The EJTN Exchange Programme constantly pursues new paths to innovative and extended training opportunities in European Judicial Co-operation to provide for an attractive, up-to-date, and high-quality content in our co-operation with European judicial bodies.

In this pursuit, the Exchange Programme has started an extended co-operation with the European Public Prosecutor’s office (EPPO) in Luxembourg to grant European judges and prosecutors a first-hand insight to the EU body fighting financial crimes and the misappropriation of taxpayers’ money.

For the organisation of the first study visits at EPPO, a combined approach was chosen to grant already allocated participants an extended experience of their visit to Luxembourg. After a study visit to the Court of Justice of the  European Union, 30 judges, prosecutors and court staff members from 20 different EU member states gathered at the EPPO premises in Luxembourg for the first ever EJTN study visit. The agenda was set for two half-days and should cover general information on the statute of EPPO, as well as its work in practice based on a case study.

An appreciated aspect of these study visits was the division of practical work following each theoretical presentation. Rules and articles were underlined and explained with case studies and discussions, making the study visit an interactive and lively platform for the participants to exchange best practices and to share their experiences in their national jurisdictions. The variety of national judicial systems represented by participants boosted the exchange even further.

Hence, EJTN and EPPO are keen to foster a fruitful and deepened co-operation in the future. In November and December, two calls for applications for long-term training periods and for study visits in 2024 attracted interested candidates from all over the EU.

As of 2024, two different types of study visits have been planned at EPPO: general introductory visits combined with a study visit to the Court of Justice of the EU, as well as a specialised study visit of three days for prosecutors and criminal law and investigative judges specialised in financial crimes.

Some 25 interested prosecutors and criminal law judges from six Member States have expressed their interest in a long-term training period at EPPO in 2024. Their selection will be made soon and communicated by the beginning of 2024 at the latest.

EJTN warmly thanks the partners at EPPO for their hosting capacities and for welcoming our first study visits in September and November this year. With enthusiasm and optimism we are looking forward to the call for applications 2024 and a trustful co-operation in Exchange Programme activities in the future.

NOTE FOR EDITORS

Study visits with EPPO were organised for the first time in September 2023, combined with a study visit at CJEU which have existed for a long time.

A pilot project has been implemented for 2024 organising two combined (with CJEU) and one specialised study visit, as well as long-term training periods at EPPO. The latter shall be dedicated to criminal law judges and prosecutors specialised on financial and economic crimes and shall focus on a case study.