PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND THE MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Study visit to The Hague strengthens international cooperation of the Maltese Judiciary

Sixteen members of the Maltese judiciary, including judges and magistrates, took part in a week-long study visit to The Hague, the Netherlands, where they engaged with representatives from leading international courts, judicial institutions and specialised bodies.

The visit was organised by the Embassy of Malta in the Netherlands together with the Judicial Studies Committee, with the support of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry for Justice, Research and Innovation. The delegation represented around a quarter of Malta's Judiciary.

During the programme, the delegation visited, among others, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Eurojust and Europol. Visits were also held at the Council for the Judiciary of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Forensic Institute, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Commission on Missing Persons.

The programme included meetings with senior officials and experts from these institutions, including President of the International Criminal Court Judge Tomoko Akane and Vice-President of the International Court of Justice Judge Julia Sebutinde. These meetings gave members of the Maltese Judiciary an opportunity to exchange experiences and practices with their international counterparts.

An important part of the visit focused on the challenges facing courts in an increasingly complex judicial environment, including cases involving more than one country, judicial cooperation, organised and digital crime, private international law and the use of forensic evidence in judicial proceedings.

At the Netherlands Forensic Institute, the delegation gained first-hand insight into the scientific work and processes involved in forensic examinations. At the International Commission on Missing Persons, participants received briefings on the use of DNA analysis, data systems, and forensic methods to identify missing persons and support justice and accountability processes.

The visit also created further opportunities for professional contacts between members of the Maltese Judiciary and their counterparts, while strengthening cooperation between Malta and the Netherlands in the field of justice.

The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to support the training and professional development of members of the Maltese judiciary, while further strengthening cooperation with international courts, judicial institutions and organisations working in the fields of justice and the rule of law.