Skip to content

News

Recap: Online meeting for Directors General and senior managers

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, CEP hosted its annual online meeting for Directors General and senior managers, with over 40 participants representing full member organizations. The meeting focused on European funding opportunities, namely financial mechanisms offered by the European Commission and Norway Grants.

Mr. Juan Pedro Lazaro Merino working with the EC DG for Justice and Consumers presented the background for the Justice Programme, its objectives and the Justice Work Programme for 2025 adopted in July 2024. The participants were introduced to action grants aimed to promote judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, to support transnational projects on judicial training covering civil law, commercial law or fundamental rights, and finally to support transnational projects in the fields of e-Justice, victims’ rights and procedural rights. The presentation highlighted the objectives, priorities, and the types of applicants targeted by these funding opportunities as well as stressed the need to focus on the quality, impact and relevance of the submitted projects to the above mentioned calls.

Mr. Kim Ekhaugen from the Norwegian Correctional Service introduced the participants with the aims of the Norway Grants, emphasizing their goal of reducing social and economic disparities. The main beneficiaries of the NG are 15 Eastern European Countries. He noted that negotiations for the next financial period will begin in 2025, focusing on three key priorities: social inclusion, a green environment, and the justice sector. Within the justice sector, the main areas of focus will include women, juveniles, minors, vulnerable groups, mental health issues, alternative sanctions, and pilot projects designed to serve as models for other countries.

Two practical experiences in drafting and managing projects were shared by Ms. Vesna Zelić Ferencic from the Croatian Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Digital Transformation, and Mr. Daniel Danglades from the French Penitentiary Administration. While Daniel focused on the process of preparing for and drafting the EC action grant project emphasizing that probation is an integral part of judicial training, even though it is sometimes overlooked, Vesna highlighted key activities implemented under Norway Grants and Erasmus+ projects, underscoring how diverse funding mechanisms foster innovation and provide valuable learning opportunities for probation staff.

Related News

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.

New

CEP Board

Interview with new CEP board member Žilvinas Miliauskas

17/03/2026

During the General Assembly in Austria, a new CEP Board got elected for the upcoming three years. In the coming weeks we will publish interviews with all newly-elected board members where they will share information on their professional background, how they would like to contribute, what challenges lie ahead and many more.

Enjoy reading!

Recap

Violent Extremism

Recap: Expert Group meeting on Violent Extremism

16/03/2026

On 12–13 March 2026, the Expert Group on Violent Extremism convened for an in‑person meeting in Bucharest, Romania. Hosted at the University of Bucharest, the meeting brought together practitioners and representatives from across Europe to finalise the overview of best practices for preventive interventions targeting juveniles and young adults up to the age of 26 under probation. Building on the extensive discussions and progress made in 2025, the group worked collaboratively to bring the document to completion.

Recap

Electronic monitoring

Recap: CEP Expert Group meeting at ATGV Antalya

12/03/2026

The CEP Expert Group on Electronic Monitoring, along with representatives of the CEP Office led by Mr. Daniel Danglades, CEP Vice-President, visited the Education and Social Facility of the Ministry of Justice in Türkiye – ATGV Antalya. The host country was represented by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Director General Mr. Fatih Güngör, Head of the Turkish Probation Department Dr. Hüseyin Şık, Member of the CEP EM Expert Group Ms. Elçin Kilecioğlu, as well as the Director and representatives of the ATGV facility, and officials from the courts, prosecution, and probation services in Antalya.

Recap

Education and Training

Recap: CEP Expert Network on Education and Training in Probation meets with the European Commission to discuss the EU Judicial Training Strategy

11/03/2026

On 11 March 2026, the CEP Expert Network on Education and Training in Probation met online with more than 20 participants from Belgium, Denmark, Sweeden, France, Romania, Croatia, Catalonia, Poland, United Kingdom and Türkiye to exchange views with the European Commission on the newly adopted EU Judicial Training Strategy 2025–2030.

The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for representatives of probation training institutions across Europe to engage directly with European Commission officials and discuss how the strategy may impact the training of probation and prison staff in the coming years.

Probation Journal

Women, youth

Understanding the needs of girls and young women in youth justice

10/03/2026

New research highlights the underlying needs that influence girls’ and young women’s contact with youth justice systems and calls for more gender responsive approaches in policy and practice. Drawing on a review of recent studies, the authors identify several factors shaping girls’ pathways into the justice system, including persistent abuse, trauma, gendered expectations, and systemic failures. Girls involved in youth justice are often affected by multiple forms of victimisation, such as sexual abuse, neglect, and domestic violence, with experiences frequently beginning in early childhood.

New

CEP Board

Interview with new CEP board member Ian Barrow

09/03/2026

During the General Assembly in Austria, a new CEP Board got elected for the upcoming three years. In the coming weeks we will publish interviews with all newly-elected board members where they will share information on their professional background, how they would like to contribute, what challenges lie ahead and many more.

Enjoy reading!

Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!