On July 22-23, EU4Justice, in collaboration with the High Judicial Council (HJC) and the HJC Ethics Advisor, organized a two-day roundtable focused on outlining the draft Guidelines on Ethical Dilemmas in the judiciary. The event brought together judges and HJC members/advisors involved in the development of the Judicial Code of Conduct and was also attended by the RTA Twinning Project on strengthening the efficiency, integrity, and professionalism of the judicial system by improving the capacity of the School of Magistrates and the TL of the EWMI/INL US Department of State’s Project supporting the HJC. This activity sought to enhance ethical standards and decision-making processes within the judiciary, ensuring judges are better equipped to handle complex ethical issues. 

Participants shared experiences and insights on navigating ethical challenges in and out of court. Topics such as independence, impartiality, integrity, ethical use of social media, etc., were discussed. Two EU4Justice STEs from the Spanish Supreme Court shared practical cases from the Spanish judiciary, highlighting the ethical dilemmas encountered. Cases presented were discussed from a comparative perspective with the Albanian judicial reality, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and best practices to be included in the Guidelines. 

The outline of the draft guidelines proposed by the EU4Justice Experts aims to provide clear, actionable advice for judges facing ethical dilemmas, serving as a practical tool to uphold the highest standards of integrity in their professional conduct. A working group to be established by the HJC will develop a comprehensive draft to be consulted with judges before finalization and adoption by the HJC. This roundtable represents a further step in promoting ethical awareness and accountability within the judiciary, strengthening public trust in the judicial system. EU4Justice, in coordination with other projects, remains committed to working closely with the beneficiary to incorporate highest ethics and integrity standards into the strategic plan and the ethical and professional evaluation of judges.