On 30^th of September 2025, the EU4Justice project organized a Roundtable on “Judicial Independence and the Function of Inspections”, with participation of the HJI staff members. High Inspector of Justice, Mr. Artur Metani, accompanied by the unit of Inspectors and the unit of Assistant Inspectors of the Office of the High Inspector of Justice, took part in the roundtable discussion on the role of judges in a democratic society and the function of judicial inspections.

The activity was designed as an open exchange with two Spanish magistrates with long-standing experience in inspections and disciplinary matters, mobilized by the EU4Justice project: Judge Juan Martínez Moya, with a 38-year career, member of the Spanish Supreme Court, former member of the General Council of the Judiciary of Spain, former President of the High Court of Murcia, contributor to the establishment of the European Network of Justice Inspection Services (RESIJ) and to the drafting of the European Charter of Professional Ethics for Magistrates; and Judge Ricardo Conde Díez, with a 30-year career in the judiciary, currently Promotor of Disciplinary Action in Spain.

In his remarks, Mr. Metani underlined the successful cooperation of HIJ with RESIJ, in which Judge Moya has been an active member. He stressed that the HIJ inspection body would engage in a broad discussion on the role of judges in relation to society, drawing on practical cases from the Spanish magistrates’ experiences.

Mr. Metani highlighted the importance that HIJ attaches to striking a balance between judicial independence and the legitimate public interest in the administration of justice, as well as the “continuous efforts to develop mechanisms for accountability, not as a tool of control, but as a means to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of judicial activity, while respecting the principles of justice and separation of powers.”

Judge Martínez Moya expressed his gratitude to the High Inspector of Justice and emphasized the cooperation within RESIJ, pointing out that HIJ stands out as a success story for the Network, having advanced from observer status to a full member with equal rights.

He elaborated on the standards of judicial independence, focusing on the concept of independence and the rule of law, the reasons for judicial independence, the level of guarantees, and the conditions for exercising the judicial function; all dimensions that run in parallel with accountability and transparency as indispensable elements of independence.

Meanwhile, Judge Ricardo Conde Díez focused on disciplinary responsibility and judicial independence, the distinction between inspections and disciplinary measures, the limits of inspection, and the oversight of jurisdictional performance.

The event, organized within the framework of the EU4Justice project, was conceived as an open and constructive dialogue between Spanish experts and the HIJ inspection body on the role of judges in a democratic society, with particular emphasis on safeguarding judicial independence, ensuring accountability, and maintaining public trust in the judiciary. Judicial inspections were highlighted as a key mechanism for protecting the integrity and efficiency of judicial activity, while respecting the principles of justice and the separation of powers.