130 Participants from 22 Nationalities
Five years ago, the UIHJ decided to initiate a training day for all European judicial officers. The UIHJ realized the importance of mastering European regulations and the difficulties that could lead to their thorough implementation. To identify obstacles encountered during the implementation of these instruments and harmonize solutions to meet the expectations of European citizens, the idea came to train all of our colleagues to the use of these instruments. Thus the UIHJ established the International Training Centre of Judicial Officers with the National School of Procedure of Paris and the National Chamber of judicial officers of France.
Over the years, the UIHJ organised this training day around two workshops on practical study of regulations and two recurring topics: an annual review of European case law and an annual review of European legislation of interest for the profession of judicial officer.
In previous years programs have focused on particular difficulties in applying Regulations 805/2004, 1896/2006, and 4/2009 by reviewing and solving practical cases.
Since its existence, judicial officers have come to train from an average fifteen different member countries of the European Union.
This day was held before one hundred and thirty participants from twenty-two different nationalities among which, besides the member countries of the European Union, were Armenia, Moldova, and also the Ivory Coast and Togo. The UIHJ attaches particular importance to the participation of countries outside Europe as part of the pursued harmonisation of the profession, a harmonisation which will also be the theme of its next congress in May 2012 in Cape Town.
The contribution of international practices and the exchange of best practices are the basis for improving the practical activities of our profession. They are useful to the UIHJ as strength of proposal and the support and assistance it can give to regional and international institutions in the reflections on the applicability and effectiveness of existing instruments and their development.
The Vade Mecum of the UIHJ on the Service of Documents in Europe
The fifth day of training was preceded by a speech presented by Leo Netten, President of the UIHJ. President Netten was very happy with the number of participants and countries, a record for these training days. It shows, he said, all the interest of judicial officers for training, a source that people want to drink to. It is necessary to continue the efforts and intensify training to meet the legitimate expectations of all colleagues. Then, Jean-Michel Rouzaud, President of the National School of Procedure of Paris, also stressed the prominence of training, a prerequisite for the sustainability of any profession, especially when faced with increasingly important Europeans issues.
The first workshop focused on e-Learning. It was chaired by Jean-Michel Rouzaud. Huub Spoormans, professor at the Open University of the Netherlands, presented the e-Learning system and its potential applications to our profession. Maria Wagenius, Kronofogden (Sweden), then presented a practical demonstration of e-Learning in her country. Jos Uitdehaag, judicial officer, first questor of the Committee of the UIHJ (Netherlands), gave examples of the use of e-Learning in the Balkan countries, through projects funded by the European Union and in which he works in this region.
Guillaume Payan, a lecturer at the University of Maine (France) and a UIHJ consultant, presented his now traditional annual review of European legislation.
The second workshop was then held under the chair of Bernard Menut, first vice-president of the UIHJ. The theme concerned the difficulties and limitations of cross-border service. Natalie Fricero, professor at the Faculty of Law of Nice, director of the Institute of Judicial Studies (France), member of the Scientific Council of the UIHJ questioned Regulation No 1393/2007 on cross-border service of documents in Europe. What are its limits? What improvements are possible and what are those feasible in the context of its forthcoming reform?
This high-grade scientific lecture was followed by a practical workshop presented by Mathieu Chardon (France), First Secretary of the UIHJ, and Fanny Cornette, PhD in Private law, lecturer at the University of Rouen, UIHJ consultant. The Vade Mecum of the cross-border service of documents in Europe, a project initiated by the UIHJ at the beginning of the term of President Netten end of 2009, was unveiled during the workshop. Finally, the day ended with the annual review of European case law of Guillaume Payan.
Towards an Inter-Professional Training Day
A first comment concerns the choice of workshops. E-Learning is a method promoted by the European institutions for the dissemination of training. The UIHJ therefore wanted to explain and demonstrate the usefulness of this new training vector knowing that in the public were many judicial officers in charge of training both in their country and in all member countries of the UIHJ.
This "extension" was intended to demonstrate that training itself is also evolving. With this technology, judicial officers of all countries, even those without the means to organize an internal training system, will have access and will benefit from joint training.
The second workshop concerned Regulation 1393/2007 which had already been studied during previous training days. At stakes was what would be the subject of its reform (after that of 1348/2000). Practical difficulties of implementation were singled out by the exercise of practical cases.
The UIHJ unveiled to the participants a new tool for the free use of all on its Website (www.uihj.com) at the "information” tab: the Vade Mecum on the cross-border service of documents in Europe. This tool is currently available in French. The English version is underway. European countries were asked to translate this tool to provide many versions on our site.
The 5th training days were a huge success. They were perfectly organised by Françoise Andrieux, General Secretary of the UIHJ, with the help in Brussels of Roland Meerleer, judicial officer in Brussels, former board member of the UIHJ.
Based on this success, the UIHJ obviously intends to renew this training day which is unique in the legal field in Europe. Its objective is to turn it into an inter-professional day, as most topics are perfectly adaptable to other professions.
