EJTN releases Training Needs Assessment reports, providing new insights for better EU law training in the Western Balkans

EJTN today released two reports which reflect on the needs of Serbian and Montenegrin judges and prosecutors for training on the EU acquis.

The reports were prepared as part of the Western Balkans II Project (Pilot Action on Judicial Training IPA/2021/425-032), financed by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR).

Our acknowledgement and utmost gratitude go to the Serbian Judicial Academy and the Montenegrin Centre for Training in Judiciary and State Prosecution, as well as to the experts who co-authored the reports:
• Judge Janja Roblek
• Judge Juan Carlos da Silva
• Ms Katya Dormisheva and
• Mag. Judge Matej Čujovič

Key recommendations

The training needs assessments resulted in a set of recommendations for continued advancement of training provision on EU law at the Serbian Judicial Academy and the Montenegrin Centre for Training in Judiciary and State Prosecution.

The recommendations aim to build the capacity of both institutions to identify priorities and sequence of training provision during the EU accession process and create relevant and effective training which draws meaningful parallels between domestic and European law.

More information about the recommendations and the training needs assessment processes can be found here:

• Summary of key recommendations (leaflet)
• Training needs assessment Report – Serbia
• Training needs assessment Report – Montenegro

EU law training programmes

The Reports also serve as a foundation for the development of specialised EU law training programmes, which will be implemented in Serbia and Montenegro in 2023-2024 with EJTN support.

Each training programme consists of 5 in-person seminars and 1 online course.

They will be developed jointly by domestic judicial trainers from Serbia and Montenegro and leading Experts from EU Member States appointed by the Project.

You can read more about the training programme proposal and the Call for Experts on EU law here: a call for Experts for the Western Balkans II project is now open.