Equality as a fundamental value of the EU: a representative of the NSJU studied European anti-discrimination law in the Netherlands

On 20–21 April 2026, an international seminar titled “Application of EU Anti-Discrimination Legislation” was held in Utrecht (Netherlands), organised by the European Law Academy (ERA) with the support of the European Commission and the Dutch Judicial Training Centre (SSR).

The National School of Judges of Ukraine was represented by Volodymyr Orlovskyi, a lecturer and trainer at the Training Laboratory for the Study of EU Law and a judge at the Oleksandriia City and District Court in Kirovohrad Oblast.

The aim of the event was to deepen practical knowledge regarding the application of EU anti-discrimination law and to ensure a uniform approach to the interpretation of the principle of equality in judicial practice.

During the seminar, it was emphasised that equality and non-discrimination are fundamental values of the European Union and form the basis of its legal system. Considerable attention was paid to the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which sets the standards for the application of anti-discrimination legislation in the Member States.

Particular emphasis was placed on the practical aspects of evidence: the application of the principle of shifting the burden of proof, the role of statistical data, and the assessment of the parties’ conduct during proceedings. The obligation to provide ‘reasonable accommodation’ for persons with disabilities and the limits of the admissibility of employers’ neutrality policies were also examined.

An important part of the discussion was the latest challenges, in particular the risks of discrimination when using artificial intelligence algorithms, as well as the influence of cognitive biases on judicial decisions.

Summing up the results of the visit, Judge Volodymyr Orlovskyi emphasised that for Ukraine, the European Union is today not only a political vector but also a powerful value benchmark. In his words, respect for human dignity, equality and non-discrimination are the very foundations that Ukrainian society is defending today at the highest cost.

“Taking part in such events is another practical step towards our goal: full membership of the EU,” said the Ukrainian judge. “Our integration requires not only the mechanical alignment of laws, but also a profound synchronisation of legal thinking. When we communicate face-to-face with our European colleagues, adopt the reasoning of the Court of Justice of the EU, learn to recognise discrimination or overcome our own cognitive biases, we transform our aspirations for European integration into the daily reality of national law enforcement.”

That is precisely why European experience must become an integral part of the updated curricula of the National School of Judges of Ukraine. Mastering European approaches to standards of evidence and the philosophical foundations of EU law will enable Ukrainian courts to guarantee individuals reliable protection and to confirm in practice that Ukraine is an integral part of the European legal area.