The application period for the EJTN study visits of the 2nd semester of 2024 is open. Apply by 17 May!

The EJTN Exchange Programme is pleased to announce that its 2nd-semester study visits call for application is officially open. Judges, prosecutors, judicial staff and trainers from all the EU Member States are eligible to apply. 

Eight study visits will be organised in cooperation with six partner institutions. If interested, please apply through our online application portal by 17 May 2024 (18:00 – Brussels time). 

EJTN provides financial support for all eligible candidates selected to participate in these activities. For more information on the financial conditions governing these study visits, please visit: https://ejtn.eu/activity/study-visits/. 

New in 2024: European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) 

A one-day general visit to the European Public Prosecutor’s office will be organised in September 2024 in combination with the one that is foreseen to take place at the Court of Justice of the European Union (see below). 

The study visit at the EPPO aims to familiarise participants with the institutional role, structure and mandate of the latter, as well as with the links established between the CJEU and EPPO, due to the combined nature of the visit. This objective will be achieved by observing an EPPO’s case challenged before the CJEU.  

The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)  

The study visit to the HCCH provides participants with invaluable insights into the main instruments of the Conference, including its Conventions, Protocols, and Principles. These are key components of international family law. Candidates interested in applying to this study visit must be specialised and work in the field of family law. 

European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) 

The study visits to the European Court of Human Rights aim to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of the role and impact of the Court in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including its functioning and its case law. Additionally, during this visit participants will have the opportunity to visit the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, and the European Ombudsman. 

Court of Justice of the European Union 

Study visits to the Court of Justice of the European Union are a long-lasting tradition in the EJTN Exchange Programme. These visits aim to equip participants with a deeper understanding of the Court’s mandate, organisation, and functioning. 

European Institutions in Brussels 

The study visit to the EU institutions in Brussels is organised by the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF), and the European Data Protection Supervisor. 

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 

The study visit aims to introduce participants to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) work and activity, including that in the areas of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, non-discrimination, access to justice, LGBTI, hate crimes, asylum and migration, children’s rights and data protection. Additionally, a visit to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is organised, offering to all attending participants invaluable insights on the international approaches used to prevent and address hate crimes, discrimination, and, more generally, human rights violations. 

General Information:  

Please note that the selection process of all Exchange Programme participants is the prerogative of EJTN Member and Associate Member institutions. 

Launched in 2005, at the initiative of the European Parliament, the Exchange Programme for Judicial Authorities organises study visits that bring together groups of participants from different nationalities, providing them with insights and knowledge about key judicial institutions. 

The activities of EJTN’s Exchange Programme allow judges, prosecutors, court staff and trainers from different EU Member States to improve their knowledge of other judicial systems and human rights law through direct contact and exchange of views and experiences. 

The Exchange Programme also aims at developing a common European judicial culture based on mutual trust and cooperation between judicial authorities in the European judicial area.