From 4 to 6 June, Riga will host the most important event of the year for the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) – the General Assembly, whose central theme this year is the protection of the rule of law against threats. Representatives from 31 European countries will participate in the event.
"Upholding the rule of law requires constant vigilance, courage and international cooperation. The ENCJ General Assembly is a place where European judicial councils will jointly seek solutions to the complex challenges of today," emphasised Aigars Strupišs, President of the Judicial Council and the Supreme Court of Latvia.
The plenary sessions of the ENCJ General Assembly will be addressed by Madeleine Mathieu, ENCJ President, Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Aigars Strupišs, President of the Judicial Council and the Supreme Court of Latvia, as well as other high-level representatives from European judges' associations and Council of Europe institutions. An academic perspective will be provided by Hans Petter Graver, Professor at the University of Oslo, and Andris Piebalgs, former European Commissioner.
During the General Assembly, the results of the survey on judicial independence and the reports of the ENCJ working groups on the digitisation of the justice system, the independence, quality and accountability of the judiciary, public trust in the judiciary, and the relationship between the judiciary and the media will be presented.
The Assembly will also elect a new member of the ENCJ Board.
During the event, the ENCJ's achievements in 2024/2025 will be assessed, priorities for the next work cycle will be confirmed, and the Riga Declaration is planned to be adopted – a document that will outline the ENCJ's position on current rule of law issues in Europe.
As usual, the ENCJ Award for Positive Change will also be presented. This year, three national judicial institutions have been nominated for the award for their innovative solutions in the field of digital accessibility and openness.
Additional information:
The ENCJ brings together institutions from the Member States of the European Union that are independent of the legislative and executive branches and represent the judiciary. The aim of the ENCJ is to promote mutual cooperation between judicial councils, share experience and jointly address issues related to strengthening the rule of law. The Latvian Judicial Council has been a member of the ENCJ since 2011.
On 7 June 2023, Aigars Strupišs was elected to the ENCJ Board, and his term of office will last until the 2025 General Assembly. The ENCJ Board consists of a chairperson and seven representatives of the Member States, who are elected at the General Assembly.
More information about the ENCJ and the General Assembly is available on the organisation's official website www.encj.eu.