From 22 to 26 September, the winners of the 2024 THEMIS Competition had the unforgettable opportunity to visit the Court of Justice of the European Union, which will also be the prestigious venue of the 2025 THEMIS Competition Grand Final on 9-12 December.
For five days, last year’s winners from Romania stepped into the world of EU law. During their visit, they had the chance to discover how the CJEU operates, attend live hearings and even visit the European Parliament’s Luxembourg-based offices. They also had the opportunity to meet with the President of the CJEU, Koen Lenaerts.
The annual THEMIS Competition and the study visit awarded to the winning team remain a powerful platform for judicial trainees to connect and exchange with their European peers. The study visit also offers a realistic glimpse into how Europe’s judicial and legislative powers work at EU level, which can inspire the next generation of justice practitioners to think and act with the European perspective in mind.
The winning team noted:
“We are truly grateful for the opportunity to take part in this study visit to the Court of Justice of the European Union. As young judges in our very first year on the bench, this experience meant a lot to us, both professionally and personally.
Seeing how cases are handled at the CJEU gave us a fresh perspective on our own work, and a much clearer sense of the Court’s importance within the EU. What stood out most was the impressive multilingualism and the enormous effort that goes into making the Court function smoothly. It really highlighted how essential strong cooperation between national courts and the CJEU is.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took the time to welcome us, share insights into the Court’s work, and engage in open, thoughtful conversations with us. We felt genuinely welcomed, and we are heading back to Romania with new knowledge and a much broader view of European judicial cooperation.”
After the four exciting semi-finals of the 2025 THEMIS Competition, the journey heads next to the Grand Final, where eight talented teams will compete for the top honours. This year, the CJEU will host the THEMIS Grand Final for the first time, and the 2024 THEMIS Annual Journal will be made public on this same occasion.
The THEMIS Competition and its accompanying study visit awarded to the best placed team or teams continue to be an extraordinary platform for judicial trainees eager to deepen their knowledge and connect with European institutions at the highest level.
To learn more about the annual THEMIS Competition, visit here.
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