The 2025 THEMIS Competition took place on 9-12 December at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg, marking the first time the Grand Final was hosted at this prestigious venue.
This year’s Grand Final brought together eight outstanding teams: two from France and two from Romania, as well as one team each from Austria, Germany, Greece, and Italy. Over the course of several days, participants showcased their skills through written analyses, presentations, and Q&A exchanges with peers and the distinguished jury. The central theme of this year’s Grand Final was judicial protection of the European Union, and special references were made to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Team Romania I emerged as the overall winner, delivering an outstanding performance highlighted by a well-structured written paper and insightful legal reasoning. Their work stood out for its clarity, use of relevant European case laws, and depth of analysis. The team, composed of Teodor-Georgian CĂPĂȚÎNĂ, Nicolae-Andrei DUMBRAVĂ, Raul KAPÁS-VIDAN and guided by tutor Ioan Ilieș NEAMȚ, received unanimous praise from the jury for their professionalism and rigour.
Team France I secured second place with a strong performance. Team members Lorenzo CUVIER, Zoé JOCOU, Constance LECLERCQ, tutored by Joan PINET, impressed with their persuasive written and oral submissions.
Earning third place, Team Romania II, consisting of Ana-Maria BALOG, Iulian BERBECE, Daniel-Cosmin SPOREA, under the supervision of Ionut Gabriel VISINESCU, delivered a noteworthy performance.
Opening the event, Koen Lenaerts, President of the CJEU, addressed the competitors with an inspiring message:
“The benefits for participants go far beyond enhanced ‘technical’ expertise in EU law. 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.”
The distinguished jury was composed of Krystyna Kowalik Banczyk (Poland), Damjan Kukovec (Slovenia), Matylda Pogorzelska (Poland), Consuelo Scerri Herrera (Malta), Herman Van Harten (the Netherlands). Following the oral presentations, they engaged the participants in rich and thought-provoking discussions.
Speaking on behalf of the jury, Chair Matylda Pogorzelska commended the participants’ professionalism, intellectual curiosity, and open-mindedness. She highlighted the competition’s commitment to exploring ethical challenges and praised the teams’ ability to address complex judicial issues with insight and dedication.
Judge Ingrid Derveaux, the EJTN Secretary General, underlined the important role of the THEMIS Competition in fostering dialogue and cooperation among Europe’s future judges and prosecutors.
“You are going to face many challenges, hard times, and huge responsibilities. To tackle all this, you will need strong motivation, knowledge, humility, but above all, solidarity. I hope you already feel that you belong to the same community. The connections you are making now will help you realise how much we benefit from each other, how our diversity unites us, and how we can be stronger together when we face the same challenges and trust each other,” she said.
The Grand Final was organised with the support of the CJEU Visitors’ Unit, whose team ensured a flawlessly executed event. Our sincere thanks to the CJEU President Koen Lenaerts and Greffier Alfredo Calot Escobar as well as the CJEU team for their warm welcome and hospitality.
The THEMIS Competition continues to stand as a cornerstone for aspiring magistrates across the European Union, promoting the exchange of ideas, the development of critical thinking, and the strengthening of a common judicial culture.
As part of their award, the winning Nationality team will enjoy a study visit to a country or institution of their choice in 2026.
For more on the 2025 THEMIS Competition Semi-Finals, click here.
To learn about the 2024 Winners’ study visit, follow this link.
The call for applications for the 2026 THEMIS Competition is now open – visit here for more information.
To receive the latest updates from EJTN, follow us on LinkedIn.
