From May 28 to 31, 2025, the city of Katowice, Poland, hosted the XXXI Congress of the International Federation for European Law (FIDE), coinciding with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event gathered leading legal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers from across Europe to discuss pressing issues in EU law.
Representing the European Union of Judicial Officers (UEHJ), Małgorzata Pędziszczak, a member of the UEHJ Executive Committee and the National Council of Judicial Officers of Poland (Krajowa Rada Komornicza), participated in the congress. She was joined by fellow members of the National Council, including its President, Sławomir Szynalik.
The congress featured discussions on three main topics: EU Emergency Law; the EU Digital Economy, focusing on the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA); and Energy Solidarity and Security within the context of the EU’s green transition and crisis management. Distinguished speakers included Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union; Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian; and Stephan Harbarth, President of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany.
On the eve of the congress, the Young FIDE Seminar was held at the University of Silesia’s Faculty of Law and Administration. Małgorzata Pędziszczak delivered the welcoming address, emphasizing the importance of effective law enforcement in upholding the rule of law. She highlighted that “law is not only about ideas and doctrines—it is also about justice that works.”
The participation of Polish judicial officers in the FIDE Congress underscores their commitment to engaging with contemporary legal challenges and contributing to the development of European law.
