Belgian colleagues invited Spanish colleagues to their national EJN meeting

On 16 and 17 September 2025, Belgian colleagues invited Spanish colleagues to their national EJN meeting, thanks to an EJN grant and the Belgian Institute for Judicial Training. The Spanish delegation was headed by the Spanish EJN National Correspondent and included prosecutors and an investigating judge. On the Belgian side, participants were magistrates, legal assistants, representatives of the Ministry of Justice and police officers. The Spanish Liaison Magistrate in Belgium equally attended the meeting.

The meeting was divided into a training day on 16 September and an operational meeting on 17 September, with the aim to give Belgian colleagues an overview of the Spanish legal system, to allow for direct contact between colleagues and to learn from the Spanish experiences and best practices in working with countries in Latin-America and the Caribbean. 

During the training day the following topics were presented:

1. 1. the Spanish criminal legal system (police and justice) and take-aways of the 10th Round of Mutual Evaluation on the European Investigation Order (Council of the European Union) with regard to Spain
   2. covert operations and international cooperation in Spain
   3. freezing and confiscation orders in international cooperation with Spain
   4. international cooperation with Central and Latin-American countries: best practices from Spain, amongst others through Joint Investigation Teams and cooperation within the Iberico American Association of Public Prosecutors (Asociación Ibero Americana de Ministerios Públicos)

During the operational meeting, several ongoing cases between Belgium and Spain were discussed. The Spanish colleagues also gave feedback and best practices regarding some specific investigative measures.