The European Criminal Bar Association Autumn Conference was a resounding success, bringing together leading criminal defence lawyers and human rights advocates from across Europe and beyond. Hosted in the vibrant and historic city of Belgrade, the conference marked the long-awaited fulfilment of the ECBA’s commitment to holding an event in Serbia. Participants engaged in high-level legal discussions, practical breakout sessions, and vital networking, focusing on the most urgent issues confronting defence rights today, including the Rule of Law, procedural safeguards, cybercrime, sanctions, and international cooperation.
The gathering's events began with a warm welcome reception on Friday evening, where delegates connected with colleagues at the stunning Kalemegdan Terrace, overlooking the confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers. ECBA Chair Vânia Costa Ramos officially welcomed participants, setting the stage for the crucial discussions ahead. Vladimir Hrle, ECBA Advisory Board member from Belgrade, underscored the local significance of the event. Both Vânia and Vladimir paid heartfelt tribute to the late Mr. Holger Matt, former ECBA Chair and an early champion of holding a conference in Belgrade.
The Saturday morning session featured a significant association development: the launch of the ECBA brand and visual identity. Dr. Oliver Kipper, Advisory Board member, unveiled the contemporary branding, featuring a bold typeface and the symbolic leaf motif—representing the fragility and the enduring strength of the rule of law and of the great network of members. Following this, Vice Chair Gwen Jansen - de Wolf presented the new ECBA website, described as a "living organism" structured around the two core pillars of Improving Justice and Connecting the Community.
The main conference panels then delved into two critical subjects. The first, focused on the Rule of Law and chaired by Mikolaj Pietrzak, explored the challenges lawyers face in upholding justice where democratic norms are under pressure. Vladimir Beljanski (Serbia) detailed the role of Bar Associations in defending public freedoms amidst political unrest. Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram (Poland) shared the impactful work of the Free Courts Foundation and Justice Defence Committee in protecting judicial independence through strategic litigation. Concern over deteriorating governance was also raised by Irene Jaroslaw (USA), while András Kádár (Hungary Helsinki Committee) warned of the dangers of "rule by law" being used to dismantle judicial checks.
The second panel, chaired by Alex Tinsley (UK), focused on Procedural Safeguards nearly a decade after the adoption of the EU directives. Laura Stelzer (DG Just, EU Commission) discussed enforcement mechanisms and forthcoming initiatives, while Chryssa Mela (Fair Trials) offered vital insight into ongoing infringement actions. Jugoslav Tintor (Serbia) spoke on the evolving role of defence lawyers and raised specific concerns regarding the admissibility of digital evidence, such as SKY ECC data, obtained internationally. The session concluded with Mr. Tinsley outlining future priority areas where gaps in the directives' implementation remain.
Following the main panels, delegates participated in three fully-subscribed, interactive breakout sessions that provided deep dives into highly practical areas:
a) Business Crime: Dos and Don’ts in Sanctions Cases. Led by Salomé Lemasson, the session focused on best practices in sanctions litigation, risk mitigation, and regulatory engagement. Cases for discussion were submitted by William Jullié, Elena Fedorova, Carla Reyes, Stefanie Schott, Jorge Walser Boserman and Thom Dieben
b) Cyber, Tech and AI: OSINT and Defence Challenges - chaired by Judith de Boer, this session addressed the use of OSINT and digital investigations in cybercrime cases, with a strong emphasis on evidence chain of custody and defence strategies in tech-heavy trials. Guest speakers: Ovidiu Valea and David Timofte from CyberOps Network (Romania) explained the more technical details of the subject
c) International Cooperation: INTERPOL and Transnational Repression -chaired by Sören Schomburg with Rebecca Niblock, this session presented the ECBA’s draft position on INTERPOL reform, including misuse of red notices, asylum policies, and transparency. A moot scenario helped participants engage practically with red notice deletion procedures.
The conference concluded with the exciting announcement of the next Spring Conference in Barcelona, Spain, on April 24–25, 2026. The final networking opportunity took place over dinner at the scenic Ambar restaurant. The Belgrade Conference clearly underscored the ECBA’s enduring commitment to strengthening the rule of law, enhancing procedural safeguards, and proactively confronting the emerging challenges of criminal defence across all jurisdictions.
