Projects
ERA project
Prison population rates within the EU still differentiate greatly from Member State to Member State, with the highest numbers still registered in the majority of newer Member States that joined after 2004. There is also a varying picture when it comes to the application of non-custodial sanctions and measures throughout the EU’s Member States, with there being a clear need to increase awareness about such alternative measures and their application amongst relevant practitioners in many Member States.
This clearly shows that more must be done to demonstrate the effectiveness of relevant EU instruments to reduce prison populations, use pre-trial detention as a measure of last resort and to consider the use of non-custodial sanctions and measures as an alternative. Moreover, a specific need for continuous training for magistrates at all stages of their career on all the mutual recognition instruments covered by this project has been identified, with there especially being a lack of knowledge and experience among practitioners as regards Framework Decisions 2008/947/JHA on probation and alternative sanctions and 2009/829/JHA on the European Supervision Order (ESO), which is an obstacle to a more frequent application of these instruments.
The project offers a comprehensive overview of EU instruments of mutual legal assistance and mutual legal recognition in the field of deprivation or restriction of liberty, placing them within the wider context of the applicable Council of Europe recommendations and the relevant ECtHR and CJEU judgments, with the aim of facilitating better cross-border cooperation among Member States and raising awareness of alternatives to detention.
CEP is an Associated partner in this project.
Partner organisations
Our knowledge of Framework Decisions
The European Union and the Council of Europe have become increasingly important players in the development of probation in Europe. CEP is not only the voice of probation in Europe, it also wants to stimulate and support initiatives of international cooperation on probation and on the implementation of EU regulations. Below you will find all the information about the implementation of Framework Decisions 2009/829/JHA and 2008/947/JHA.
Related News
Check out the latest news and updates on this project’s focus area.
New
CEP
CEP annual report
07/04/2026
The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) has published its Annual Report 2025, showcasing a year marked by growth, cooperation, and continued commitment to strengthening probation across Europe.
Bringing together more than 100 member organisations across 42 countries and 59 jurisdictions, CEP continued to serve as a central platform for knowledge exchange, professional development, and collaboration within the European criminal justice field.
Uncategorized
ProtectEU: Commission presents new counterterrorism agenda
07/04/2026
On 26 February 2026, the European Commission presented ProtectEU, a renewed EU counterterrorism agenda aimed at strengthening the Union’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to evolving terrorist threats.
New
Probation in Europe
New Vodcast Episode: Jana Spero Kamenjarin on the Confederation of European Probation (CEP)
07/04/2026
The 19th episode of Division_Y features Jana Spero Kamenjarin, Secretary General of the Confederation of European Probation (CEP), based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
New
Electronic monitoring
Electronic Monitoring in Europe: Insights from the 13th Electronic Monitoring conference Questionnaire
30/03/2026
The 13th Electronic Monitoring (EM) conference Questionnaire has now been released, offering a comprehensive overview of how EM is applied across Europe today.ion.
New
CEP members
New CEP member: Guernsey Probation Service
25/03/2026
In recent weeks, CEP has interviewed individual members and representatives of the new member organisations that joined CEP at the beginning of 2026. In these interviews, the new member organisations or individual members will share information on why they decided to become members, how they would like to contribute to the development of CEP and many more.
Enjoy reading!
Recap
Probation outside Europe
Recap: CEP and APPA webinar
25/03/2026
Confederation of European Probation (CEP) and American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) hosted the second joint webinar on 24 March 2026, this time on “Integrity of Performance: Ensuring Meaningful and Ethical Outcomes”.
The overarching theme of integrity of performance was explored through two distinct perspectives on this fundamental concept.
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