Friends of ERA

The Friends of ERA is a Europe-wide network of individuals and organisations dedicated to supporting ERA’s mission and activities. Since its foundation in 1991, the Friends of ERA has provided a platform for Europe’s legal community to exchange ideas, promote access to education and contribute directly to the Academy’s projects and training activities. The network brings together ERA participants, alumni, partners, staff and other supporters of ERA’s mission. Members contribute to ERA’s work and visibility through their expertise, their support of ERA events and their involvement in the network’s own dedicated networking activities.

The strength of the association:
its members

2025 marked another successful year for the Friends of ERA Association. With 460 individual members and 18 institutional members, the Association continued its steady growth, assembling legal professionals and organisations who share a strong commitment to European law. Alongside 60 new individual members, two institutional members joined the Association: Volksbank Trier Eifel eG (Germany) and the Regional Bar Association Pazardzhik (Bulgaria).

Joanna Kuzaj

Friends of ERA Liaison (Coordinator of the Association activities)

“I strongly believe in networking: every new person can bring insights and opportunities. It is truly rewarding to engage with such a strong and supportive community as the Friends of ERA. Their longstanding commitment is inspiring and has played a vital role in advancing the Academy’s mission since its very foundation.

Working with the Friends of ERA fills me with enthusiasm and motivation. It reflects, even if only on a small scale, what Europe stands for: united in diversity, grounded in mutual respect.”

Total number of members

Individual members

Individual members represent the full spectrum of Europe’s legal community, ranging from lawyers in private practice and in house counsel to members of the judiciary, academia and other legal fields.

Institutional members

Our institutional members illustrate the same breadth, reflecting the Association’s solid rooting within European and regional legal institutions, companies and professional organisations.

Notable Institutional Members include the European Investment Bank and the European Parliament Library, as well as national and regional judicial bodies such as the National Office for the Judiciary (Hungary), the Office of the Attorney General (Ireland), the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgaria), the Union des Juges Consulaires de Belgique (Belgium), and the Regional Bar Association Pazardzhik (Bulgaria).

The network further includes leading judicial training institutions as the Judicial Training Centre of Slovenia (Slovenia), the National Institute of Justice (Bulgaria), and the Attorneys’ Training Center to the Supreme Bar Council (Bulgaria), alongside prominent law firms and legal service providers such as Wardyński & Partners (Poland), Vlaemminck Law (Belgium), and Renaissance Capital d.o.o. (Croatia). Supporters from economic and financial institutions, many with longstanding ties to the Trier region, including Volksbank Trier Eifel eG (Germany), Sparkasse Trier (Germany), HELABA Landesbank Hessen‑Thüringen (Germany), the IHK Trier (Germany) and IGBCE (Germany).

Highlights

The 16th General Meeting of the Friends of ERA Association took place on 13 June, with more than 50 members attending in person or online. The meeting reviewed the Association’s activities over the past two years and set the priorities for the period ahead. By acclamation, the members agreed to continue focusing on the ERA Scholarship Programme, the prizes awarded to the winners of the Young European Lawyers Contest and the ERA Fund for the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine as core areas of support.

The Board was re‑elected for a further two‑year term and comprises Jettie Van Caenegem (Chairperson), Wolfgang Heusel, Vanessa Knapp OBE, Julia Laffranque and Jean‑Philippe Rageade (ex officio). The Auditors, Maud Gladen and Jörg Wagner, were likewise confirmed for another term.

In 2025, the Association launched a new website featuring a revised structure, a refreshed visual identity, a new logo and clearer navigation. The modern design enhances visibility and offers a more user‑friendly platform for both current and future members. Visit us now and explore: Friends of ERA website.

National chapter activities

Networking remained a central focus of the Friends of ERA in 2025, with national Chapters across Europe hosting online and in-person events that encouraged discussion on European Union law, attracted new members, and built professional connections across the network. Their success was made possible by the ongoing dedication of the Chapters and their coordinators.

PORTUGUESE CHAPTER

Jointly with the Young Friends of ERA

Online, 30 January 2025

Migration and the Future of Europe, in conversation with Dr António Vitorino

Italian Chapter

Milan, 24 March 2025

Private guided tour of the Gallerie d’Italia with a panel discussion

GERMAN & LUXEMBOURG CHAPTERS

Trier, 12 June 2025

Visit to the oldest wine cellar in Germany

YOUNG FRIENDS OF ERA CHAPTER

Online, 17 September 2025

EU Law Session: Prisoner Transfers and Human Rights
With Judge Nikolay Gaitaovskyii (CoR)

GERMAN CHAPTER

Frankfurt, 18 September 2025

Friends of ERA visit the Frankfurt Stock Exchange

ITALIAN CHAPTER

Rome, 25 November 2025

Panel debate: Women’s visibility and empowerment in Europe

LUXEMBOURG CHAPTER

Luxembourg, 3 December 2025

Private guided visit at MUDAM

Impact and Contributions

The Association operates entirely through membership fees and donations.

In 2025, the Friends of ERA contributed to the Academy’s work through three key areas of support. The ERA Scholarship Programme awarded €27,000 to 29 practising legal professionals from 13 European countries, helping them strengthen their expertise in European law. Scholars included members of the judiciary, lawyers in private practice, trainees, and academics.
The ERA Fund for the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, launched in 2023, raised €3,740.31 in its second year, supporting study visits and subsidised participation in EU law training for legal trainers from the region.
The Association also sponsored €3,000 in awards for the Young European Lawyers Contest, formally presented at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg, reflecting its commitment to the next generation of European lawyers.

The strength of the association: its members