region, and with Malta and Luxembourg joining in 2024, the AIAKOS Programme now spans 24 EU Member States.
The AIAKOS Programme was designed to support future and early-career judges and prosecutors at a critical stage in their professional development. It offers a unique cross-border experience, enabling participants to gain first-hand insight into different national justice systems while fostering mutual trust and strengthening the European dimension of their work.
Over the past decade, from 2016 to 2025, nearly 10,000 justice practitioners have benefitted from the programme. According to a mapping conducted by EJTN in 2025, from all judicial trainees appointed in the European Union in 2024-2025, 17,4% had attended the AIAKOS Programme.
EJTN Secretary General, Judge Ingrid Derveaux, highlighted the importance of this initiative:
“The AIAKOS Programme is much more than a training activity. It offers future judges and prosecutors the opportunity to experience and better understand the work of their counterparts across Europe. It helps foster a European-wide community of future justice practitioners, united by shared values and a common commitment to the Rule of Law.
Through tailored exchanges, participants are encouraged to engage, ask questions and reflect on key aspects of judicial work, including judicial independence, judicial ethics and the growing role of digitalisation in justice systems.
EJTN is proud to have launched and coordinated the AIAKOS Programme for over a decade, with a reach and impact that continues to grow further each year. We remain firmly committed to the core mission of the programme: fostering and empowering the future generations of justice.”
Conducted twice a year, in May and November, the AIAKOS Programme consists of exchange periods hosted by national judicial training institutions or by courts and prosecution offices. During their exchange, participants will, for example, observe court proceedings, discuss key topics related to EU law, attend site visits and meet experienced judges and prosecutors.
This immersive approach ensures that participants not only deepen their legal knowledge but also develop practical skills and a broader European professional identity. In 2026, the AIAKOS participants will especially benefit from the online course focused on AI and human rights, created by the HELP Programme of the Council of Europe.
Through exchanges between future judges and prosecutors from across Europe, the AIAKOS Programme helps bring European values into everyday judicial practice, thus reinforcing one of the key foundations of European democracies.
If you are interested in participating in the AIAKOS Programme in the future, please contact your national judicial training institution for eligibility details.
Learn more about the AIAKOS Programme here.
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