Resources
The ECBA provides open access to working group papers, position statements, legal updates, and practical guides, ensuring that defence practitioners — regardless of their jurisdiction — are well-informed and well-equipped to uphold fundamental rights and the rule of law.
Open access to justice: your free toolkit for defence
The European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA) is committed to safeguarding the rights of individuals across Europe by strengthening the role of the criminal defence lawyer. In pursuit of this mission, the ECBA offers a wide range of high-quality resources free of charge.
Making these materials freely available reflects the ECBA’s core values: independence, collaboration, and the promotion of fair trial standards across Europe. It is also a tangible step towards fostering a stronger, more unified defence community, working together to protect justice and due process for all.
Tools for practitioners
The ECBA is one of the key interlocutors of the European institutions on criminal justice and the protection of the right of defence and fundamental rights. We believe that real impact comes from sharing knowledge – not keeping it to ourselves. That is why supporting legal practitioners across Europe in their daily work lies at the heart of what we do.
By empowering practitioners, we help shape the future of criminal justice in Europe and beyond. And this is only the beginning: some tools and search features are already available for you to explore today, with many more to come. Step by step, we are building new opportunities to support your practice, your projects, and ultimately your clients – so stay with us as we continue to grow.
EAW Handbook
EAW Leaflet
Acces to the case files on EPPO Cases
Database on Assurances in Extraditions Cases
Database on Extraditions to Ukraine
Training tools & ECBA webinars
This section provides access to comprehensive training materials developed by the Academy of European Law (ERA), specifically tailored to criminal defence practitioners, alongside a curated selection of specialist resources covering emerging areas of cross-border criminal practice, from procedural rights to contemporary challenges in European cooperation.
Our webinar programme connects members with leading experts and fellow practitioners to explore current issues affecting criminal defence across the Council of Europe, fostering knowledge exchange and practical insights into the evolving European criminal justice landscape.
All resources will be made available to members shortly. Please check back regularly for updates.
ERA
Training material
Other
Training material for defence lawyers
ECBA
Webinars
Document archive
Over the years, the ECBA has built a rich and valuable collection of materials, and with this tool we are making that knowledge accessible to you. You will find position papers, statements, interventions in proceedings, conference materials, news and related content, LinkedIn posts, publications … and much more.
We are starting with a keyword search and will continue to develop the tool step by step, adding a wide range of filters. These will make targeted research more efficient – while also making browsing, discovering and exploring our content more enjoyable.
Stay with us: this is just the beginning, and it will only get better.
If you have essays, reports, or other relevant materials to contribute, please reach out to our Editorial Team at editorial.team@ecba.org.
Benefits for ECBA Members — New Journal of European Criminal law
The New Journal of European Criminal Law (NJECL) stands as a leading publication in the field of EU criminal law, rooted in a strong tradition of collaboration between academics and practitioners.
Founded in 2006 by our late colleague and former ECBA Human Rights Officer, Scott Crosby, the Journal continues to thrive as a vital platform for legal scholarship and practice.
As part of the ECBA community, members are encouraged to actively engage with the Journal:
- Contribute: ECBA members are invited to submit practitioner-focused commentaries to the Analysis & Opinionsection, offering insights on European and domestic case law.
- Collaborate: Experienced members with an academic background may apply to serve as peer reviewers.
- Connect: Join a vibrant network of legal professionals, scholars, and institutions shaping the development of European criminal law.
The NJECL is widely respected and indexed in the Web of Science’s Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), making it a meaningful outlet for those wishing to contribute to and influence the future of EU criminal justice.