The ECBA Autumn Conference “The role of the defence and the transformation of the European judicial area” took place in St. Julian's, on the 14 and 15 October 2022, at the Malta Marriott Hotel&Spa.

Programme and general information.

CONFERENCE REPORT

Introduction

The ECBA Autumn 2022 conference in Malta started when Vincent Asselineau, Chair of the ECBA, addressed the guests at the Friday reception, together with Stephen Tonna Lowell, Vice Chair of Chamber of Advocates of Malta, Amedeo Barletta, Vice Chair of the ECBA, and Jaime Campaner, ECBA Advisory Board member. Amongst warm welcoming words, guests were surprised to know that the membership in the Maltese bar is not mandatory for all advocates practicing in Malta, and Vincent promised to pray for all the delegates of the conference, since his flight back from Malta was to Lourdes.  

The conference on Saturday began by opening speech of Vincent Asselineau, Chair of the ECBA, who greeted the prominent guests and existing members of the ECBA, and warmly welcomed the numerous new members of our association. 

HR Award 2022

Afterwards Alexis Anagnostakis, ECBA Human Rights Committee Officer, presented the ECBA Human Rights Award, which is named after our late friend and passionate human rights activist Scott Crosby, and which is awarded once a year to distinguished lawyers who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and sacrifice to uphold fundamental values. This year the Human Rights Award went to the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), represented at the Autumn Conference by Dr. Valentyn Gvozdiy, Vice President of the UNBA, honouring the efforts of Ukrainian lawyers, heroes of the legal profession, for their determination and sacrifice in times of war, to uphold fundamental values and the rule of law in their country during the current impermissible military aggression against Ukraine. The thank you speech of Dr. Valentyn Gvozdiy received standing ovations of the delegates.

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CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTIONS (PDF)

 

The Maltese Criminal Jurisdiction and money laundering crimes

Chair: Hans van de Wal, ECBA Secretary, Belgium

O Consuelo Scerri Herrera, Judge of the Superior Courts of Malta, Criminal Jurisdiction

O Francesco Refalo, Office of the Attorney General, Malta

O Michael Sciriha, Defence lawyer, Malta

 

Special address by Dr. Jonathan Attard, Minister of Justice of Malta (pending English translation) and Vincent Asselineau, Chair of the ECBA

 

 

The new binding instrument on the protection of lawyers devised by the Council of Europe (CJ-AV)

Chair: Vincent Asselineau, Chair of the ECBA 

O Jeroen Soeteman, Defence lawyer, The Netherlands

O Nicola Canestrini, Defence lawyer, Italy

 

ECBA Statement on Mutual Recognition of Extradition Decisions

Chair: Rebecca Niblock, Vice Chair ECBA, United Kingdom 

O Vania Costa Ramos, Vice Chair ECBA, Portugal

O William Julié. Defence lawyer, France

O Jago Russell, Defence lawyer, United Kingdom

 

The protection of EU Financial Interests of the EU and the role of EPPO

Chair: Amedeo Barletta, Vice Chair ECBA, Italy 

O Yvonne Farrugia, European Prosecutor, Malta

O Discussant: Olivia Ewenike, Defence lawyer, Germany

O Discussant: Mihai Morar, Defence lawyer, Romania

 

Judicial Cooperation and Procedural Safeguards: The way ahead

Chair: Miroslav Krutina, Vice Chair ECBA, Czechia 

O Ondrej Laciak, Defence lawyer, Slovakia

O Holger Matt, Defence lawyer, Germany

O Peter McNamee, Head of Public Affairs and Senior Legal Advisor, CCBE

 

The State of Play of the EU-UK Judicial Cooperation

Chair: Jaime Campaner, ECBA Advisory Board member, Spain 

O Stefan Hyman, Defence lawyer, United Kingdom

O Anna Oemichen, Defence lawyer, Germany

 

Background documents:

Panel 2

CJ-AV - Terms of Reference
Report on agression towards lawyers - The Netherlands

 

Panel 3
ECBA Statement on mutual recognition of extradition decisions - June 2022

Three Case Examples on the Application of the Principles in our ECBA Statement on mutual recognition of extradition decisions

 

Photo gallery