Academy of European Law

 Newsletter 02/2025

In this issue, discover two new inspiring ERA Talks episodes with Sabine Verheyen and Koen Lenaerts, highlights of the high-level study visit by legal professionals from Moldova and Ukraine, an exclusive interview with Maciej Szpunar ahead of FIDE 2025, and the newly-revealed theme for the 2025 European Forum of the Legal Professions.

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Enjoy the read!
Your ERA Team

How can ERA support legal professionals in Moldova and Ukraine on their path to EU accession? From 20 to 24 January, a delegation of high-level representatives from the judicial training institutes and bar associations of both Moldova and Ukraine visited ERA to explore this very question. The study visit focused on discussing the training needs of legal professionals in EU law as part of the countries’ EU accession process. Participants had the opportunity to engage with ERA experts, European Commission officials, and judges from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Read more about the visit, its agenda and outcomes here.

In this episode, Sabine Verheyen, First Vice-President of the European Parliament, shares her journey from local politics in Aachen to the beating heart of European democracy. She reflects on the challenges European institutions face in making their work more visible and accessible to citizens and – as an architect by training – offers her perspective on the "building of Europe", its foundations and the path to further EU enlargement.

In this episode of ERA Talks, Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union, reflects on his decades-long path at the Court – from his early days as a référendaire to nearly ten years at its helm. He shares insights into the Court’s evolution, its authority, and the impact of digitalisation and AI. He elucidates the Court’s strategy to enhance transparency and communication with the public across Member States.

Have you registered for FIDE yet?
One of the largest congresses in the European law community returns in 2025, gathering legal experts to discuss key developments in European law. ERA will be there with a stand: come and meet us!
We spoke with Maciej Szpunar, First Advocate General at the CJEU and President of FIDE 2025, who shared exclusive insights into the congress, its topics, and some of the invited speakers. As a bonus, he gave us insider tips on Katowice, from must-visit spots to Polish cuisine! Get all the details on FIDE here.

The 4th edition of the EUFLP will take place on 14 November 2025, in Brussels and online, on The Need for Constant Vigilance: The Role of the Legal Professions in Maintaining Democratic Values.
Uniting leading legal and judicial EU-level stakeholders, this event will once again offer a unique platform for interprofessional dialogue. Stay tuned for further updates to be published shortly on www.euflp.eu. 

At ERA, we take pride in supporting initiatives that encourage European legal dialogue and political education. This past quarter, we had the pleasure of providing the venue for the Regional Selection Conference of the European Youth Parliament (EYP) in Trier. With over 150 young people from across Europe joining, the conference underlined the importance of European cooperation, civic engagement, and cross-border exchange.

ERA’s scholarship programme, supported by the Friends of ERA Association, provides access to high-quality European law training for legal practitioners across the EU and candidate countries facing financial barriers. We have just received this year’s first scholarship report from Jelena Malesevic, Legal Counsel from Serbia, on her participation at the Annual Conference on European Pharma Law who stated  

“As a legal professional working in a CRO, which is closely connected to the pharmaceutical industry, deepening my understanding of EU pharmaceutical regulations will enable me to advise my team better and contribute to more effective contract negotiations.”

Interested in applying or know someone who could benefit?

The Friends of ERA have started the year on a high note with an engaging online discussion on Migration and the Future of Europe and an insightful evening on The Resilience of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Face of Crises. The Portuguese Chapter, in cooperation with the Young Friends, and the Italian Chapter hosted these memorable gatherings.

Looking ahead, the 16th General Meeting of the Association will take place on 13 June 2025 in Trier and online. All Friends of ERA are warmly invited to join us – either in person or virtually. 

ERA’s quarterly legal journal returns with new perspectives on European law, featuring articles on topics such as the European Competition Network, terrorism, insolvency, migration, corporate criminal liability and the future of justice to name but a few.

We thank our contributors László Bak, Christopher Buttigieg, Anabel Armeni Cauchi, Francesco Depasquale, Ramin Farinpour, Angelika Fuchs, Ion Gâlea, Marianna Geraci, Moritz Jesse, Costanza Nardocci, Gazdasági Versenyhivatal, and Michael Wukoschitz.

In her editorial, Angelika Fuchs discusses the new German Act to strengthen Germany as a location for justice by introducing commercial courts and English as the language of the courts in civil jurisdiction, which came into force on 1 April 2025.

ERA Forum is published in cooperation with Springer Business Media.

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