The XXII General Assembly of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ) 'Trust in the Judiciary' took place in Paris on 3-5 June 2026. After two intense days of discussions and exchanges, it culminated  with the adoption of the ENCJ Paris Declaration 2026.  

The Declaration states that the European Union is founded on the rule of law, and judicial independence is one of its essential pillars. At a time when democratic institutions face growing scepticism and increasing pressure, maintaining public trust in the judiciary is more important than ever. It continues to underline that public confidence in the judiciary requires independent institutions responsible for judicial governance, supported by adequate resources and protected from political interference. 

Councils for the Judiciary already contribute to building trust in the judiciary through ensuring objective and merit based appointment, evaluation and promotion of judges and well functioning accountability measures. However, this is not sufficient and Councils are invited to draw inspiration from the work of the ENCJ in the fields of court user surveys, digitalisation and communication, including the raising awareness of the rule of law and importance of judicial independence of the society as a whole.