Fostering international judicial cooperation: Supreme Court judge participated in the Judges’ Exchange Programme organized by the EU Network of Presidents of Supreme Judicial Courts

Supreme Court Judge of the Administrative Cassation Court Yan Bernaziuk, made an official visit to the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Spain and took part in the Judges’ Exchange Programme organized by the Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union.

The Programme focused on studying the functioning of the Spanish administrative justice system and mechanisms of constitutional review. It included a series of meetings with key representatives of the judicial and executive branches. 

During the visit to the Supreme Court of Spain, Judge Bernaziuk met with Mr. Pablo Lucas Murillo de la Cueva, President of the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court, and Mr. Rafael Toledano Cantero, a judge of the same court. He also met with Mr. Dimitry Berberoff Ayuda, Vice President of the Supreme Court of Spain.

Judge Bernaziuk attended a session of the Second (Tax) Section of the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court of Spain and took part in discussions of two pending cases concerning the interaction between Spanish and EU legislation. Particular attention was given to the mechanisms of cassation review in administrative cases and the tools employed by the Spanish judicial system to ensure consistency in judicial practice.

The Supreme Court judge also familiarized himself with the work of the Constitutional Court of Spain and the High Court of Justice of Madrid. Separate meetings were held with Mr. Cándido Conde-Pumpido Tourón, President of the Constitutional Court of Spain, and Mr. Celso Rodríguez Padrón, President of the High Court of Justice of Madrid. Discussions in the Spanish Parliament focused on the role of the legislature in shaping the legal framework for the judiciary’s functioning.

In addition, Judge Bernaziuk visited the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalía Anticorrupción) and paid a visit to the Council of State of Spain, where he met with Mr. Fernando Jiménez Colorado, Chief Legal Adviser.

Participation of a representative of the Supreme Court in the Exchange Programme marks an important step toward strengthening international cooperation and experience-sharing between the highest judicial institutions of Ukraine and the European Union. The visit contributed to deepening knowledge about the mechanisms of Spain’s administrative justice and constitutional review - insights that are essential for implementing best European practices in Ukraine’s judicial system.