The 2026 THEMIS Competition is back! This 17th edition promises to be the most ambitious yet: 43 teams, 15 European countries, five cities across five events. But only one winner!
A growing pan-European stage
What began as a joint initiative between Portugal’s Centre for Judicial Studies (CEJ) and Romania’s National Institute of Magistracy (NIM) in 2006 has evolved into a flagship European programme.
Since its EU-wide launch under EJTN in 2010, the THEMIS Competition has steadily grown into one of the most respected platforms for early-career justice practitioners in Europe.
The 2026 edition is no exception, as the competition will welcome a record number of 43 teams, representing 14 EU Member States alongside one Western Balkan country. This is four teams more than in the 2025 edition, which further highlights the competition’s role as a key platform for Europe’s future generations of justice.
Four semi-finals across Europe
This year’s THEMIS Competition will consist of four thematic semi-finals held in different European cities, each dedicated to a specific area of EU and European law. Participants are challenged through a combination of written analysis and oral presentations.
In 2026, the semi-finals will include:
- Semi-Final A: EU and European Criminal Procedural Law | 9-12 June | Vilnius, Lithuania
- Semi-Final B: EU and European Administrative Law | 12-15 May | Balatonszemes, Hungary
- Semi-Final C: EU and European Civil Procedural Law | 23-26 June | Naples, Italy
- Semi-Final D: Judicial Ethics and Professional Conduct | 25-29 May | Trier, Germany
This year’s competition starts with Semi-Final B in Balatonszemes, Hungary, hosted by the National Office for the Judiciary. The topic of the semi-final is focused on Administrative Law, which last year was replaced by Family Law.
EJTN warmly thanks the hosting institutions for their support: the National Courts Administration of the Republic of Lithuania, the Hungarian National Office for the Judiciary, the Italian School for the Judiciary, and the German Judicial Academy.
Each competing team consists of three judicial trainees, with no more than two years of initial training experience. The team may also be accompanied by a tutor.
To advance in the competition, teams must demonstrate legal excellence across multiple formats: a written paper on a relevant topic, a 30-minute oral presentation, responses to audience questions, and a structured discussion led by a jury of legal experts. This format tests both the analytical and communication skills of the participants.
The top two teams from each semi-final will qualify for the THEMIS Competition Grand Final, which will take place in December 2026. The winning team of the entire competition will receive an EJTN-funded study visit to an institution of their choice.
A defining feature of the THEMIS Competition is its emphasis on original legal writing. Each team has approximately one month to submit a paper in English on a subject of their choice, as long as it fits the theme of their semi-final. The best submissions combine well-developed analysis, critical thinking, and fresh proposals on real legal questions.
The papers for the 2026 THEMIS Competition have already been submitted, and teams will now turn their attention to refining their oral presentations and preparing to defend their arguments.
The most outstanding papers will be selected for the 2026 THEMIS Annual Journal, EJTN’s yearly academic publication. All past publications are accessible onour website.
You can watch highlights from the past Grand Final on LinkedIn or read more about the THEMIS Competition on the EJTN website.
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