Following the success of previous editions, the 2026 Judges@Europe Forum will take place for the fifth time from 3 to 6 November 2026 in Syracuse, Italy, at the Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights.

This Forum provides a safe and confidential space for judges from EU Member States to exchange ideas and insights under the Chatham House Rule.  While participants may draw on the information shared during the event, they may not disclose the identity or affiliation of speakers or other participants.

This year, participants will share perspectives on the theme ‘Well-being and Welfare of Judges in Connection with Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law’, fostering a cross-border dialogue on how best to support judges in today’s evolving justice landscape.

Through panels, interactive workshops and keynote speeches delivered by renowned experts, the Forum will address key issues such as working conditions, safety, leadership, digitalisation and burnout prevention.

The participants are selected by lot among national judges from different EU Member States (except Denmark), representing a wide range of professional backgrounds, and jurisdictions. Applications will be kept strictly confidential and EJTN will not share any information relating to the selection process with national contact points. 

Judges who attended any previous edition of the Forum are kindly requested to refrain from applying, as priority is given to first-time participants. 

Applications are open until 28 August 2026.

For more information, please visit the dedicated Judges@Europe website.

The Forum is the result of a collaborative effort, made possible through the commitment and contributions of the ad hoc group members of the EJTN Working Group on Programmes:

Spanish Judicial Training School, Romanian National Institute of Magistracy, French National School for the Judiciary (ENM), Academy of European Law, German Federal Office of Justice, Belgian Judicial Training Institute, and Greek National School of the Judiciary.

We want to thank the European Commission for its invaluable support in funding the implementation of this project.  

For more information, please visit the dedicated Judges@Europe website.

To find out more about last year’s Forum, read here.

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