Magistrats Européens pour la Démocratie et les Libertés
Budget
€10 — €0
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
1
0.25 FTE
EU Grants
None
Mission & Goals
Statutory goals: the establishment of a debate between magistrates from different countries in order to support and promote European Community integration; the promotion and implementation of the civil, political and social rights necessary for a democratic society; the defence of the independence of the judiciary; the democratisation of the judiciary, its recruitment and the conditions under which the profession is exercised; the respect of the values of the democratic rule of law; the strengthening of the right of magistrates, like all citizens, to freedom of assembly, association and expression, and in particular the right to form unions and to act collectively; transparency of the public justice service, allowing citizens to monitor its operation; the promotion of a democratic legal culture; the defence of the rights of minorities and differences, in particular the rights of immigrants and the most disadvantaged, in a perspective of social emancipation of the most vulnerable
EU Legislative Interests
- Annual Rule of Law Reports; - Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation (Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget); - Strategy on the effective application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU; - article 7 TEU proceedings against Poland and Hungary; - CVM reports on Bulgaria and Romania; - Neighbouring and enlargement policy and negotiations
Communication Activities
- contributed to the 2020, 2021,2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Rule of Law Reports of the EU Commission; - sent various letters and correspondence to Eu Commission and EU Council, urging for the adoption of the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation; - contributed to the targeted consultation in the context of the preparation of the strategy on the effective application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU; - urged in various letters (and in an in-person meeting with Commissioner Reynders, in Brussels, in January 2020) for the importance of initiating and moving forward in article 7 TEU proceedings against Poland and Hungary, regarding Rule of Law backsliding; - sent letters to President Von der Leyen and Commissioners Reynders and Jourova regarding the various CVM reports regarding Bulgaria and Romania; - sent numerous letters and statements to EU Commission regarding the situation and ongoing reforms in candidate countries where MEDEL has members (Serbia, Montenegro, Moldova and Turkey), denouncing attacks against the independence of the Judiciary; - organised conferences destined to influence EU actors, such as the "Conferences in view of the EU Parliament elections" (https://medelnet.eu/index.php/activities/medel-conferences/495-cycle-of-conferences-democracy-and-rule-of-law) or the "Rule of Law in Europe" conference, where Commissioner Didier Reynders participated (https://medelnet.eu/index.php/activities/medel-conferences/785-rule-of-law-in-europe-conference-lisbon-2021); - organised "conferences on the eve of the June 2024 election for European Parliament" , inviting as speakers Members of EP (https://medelnet.eu/medel-conferences-on-the-eve-of-the-june-2024-election-for-european-parliament-florence-5-april-2024-rome-12-april-2024-paris-31-may-2024/): Florence 5 April 2024 (Democracy and the Rule of law in Europe: critical issues and open challenges on the eve of the European elections -https://medelnet.eu/medel-conferences-on-the-eve-of-the-june-2024-election-for-european-parliament-florence-5-april-2024-rome-12-april-2024-paris-31-may-2024/); Rome 12 April 2024 (Immigration in Europe and Fundamental Rights. Which perspectives for the next European Legislature? https://medelnet.eu/medel-conference-on-the-eve-of-the-june-2024-election-for-european-parliament-immigration-in-europe-and-fundamental-rights-which-perspectives-for-the-next-european-legislature-rome/); Paris 31 May 2024 ( Le rôle des magistrats dans la construction démocratique – une perspective européenne, https://medelnet.eu/medel-conference-on-the-eve-of-the-june-2024-election-for-european-parliament-paris-31-may-2024/) -in 2024 took part in the project promoting Rule of Law Report; -in December 2024 was present at the meeting with Polish MoJ organised at the Permanent Representation of Poland, in Brussels, to present the priorities for the justice sector in view of the upcoming Presidency; - on 10 March 2025 published with other NGOs in Le Monde the collective article "Civil society in peril: Europe must respond to the freeze on US aid" -in April 2025- in an in-person meeting with Commissioner McGrath in Brussels- presented its activity vis-à-vis RoL backsliding in Europe, focusing mainly on recent attacks against judges, structural reforms aiming at weakening key institutions of the judiciary, systemic violations of CJEU and ECtHR rulings; on 4 April 2025 joined the collective NGOs statement calling on the EU to defend the ICC; -on 22-23 April participated in the International Conference “The role of civil society in the protection of the rule of law”, organised in Warsaw by the Polish MOJ, under the Polish Presidency of the EU Council; -on 3 June 2025 organized a conference at the Palace of Europe Strasbourg focused on current challenges to democracy, justice and RoL where the EU FRA Director Sirpa Rautio took the floor while Comm. Mc Grath intervened with a message https://medelnet.eu/medels-40th-anniversary-conference-3-june-2025-strasbourg/
Interests Represented
Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members
Member Of
Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) of the Council of Europe Observer Status in Council of Europe (CCJE / CCPE / CEPEJ) Global Coalition Against Death Penalty
Organisation Members
A full list of members is available at https://www.medelnet.eu/index.php/association/member-organisations Currently these are the member organisations of MEDEL (we don't have individual members, only organisations of Judges and prosecutors): Germany Neue Richtervereinigung (NRV) VER.DI - Bundesfachausschuss Richter und Staatsanwälte in der Vereinigten Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft Belgium Association Syndicale des Magistrats (ASM) Magistratuur & Maatschappij Cyprus ΕΝΩΣΗ ΔΙΚΑΣΤΩΝ ΚΥΠΡΟΥ Spain Juezas y Jueces para la Democracia (JJpD) Union Progresista de Fiscales (UpF) France Syndicat de la Magistrature (SM) Greece Eteria Elinon Dikastikon Litourgon Gia ti Demokratia ke tis Elefteries Italy Magistratura democratica (Md) Poland IUSTITIA Stowarzyzenie Prokratorów Lex Super Omnia Stowarzyszenia Sędziów THEMIS Portugal Associaçao sindical dos Juizes Portugueses (ASJP) Sindicato dos Magistrados do Ministério Publico (SMMP) Czech republic Soudconvska Ceské Republiky Romania Uniunea Naţională a Judecătorilor din România Serbia Judges' association of Serbia Prosecutors assocation of Serbia Turkey Yarsav Hungary Res Iudicata Moldova Asociația Judecătorilor din Republica Moldova (AJRM) Bulgaria Съюзът на съдиите в България Montenegro Udruženje sudija Crne Gore
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.