The European Law Institute's (ELI) 15th Anniversary Celebrations continued on 2 June 2026 with a remarkable gathering at the Spanish Supreme Court in Madrid, bringing together senior members of the judiciary to reflect on the rule of law, judicial independence, and the future of justice in Europe.
Hosted by the Spanish Supreme Court, the event opened with welcoming remarks from Dimitry Berberoff Ayuda, Vice-President of the Supreme Court, who introduced the day's theme and emphasised the importance of judicial dialogue in strengthening democratic institutions.
ELI President Prof Dr Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell then offered anniversary reflections, highlighting ELI's contribution over the past 15 years to improving the quality of law in Europe through independent research, collaboration, and inclusive legal dialogue.
A highlight of the programme was the exceptional session on Rule of Law and the Judiciary, which brought together the Vice-President of the Supreme Court and the Presidents of all five chambers of Spain's highest court. The distinguished panel addressed some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary justice systems and offered unique perspectives from the highest levels of the judiciary.
The session featured:
- Ignacio Sancho Gargallo, President of the First Chamber of the Supreme Court, who reflected on the importance of judicial ethics;
- Andrés Martínez Arrieta, President of the Second Chamber, who examined the impact of social polarisation on the separation of powers;
- Pablo Lucas Murillo de la Cueva, President of the Third Chamber, who explored the constitutional dimension of the judiciary;
- Concepción Rosario Ureste García, President of the Fourth Chamber, who addressed freedom of expression and criticism; and
- Jacobo Barja de Quiroga López, President of the Fifth Chamber, who discussed the essential principle of judicial independence.
The gathering provided a rare opportunity to hear directly from the leadership of all five chambers of the Spanish Supreme Court in a single forum, fostering an insightful discussion on the challenges and responsibilities of the judiciary in safeguarding the rule of law.
The anniversary celebrations continued in the afternoon at the Spanish College of Land and Commercial Registrars, where participants turned their attention to the theme of Legal Certainty and Competitiveness in the Current Geopolitical Context.
Following welcoming remarks from María Rosario Jiménez Rubio, President of the Spanish College of Land and Commercial Registrars, and a video message from Mihai Taus, President of the European Land Registry Association (ELRA), attendees heard a presentation on the IMOLA project by Pedro Pernas Ramírez.
The round table brought together a distinguished panel of experts, including Andrea Gavela Llopis, Chief State Attorney before the Court of Justice of the European Union; María Ángeles Alcalá Díaz, Professor of Commercial Law and former Director-General of Registries and Notaries; Vicente Guilarte, Professor of Civil Law and former President of the General Council of the Judiciary; Albert Ruda, ELI Member and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Girona; and Jesús Camy, Business Registrar and project manager at IMOLA III. Moderated by Teresa Touriñan, Land Registrar and member of the ELI Council, the discussion explored how legal certainty contributes to economic resilience, competitiveness, and trust in times of geopolitical uncertainty.
The event concluded with closing reflections from Vice-President Dimitry Berberoff Ayuda and ELI President Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell, who reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation between legal institutions, practitioners, and academics in addressing the evolving challenges facing justice systems across Europe.
