News

The General Assembly of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) was held in Paris. This year’s theme was “Trust in the Judiciary”.

During the Assembly, discussions focused on strengthening public trust in the judiciary, safeguarding judicial independence, communication between the courts and the public, the impact of digitalisation on the administration of justice, and other current challenges facing judicial systems.

The key highlight of the event was the adoption of the 2026 Paris Declaration. The Declaration emphasises that the European Union is founded on the rule of law and that judicial independence is one of its most essential elements. It underlines that, amid growing scepticism towards democratic institutions and increasing pressure on the principles of the rule of law, preserving public trust in the judiciary has become particularly important.

The Declaration also notes that public trust in the judiciary is inseparable from the work of independent judicial governance institutions, adequate resources for the judicial system, and protection from political influence.

“The Judicial Council is one of the key institutions contributing to strengthening public trust in the justice system. By ensuring objective and merit-based procedures for the selection, evaluation and career development of judges, it helps safeguard judicial independence and uphold high standards of judicial performance,” said Dr D. Bublienė, President of the Supreme Court of Lithuania and Chair of the Judicial Council.

According to G. Juodkaitė-Granskienė, the ENCJ encourages national institutions to make more active use of good practices in areas such as surveys of court users, the digitalisation of court operations and communication. At the same time, it emphasises the importance of strengthening public understanding of the principles of the rule of law and the significance of judicial independence for democracy.

Participation in ENCJ activities provides opportunities to exchange good practices with judicial governance institutions from other European countries and to contribute to joint initiatives aimed at strengthening judicial independence, the quality of court operations and public trust in the judiciary.

When quoting or otherwise disseminating this information, please indicate the source.

Media contacts:
Tautvilė Merkevičiūtė
Supreme Court of Lithuania
Public Relations Officer of the Office of the President
Mobile: +370 685 84863
Email: t.merkeviciute@lat.lt
www.lat.lt