The voice of Ukraine in the European judicial community: NSJU at the EJTN General Assembly 2025

On 11–12 June 2025, during Poland's Presidency in the Council of the European Union, the 28th General Assembly of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) was held, organised in cooperation with the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution of Poland (KSSIP).

At this important international event, which brought together representatives of judicial training institutions from across Europe, the National School of Judges of Ukraine was represented by Rector Mykola Onishchuk and Maksym Khodakivsky, judge of the Soborny District Court of Dnipro and lecturer at NSJU.

EJTN Secretary General Ingrid Derveaux and European Commission representative Wojciech Postulski spoke at the opening of this year's Assembly. In their speeches, they emphasised the strategic priorities for the future of judicial education in the European Union, in particular the importance of digitalisation, the development of inter-institutional cooperation and the adaptation of training programmes to the new challenges of the rule of law.

National School of Judges of Ukraine, which has been an observer member of the EJTN since 2018, took part in the plenary session, where the key areas of judicial education development in Europe were discussed, ranging from exchange programmes and language training for judges to the digitalisation of the learning process.

Participants from Ukraine also joined a thematic workshop entitled “EJTN Observers: Needs and Opportunities for Learning”, which included a discussion on deepening the cooperation between the EJTN and observer countries, including Ukraine. The discussion focused on institutionalising partnerships, harmonising training needs in the context of EU accession and finding models for sustainable cooperation. 

The results of the discussions will be taken into account when developing a future roadmap for cooperation between the EJTN and observer institutions, particularly in the context of Ukraine's European integration aspirations.

In addition to the main programme, a working meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and European Commission representative Wojciech Postulski took place on the sidelines of the General Assembly. During the negotiations, the parties discussed key issues of judicial education, in particular Ukraine's current needs in the context of European integration, opportunities for expanding educational programmes and further support from the EU in developing a modern system of training for judges.

During the General Assembly, a report on the activities of the European Network for Judicial Education for 2024 was presented and a plan of action for 2026 was outlined. In addition, the next General Assembly, to be chaired by Cyprus in the Council of the European Union, and the Conference of Directors of Judicial Schools, scheduled for October 2025 in Bordeaux, France, were traditionally announced.

The participation of the National School of Judges of Ukraine in events of this level once again demonstrates its commitment to integration into the European legal space and the implementation of advanced educational standards in the training of the judiciary.