Commissioner Reynders thanked ELI President Christiane Wendehorst for the invitation, and ELI Treasurer Denis Philippe for introducing him to the participants, who had logged in from all over the world. He added how impressed he was by the agenda of the Conference , noting that the discussion topics are all key issues in our society.

The keynote speech then moved on to its central theme, the rule of law, the importance of which could not be overstated by the Commissioner: 'What makes the rule of law so important is that it guarantees the respect of all our values, including democracy and fundamental rights. My conviction is firm; there can be no compromise when it comes to defending all common values.'

Another topic that was discussed in depth during Commissioner Reynders’ speech and the ensuing Q&A session was the digitalisation of justice. The Commissioner underlined the how digitalisation can help make the justice system more transparent and easier to navigate, stating, 'digitalisation can guarantee easy and timely access to justice'. He expressed his hope that member states will identify the digitalisation of justice as a priority of any recovery plan after the Coronavirus pandemic.

Closing this welcome session, ELI President Christiane Wendehorst and Commissioner Reynders reflected on the importance of instilling an understanding and respect for the rule of law in the wider population, so that it may be recognised not as a lofty idea, but as something at the heart of life and culture in Europe even at the most local of levels.

You can watch the webinar by following this link.