From 14 to 16 October 2025, Vienna hosted the 15th CEP General Assembly and the CEP International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation: Challenges and Lessons Learned. The event, organized in cooperation with NEUSTART, brought together over 100 CEP members, probation professionals, policymakers, and researchers from across Europe to reflect, exchange experiences, and discuss the topic of gender-based violence from the perspective of probation, restorative justice and prison.
The General Assembly, held in the morning of 15 October, is CEP’s triennial gathering and an important moment for members to review achievements and set the organisation’s direction for the coming years. The agenda included the reflection of the past three years as well as it addressed the years to come, with the strategy and budget approved. New members of the CEP Board including President and Vice-Presidents, were elected and co-opted.
The Assembly followed a welcome reception hosted on the evening of 14 October at the Ministry of Justice in Vienna, where participants were greeted by a representative of the Ministry, NEUSTART and CEP President Annie Devos.
In the afternoon of 15 October, CEP launched the International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation, organised in cooperation with the Austrian member organisation NEUSTART. The conference addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing probation systems today: how to respond effectively to gender-based violence.
The two-day programme featured contributions from European experts, practitioners, and policymakers. Sessions explored European policy priorities on gender-based violence, the Austrian approach to working with GBV-related cases, and the increasing importance of addressing gender-based violence within probation work. Workshops on the second day focused on good practices in rehabilitation, interagency cooperation, and restorative justice and victim-centred perspectives.
The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring experts from several European jurisdictions, who shared national approaches and challenges, followed by closing remarks from CEP President Annie Devos and the CEP Secretary General Jana Spero Kamenjarin.
The evening of 15 October also featured the CEP Awards Ceremony, celebrating outstanding initiatives and contributions to probation across Europe. More information about the award winners can be found here.
Reception CEP members – pictures by Markus Hechenberger
Conference on Gender-Based Violence – pictures by Markus Hechenberger + extra pictures conference
Gala dinner – pictures by Markus Hechenberger
Dina Nachbaur, NEUSTART, Austria
Kieran McCartan, CEP Expert Group on Gender-Based Violence, England and Wales
Berta Vall, Work With Perpetrators EN, Catalonia-Spain
Jan Vrkoc, The National Working Group for Offender Related Programmes in Cases of Domestic Violence, Germany
Saskia Pagell, Ministry of Social Affairs of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Endika Biota, Basque Penalty Management Service, Basque Country-Spain
Jako Salla, Prison and Probation Service, Estonia
Edit Törzs, European Forum for Restorative Justice, Belgium
Marta Ferrer, Generalitat de Catalunya, Catalonia-Spain
Keep up to date with the latest developments, stories, and updates on probation from across Europe and beyond. Find relevant news and insights shaping the field today.
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