The management of the National Institute of Justice – Ramona Strugariu, Director, and Ghennadi Epure, Deputy Director – participated in the Conference of Directors of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN), held on 14–15 October 2025 in Bordeaux, France.
The event, entitled “25 years of European judicial training in the service of the Rule of Law: EJTN facing new challenges”, was hosted by the Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature (ENM) and brought together directors and representatives of judicial training institutions from member and partner states. In Bordeaux, the NIJ leadership initiated steps toward signing a bilateral cooperation protocol with the ENM and held extensive discussions on accessing funding through European projects with other judicial training institutions or with the European Judicial Training Network.
The conference discussions focused on analysing the evolution of European judicial training, its contribution to strengthening the rule of law, and identifying strategic solutions adapted to contemporary challenges.
As a speaker in the panel “What future for judicial training?”, Director Ramona Strugariu reflected on the role of associate and observer members, highlighting ways in which EJTN can provide enhanced support to observer members – such as the National Institute of Justice – to ensure better integration in training activities. The discussions also addressed the forthcoming European Judicial Strategy and the exchange of experience aimed at identifying concrete cooperation needs.
Over the course of two days, the conference agenda included plenary sessions and thematic workshops dedicated to current topics. The discussions focused on the European Commission’s rule of law policy, including preventive and reactive instruments, digital transformation, the impact of artificial intelligence on justice, and the need for a judicial culture grounded in digital awareness. The conference also addressed the contribution of the EJTN to coordinating judicial training at the European level, in the context of the European Commission’s call for the Network to take on a central role in aligning EU law training efforts, in order to enhance efficiency and reduce disparities among Member States.
It should be noted that since 1 July 2016, the Republic of Moldova, through the National Institute of Justice, has held the status of observer member of the European Judicial Training Network, following the entry into force of the Association Agreement between our country and the European Union.
