Call for Applications: From Judgment to Change

A training programme for Dutch civil society organisations and lawyers on the implementation of judgments affecting human rights from the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human Rights.

• FORMAT: Online + two days in person
• WHEN: October–November 2026
• LOCATION: The Hague / online

Applications close: 30 September 2026. Apply here.

A judgment is not the end of a human rights case. Its impact depends on what happens next: whether the authorities remedy the violation suffered by the applicant, adopt the legal, policy and practical changes needed to prevent similar violations, and ensure that European human rights standards are effectively implemented in national law and practice.

The Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) invites Dutch civil society professionals and lawyers to apply for a practical training programme on turning judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) into meaningful change in the Netherlands.

Why this programme?

Across Europe, important judgments remain only partly implemented or face significant delays, while in some cases states fail to take the measures required to give effect to them. This leaves individuals without full redress, allows structural problems to persist and weakens trust in the rule of law. Civil society organisations and legal practitioners can play a decisive role by monitoring implementation, exposing gaps and inaction, providing evidence, engaging with the responsible institutions, and combining advocacy with strategic litigation.

The programme shifts the focus from winning a case to securing its impact. It will examine the distinct implementation systems of Strasbourg for ECtHR and Luxembourg for CJEU, the points at which they interact, and the practical opportunities available to lawyers and civil society at national and European levels.

What will participants gain?

Understand how ECtHR and CJEU judgments are implemented and supervised, including the key differences and connections between the two systems.

• Assess whether a judgment has been fully and effectively implemented and distinguish between individual measures and broader legal, policy, administrative, judicial or educational measures.
• Identify implementation gaps, responsible institutions and the most effective national and European entry points for action.
• Use implementation-oriented litigation, advocacy and communications as complementary tools for systemic change.
• Develop practical skills to monitor cases, work with action plans and action reports, navigate HUDOC-EXEC, and prepare a focused Rule 9.2 communication to the Committee of Ministers.
• Explore tools connected to CJEU implementation, including proceedings before national courts, complaints to the European Commission, infringement procedures and engagement with EU rule-of-law processes.
• Build coalitions across legal practice and civil society and develop a realistic joint implementation strategy in one thematic area.

Programme structure

The programme combines substantive learning, peer exchange and practical exercises across three connected stages. Applicants must be available to participate in the full programme.

1. Introductory online webinar | 15 October 2026 14:00-16:00

Led by:
Jasper Krommendijk, Professor of Human Rights Law, Radboud University Nijmegen

A concise introduction to the two European systems and their interaction. Topics will include:

• The scope and application of the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights;
• The routes through which cases reach the ECtHR and CJEU and how the form of a ruling affects implementation;
• The ECtHR system under Article 46 of the Convention and the role of the Committee of Ministers;
• The more decentralised EU system, involving national courts, the European Commission and the CJEU; and
• Areas of overlap, divergence and potential synergy between Strasbourg and Luxembourg.

2. Two-day practical training | 29-30 October 2026, The Hague

Led by:
Jasper Krommendijk, Professor of Human Rights Law, Radboud University Nijmegen
Ilaria Fevola, Human Rights Lawyer & Programme Officer, Netherlands Helsinki Committee
Ivan Novosel & Tina Dakovic, Human Rights House Zagreb
Furkat Tishaev, Law and Advocacy Officer, European Implementation Network

Day 1 – Understanding and influencing implementation. Expert-led and interactive sessions will cover how to assess implementation, identify individual and general measures, map relevant institutions, and select national and international advocacy routes. Participants will work with judgments, state action plans and implementation evidence rather than only with abstract legal doctrine.

Day 2 – Thematic implementation labs. Participants will work in facilitated groups with group leads selected among the most experienced participants. Each group will exchange experiences in litigation, analyse the problem, identify implementation gaps, map decision-makers and allies, and design an integrated strategy combining litigation, advocacy, evidence, communications and coalition-building.

3. Follow-up strategy meeting | 19 November 2026 14:00-16:00

Participants will reconvene online to refine and present a short implementation strategy developed from the thematic labs. The meeting will provide space for feedback, identifying opportunities for cooperation and agreeing possible next steps beyond the training for the upcoming policy dialogues with The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (College voor de Rechten van de Mens), political and government institutions.

