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CEP represented the Probation Sector at the European Judicial Training Conference on Digital Justice @2030

On 26–27 February 2026, the European Commission organised the European Judicial Training Conference “Creating a Supportive Environment for Digital Justice @2030” in Nicosia, Cyprus, under the auspices of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and in cooperation with the Cyprus Judicial Training School.

The conference formally launched the EU Judicial Training Strategy 2025–2030 and marked a shift from strategic objectives towards co-design of implementation and concrete professional roadmaps. Discussions focused on strengthening judicial cooperation and accelerating digital transformation across Member States, including the digitalisation of cross-border procedures, the development of secure digital infrastructures, and the integration of AI, and teleconferencing tools into justice systems.

Broad European Participation

The event gathered representatives from across the justice chain, judges, prosecutors, court and prosecution office staff, prison and probation services, lawyers, notaries and bailiffs.

The conference brought together more than 100 professionals from over 20 EU Member States and European organisations.

Dedicated professional workshops were organised, including a specific workshop for Probation and prison staff, court and prosecution office, jointly facilitated by EU-level networks including CEP and EuroPris.

CEP Representing the Probation Sector

The Probation sector was represented by Anna Esquerrà Roqueta, CEP Policy and Liaison Officer, who actively contributed to the profession roadmap discussions and cross-professional exchanges.

Throughout the conference, CEP and European Probation services were repeatedly highlighted by the Commission as sectors with high operational expertise.

CEP emphasised that digital transformation in probation must be underpinned by:

  • Clear identification and mapping of the digital competences required for probation officers, aligned with existing EU digital skills frameworks and addressing both present operational needs and future-oriented transformation.
  • Dedicated EU funding streams and structured support mechanisms to facilitate implementation and innovation.
  • Development of structured, competency-based training pathways, including continuous professional development (CPD), to ensure effective, sustainable, and quality-assured implementation across Member States.

CEP also underlined the importance of involving European networks, not only national training academies, in the monitoring of the Strategy’s implementation.

Cooperation with EPTA and Other Networks

Cédric Lé Bossé, representing EuroPris, contributed to discussions on aligning prison and probation approaches to digitalisation and exploring coordinated roadmaps.

A joint roadmap (with particular differences) for probation and prison is foreseen, ensuring that digital transformation efforts remain coherent, operationally grounded and aligned with EU funding frameworks.

Training as the Cornerstone of Digital Justice

A central message of the conference was that training is the foundation of digital transformation. The Commission presented forthcoming support measures, including:

  • A European training platform with relevant materials for practitioners and trainers.
  • Strengthened coordination through the European Judicial Training Forum.
  • Funding opportunities under Action Grants and Justice Programme instruments.

The conference concluded with a clear commitment from EU institutions and professional networks to move from strategy to implementation. CEP will continue to contribute actively to this process, ensuring that the probation perspective remains fully integrated into the Digital Justice @2030 agenda.

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