EJTN study visit brings 56 justice practitioners closer to the work of the CJEU

On 21–22 September 2026, EJTN brought together 56 justice practitioners from 25 EU Member States for a study visit to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg, offering participants a unique opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the work of one of Europe’s key judicial institutions.

The group included 17 judges and prosecutors who had recently started long-term traineeships at the CJEU and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). For the first time this year, long-term trainees from Slovenia and the Netherlands joined the programme, further broadening the geographical reach of practitioners taking part in the long-term traineeships.

A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to hear directly from leading figures of the European judiciary, including President Koen Lenaerts, Référendaire to the President Stanislas Adam, First Advocate General Maciej Szpunar, as well as the new President of the General Court Savvas Papasavvas. Their exchanges with participants offered insights into the Court’s functioning, its role within the European judicial system, and the challenges of applying EU law in practice.

The discussions also underlined the importance of judicial training and dialogue in strengthening European judicial cooperation. During the visit, EJTN Secretary General, Judge Ingrid Derveaux highlighted their essential role in upholding the Rule of Law across Europe:

“At a time when the Rule of Law and judicial independence face growing pressures, our responsibility as judges, prosecutors and court staff is greater than ever. We must continue to uphold these principles and ensure the consistent, uniform, and effective application of EU law across our continent. And this is precisely where judicial training and judicial dialogue have such an important role to play.”

The programme also offered participants the chance to see the Court’s work in practice through a public hearing. Observing the proceedings first-hand provided a practical illustration of the complex legal questions brought before the Court and of the interaction between EU law and national judicial practice.

EJTN extends its sincere thanks to President Lenaerts, Référendaire Adam, First Advocate General Szpunar, Diana-Daniela Popel, Legal Secretary in the Cabinet of Judge Ziemele, and Eleonora Sartori, Administrator at the Registry of the Court of Justice, as well as to the entire CJEU team, for their warm welcome and excellent organisation.

The strong interest in the visit reflects the important place study visits to the CJEU hold within the EJTN Exchange Programme, which was launched in 2005. More than 2,000 applications for a study visit to the CJEU were received this year alone. Together with long-term traineeships, these opportunities enable judges, prosecutors and court staff to experience the work of this prestigious institution at first hand, deepen their understanding of the Court’s case law and the preliminary ruling procedure and strengthen professional links with judicial colleagues across Europe.

The partnership between EJTN and the CJEU – formalised with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 – is also set to develop further in 2027, with the launch of a new online training programme dedicated to the preliminary ruling procedure. Combining e-learning modules, videos, podcasts and workshops, the programme will offer another opportunity for judges, prosecutors and court staff across Europe to deepen their knowledge of one of the key mechanisms of judicial dialogue between national courts and the CJEU.

Learn more about the EJTN study visits here.

Applications for the 2027 EJTN study visits and other training opportunities available through the EJTN Exchange Programme are still open. Apply by 14 October 2026.

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