On 14 November, the European Union of Judicial Officers (UEHJ) was represented at the 4th European Forum of the Legal Professions in Brussels by Marc Schmitz, President of the UEHJ, and Patrick Gielen, Secretary-General of the UIHJ. This annual meeting, organized by the Academy of European Law (ERA), brings together the various European legal professions to promote the rule of law, the independence of justice, and public trust in democratic institutions.
The conference opened with a keynote address delivered by Ana Gallego Torres, Director-General for Justice and Consumers at the European Commission. She highlighted the increasing pressures on democratic systems and stressed the important role that the legal professions must play in responding to these challenges.
The morning continued with the roundtable entitled “Our Strength”, during which Patrick Gielen spoke alongside Simone Cuomo, Secretary-General of the CCBE, Maria Gkana, Councilor of State in Greece and representative of ACA-Europe, and Madeleine Mathieu, President of the ENCJ. The discussion focused on the need to preserve democratic legitimacy by strengthening the independence of legal professions and the trust of citizens. Patrick Gielen emphasized the essential role of enforcement in giving real effect to judicial decisions, ensuring their impartial implementation, and maintaining citizens’ confidence in justice. He recalled that without enforcement, rights remain theoretical and stated that “without sanction, there is no law”.
In the afternoon, the session “Challenges and (re)actions” addressed several significant issues. Barbara Porta, lawyer and Chair of the CCBE Human Rights Committee, explained how public trust is being undermined in an increasingly polarised and sometimes violent society. Monica Mastrandrea, judge at the Turin Court of First Instance, illustrated how legal professionals contribute to institutional resilience, drawing on the Italian experience. Marc Schmitz, President of the UEHJ, presented his intervention on “Ethics and accountability: how to increase public trust”. He underlined that ethical responsibility, transparency and exemplary conduct are essential to maintaining confidence. He recalled that judicial officers act as a bridge between the courts and the citizens and that human dignity must always remain at the centre of enforcement, even in a digital environment.
The final roundtable focused on the independence of the legal professions. It brought together Gabriele Juodkaite Granskiene, Judge of the Supreme Court of Lithuania, Sabine Matejka, President of the EAJ, Walter Szöky, President of the EUR, and Alex Tallon, lawyer and Vice President of the CCBE. The speakers analysed the pressures that can jeopardise independence and highlighted the importance of ensuring adequate resources and effective institutional safeguards to preserve it.
At the end of the discussions, a clear message emerged. Judges, lawyers, judicial officers and all legal professionals share a collective responsibility to act as guardians of democracy, to shield justice from inappropriate influence and to reinforce public trust in the rule of law. Through their participation, Marc Schmitz and Patrick Gielen reaffirmed the strong commitment of the UEHJ to promoting high professional standards, advanced and continuous training, and close cooperation among legal professions in Europe.
The UEHJ expresses its sincere thanks to the Academy of European Law for the excellent organization of this forum and for its ongoing commitment to fostering dialogue among the legal professions across Europe.