Thematic streams

Applicants will indicate the stream most relevant to their work. The final composition and case studies will reflect the selected cohort and the implementation challenges they identify.

1. Digital rights: privacy and data protection; freedom of expression and access to information; platform governance; surveillance; technology and effective remedies.
2. Environmental rights: environmental information and participation; climate and environmental harms; protection of environmental defenders; implementation of positive obligations.
3. Migration: asylum and migration procedures; detention and reception conditions; non-refoulement; family life; access to an effective remedy.
4. Economic and social rights: social protection; labour and housing-related rights; discrimination and equality; the interaction between civil and political rights and socio-economic conditions.

Practice at the center: the Rule 9 experience

The programme and training will draw practical experience from the SURE consortium, including training developed by EIN and Human Rights House Zagreb on the implementation of ECtHR judgments and Rule 9 submissions. That approach moves from understanding the supervision procedure to analysing action plans, defining the scope and timing of a submission, and drafting the core elements of a Rule 9.2 communication: a concise account of the case or group of cases, individual measures, general measures, conclusions and targeted recommendations.

Participants will adapt this implementation-focused method to the Dutch context and to the four thematic streams. A Rule 9 submission will be treated as one element of a broader strategy, supported by national advocacy, engagement with implementation actors, evidence gathering and coalition-building.

Who should apply?

The call is open to professionals working in the Netherlands, including:

• Lawyers engaged in strategic, public-interest or human rights litigation;
• Legal and policy staff of civil society organisations;
• Advocacy professionals whose work involves the follow-up of court judgments or legal and policy reform; and
• Other practitioners with relevant experience in one of the four thematic streams and interest in judgment implementation.

Applications should:

• Have relevant professional experience in law, policy, advocacy or human rights practice;
• Be familiar with at least one of the two European legal systems – the ECHR or EU legal system- and be eager to strengthen their understanding of the other;
• Have a concrete interest in using European court judgments to support legal, policy or systemic change in the Netherlands;
• Be willing to exchange expertise with other practitioners and develop opportunities for joint work, advocacy and coalition-building; and
• Be available to participate in the webinar, both in-person training days and the follow-up meeting.

Selection

Participants will be selected on the basis of:

• The relevance of their experience and motivation to the programme’s objectives;
• The potential to apply the learning to a concrete implementation challenge based on previous relevant experience and/or ongoing litigation and advocacy;
• The value they can bring to peer exchange and collaborative work; and
• A balanced cohort across thematic streams, professional backgrounds and organisations.

Applications from people and organisations representing affected communities, or working directly with groups whose rights are at stake, are particularly encouraged.

Practical information

• Language: English / Dutch
• Webinar: 15 October 2026 14:00-16:00, online
• In-person training: 29-30 October, Nutshuis, Riviervismarkt 4, The Hague.
• Follow-up: 19 November 2026 14:00-16:00, online.
• Participation costs: Participation is free of charge. Travel costs within the Netherlands can be reimbursed. One night accommodation can be arranged for few participants.

How to apply

Complete the online application form by midnight 30 September 2026. The form will ask you to provide:

• A short description of your current role and relevant experience;
• Your preferred thematic stream;
• Your motivation for joining the programme;
• A judgment, implementation gap or concrete challenge you would like to explore; and
• Confirmation that you can participate in all three stages.

Questions? Contact Ilaria Fevola, Programme Officer, Netherlands Helsinki Committee at ifevola@nhc.nl.

About SURE

Standing Up for Rights in Europe (SURE) works to close the gap between judgments of the ECtHR and CJEU and their effective implementation at national level. The project strengthens the capacity of civil society and legal professionals to monitor, report and advocate for implementation, while promoting greater coordination among civil society, National Human Rights Institutions and public authorities.

SURE is implemented by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, the European Implementation Network (EIN), Gentium, Human Rights House Zagreb and Cooperazione Per Lo Sviluppo Dei Paesi Emergenti Onlus (COSPE), with the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights as an associated partner. The project is co-funded by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme.

Further information

More about SURE: https://www.nhc.nl/sure-standing-up-for-rights-in-europe/
Council of Europe guidance on Rule 9 communications by NHRIs and CSOs: https://www.coe.int/en/web/execution/nhri-ngo
European Commission overview of infringement procedures: https://commission.europa.eu/law/application-eu-law/implementing-eu-law/infringement-procedure_en