The Belgian High Council for Justice/ Hoge Raad voor de Justitie/ Conseil Supérieur de la Justice in collaboration with the Advisory Council for Magistrates very recently published “Guidelines for Magistrates; principles, values and qualities”. The guidelines are inspired by and based on the ENCJ Judicial Ethics report. All Belgian Magistrates have been sent a hardcopy of the booklet.

At the General Assembly in Dublin vice-president of the European Commission Vivian Reding delivered a speech by video-message (link to video-message.) She expressed a strong interest in the work done by ENCJ. In a letter received after the General Assembly she repeated that she was impressed by both the volume and quality of the reports and recommendations adopted in Dublin.

During its General Assembly meeting in Dublin from 9-11 May 2012 the ENCJ held elections for the Presideny and the Steering Committee.

Paul Gilligan, member of the board of the Courts Service of Ireland will be the ENCJ President from 1 January 2013 till 31 December 2014.  Miguel Carmona Ruano of the Spanish Consejo General del Poder Judicial will continue to be the ENCJ President till 31 december 2012.

The composition of the ENCJ Steering Committee from May 2012 till mid-2014 is as follows:

The ENCJ General Assembly which met in Dublin on 9-11 May adopted the
Dublin Declaration (EN/FR) 

The March issue of Courts Service News is available.
Features include: Roll out of combined offices continues, Updates on practice and procedure, Appointments and Retirements
 

The Permanent Study Group on Justice and Court Administration of the European Group for Public Administration is planning to organise a conference in Norway from 5-8 September 2012. The Study Group has published a Call for Papers. Possible topics are: Justice Administration and Politics, Justice Administration and Society, Justice Chains and Management of Courts in the Justice System. For more information go to: 2012 EGPA Annual Conference

At the beginning of January 2012, the Romanian Superior Council of Magistracy elected its new leadership for the current year. The new President of the Council - Judge Alina Nicoleta GHICA and vice-president - Prosecutor Oana Andrea SCHMIDT HAINEALA will perform their duties for a one year term of office.

The Courts Service of Ireland published its December issue of Courts Service News.  

Special features include: 

• A look back at 2011
• Introduction to the new Chief Justice
• New Strategic Plan
• Delivering more with less

Newsletter number 4 contains a speech by the President of the CSM, Mr Horatius Dumbrava, on the occasion of the opening of the new Judicial Year. Newsletter number 5 focuses a.o. on project implemented by CSM that aimed to draft legislative proposals that would promote a nationwide unitary jurisprudence.

The European Network of Councils for the Judiciary underlines the message of the European Commission in their recent communication on European Judicial Training. The ENCJ stresses that the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) and the national training institutes are indispensible in reaching the goals set out by the European Commission.  The ENCJ is fully committed to contribute to the ambitions of the Commission and calls upon its Members to support and initiate actions that may add to the judges of Europe becoming European judges.