The European Law Institute (ELI) has now published the ELI-Mount Scopus European Standards of Judicial Independence for which Dr Sophie Turenne acted as lead co-reporter. In the words of Dr Turenne, "Judicial independence exists for the benefit of every individual; it is vital to maintain democracy bound by the rule of law. The ELI-Mt Scopus Standards of Judicial Independence are intended as a reference tool to measure and address pressing and contemporary challenges to judicial independence."
The 38 Standards are the result of a collective process involving leading academics, judges, practitioners, and European organisations concerned with democracy. The Standards, accompanied by commentaries, cover various areas, from the foundations of judicial independence, judicial governance, appointments and promotion, to ethical standards, and judicial discipline.
Síofra O’Leary, former President of the European Court of Human Rights, commented that "Those Standards will no doubt prove an essential tool for variety of different actors ranging from those called upon to assess the consistency of judicial reforms with the requirements of judicial independence, to Court Presidents and judicial governing bodies defending the need for sufficient and stable financial resources to ensure the proper administration of justice while also developing and applying ethical standards essential to maintaining public confidence in the judiciary" (ELI Newsletter, Nov.-Dec. 2024)