The European Judicial Training Network is proud to announce the launch of the 2024 THEMIS Annual Journal, which compiles together some of the most insightful and forward-looking contributions from the 2024 THEMIS Competition.
This prestigious journal, marking the 15th edition of the THEMIS Competition, was launched during the 2025 THEMIS Competition Grand Final, which took place for the very first time at the Court of Justice of the European Union on 9-12 December.
The THEMIS Annual Journal showcases the best academic papers written by participants of the THEMIS Competition. It provides a platform for innovative ideas, original thinking, and well-reasoned proposals on topics related to European law and judicial ethics. The journal contributes to the development of a common European judicial culture, to fostering mutual trust and cross-border cooperation and to the promotion of shared values among future judges and prosecutors from across Europe.
Judge Amelia Onisor, editor-in-chief and member of the publication’s editorial committee, stated:
“The THEMIS Annual Journal is a tangible expression of EJTN’s commitment to high-quality judicial training and to a shared culture of EU law. By capturing the research, reflection and debate generated in the THEMIS competition, it offers readers a nuanced snapshot of how future European judges and prosecutors engage with contemporary legal challenges.”
President of the CJEU, Koen Lenaerts notes in the publication’s foreword: “The THEMIS Competition, which forms part of EJTN’s ‘initial training’ activities, spurs the development of a common judicial culture in the EU. A clear illustration is the fact that, every year, one semi-final is dedicated to ‘judicial ethics and professional conduct’, whereas the Grand Final addresses judicial protection in the European Union. EJTN should be commended for offering future judges or prosecutors from all over Europe an opportunity to engage in high-level discussions on these topics.”
This 2024 edition features thirteen outstanding papers covering four key areas of European law:
- European criminal procedural law
- European administrative law
- European civil procedural law
- Judicial ethics and professional conduct
Topics vary, including reflections on the complexity of EU mutual assistance in criminal matters, the use of retrospective facial recognition by law enforcement authorities in Europe, the binding decisions of the European Data Protection Board in the light of access to justice, and more.
The THEMIS Annual Journal also supports the professional development of future members of the judiciary. It encourages the cultivation of essential judicial skills, from legal writing and analytical reasoning to debating and communication, in the context of a European legal framework.
The 2024 journal marks new milestones
The 2024 THEMIS Annual Journal is a first-of-its-kind in many ways:
- For the first time, the journal has been published by an external publisher. The Belgian publishing house Anthemis was selected for this, and it is also included in renowned academic databases, such as Cairn
- The edition features a foreword by Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union
- The journal introduces a new section dedicated to the Grand Final, with contributions from the THEMIS jurors and the 2024 winning team, Team Romania
These achievements reflect EJTN’s commitment to enhancing both the quality and reach of its publications, positioning the THEMIS Annual Journal as a key reference for judicial education and dialogue across Europe.
The 2024 THEMIS Annual Journal has been published in both print and digital formats. The digital format is freely accessible on EJTN’s website.
We want to sincerely thank the journal’s editorial committee for all their contributions:
Amelia Onisor, editor-in-chief
Stanislas Adam
Charles-Eric Clesse
Emmanuelle Laudic-Baron
We wish to also express our heartfelt thanks to President of the CJEU, Koen Lenaerts and Judge at the General Court and former Director of the Romanian National Institute of Magistracy, Octavia Spineanu-Matei for their contribution to this important launch event.
To learn more about the THEMIS Competition, visit here.
To receive the latest updates from EJTN, follow us on LinkedIn.
