From 7 to 9 May 2025, the 64st Plenary Meeting of the European Judicial Network, under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, took place in Warsaw with the participation of approximately 140 EJN Contact Points.
The opening remarks were made by the following dignitaries:
Mr Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice Prosecutor General, Mr Jacek Bilewicz, Deputy Prosecutor General, Mr Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection (video message), Ms Despina Vassiliadou, Head of Unit A.5 Criminal Procedural Law, Mr Steven Cras, Council Secretariat of the Council of the EU, Mr Hugh Dockry, Secretary to the European Judicial Network.
They underlined the importance of the EJN Contact Points debating specific ideas for improving judicial cooperation and fostering trust amongst the authorities. Also some of the current and future challenges were mentioned. Delegates were asked to be ambitious with their contributions to the Workshops.
Ms Beata Hlawacz, Prosecutor at the National Prosecutor’s Service of Poland in the International Cooperation Unit, chaired the meeting. The core theme discussed by the EJN Contact Points was the future of the EU Criminal Justice. A second theme explored was e-Evidence in the context of disclosure and voluntary disclosure of information by service providers on the basis of the EU legislation and instruments of the Council of Europe (Budapest Convention and 2nd Additional Protocol to this Convention). The third workshop was dedicated to cooperation with the United Kingdom in relation to surrender of persons (extradition) and transfer of sentenced persons.
Special guest at the meeting, Judge Abdulrahman Murad Alblooshi, Undersecretary of the International Cooperation and Legal Affairs Sector of the Ministry of Justice of the United Arab Emirates, spoke under the theme “cooperation with non-EU Countries”.
In addition, on Friday 9 May, the Contact Points commemorated Europe Day. Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, Judge Dariusz Mazur, delivered a speech on this occasion.
In conclusion of the meeting, solutions, best practice and proposals for improvement were formulated. The outcome will be presented to COPEN.
