Innovation in the judicial sector often relies on specialised projects, developed to meet specific needs. However, the digital transformation of the justice system cannot be achieved through a mere juxtaposition of isolated tools or initiatives. On the contrary, it requires the gradual creation of a genuine ecosystem in which projects, institutions, practitioners, and researchers share their experiences, compare their findings and identify common challenges.
The 2026 phases of EuroLegalBot project’s illustrates this dynamic particularly well. Designed to support practitioners in the use of the European Arrest Warrant through an AI-based legal assistant, the project has gradually moved beyond its own development framework. It will be presented in various forums dedicated to judicial cooperation, victim protection, restorative justice, professional training, and emerging technologies.
These experiences raise questions about the role of synergies between European projects in the emergence of a European digital justice ecosystem.
Going beyond the boundaries of a project
European projects are generally structured around clearly defined objectives. EuroLegalBot focuses on the use of the European Arrest Warrant and on the development of a chatbot designed for practitioners in the field of judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
However, during 2026, the project was presented to audiences far broader than its natural user base.
At the SOURCE project’s Final Policy Event in Venice, which focused on instruments of judicial cooperation in investigations based on digital technologies, EuroLegalBot was presented alongside other innovative tools developed in the field of digital justice. This event enabled the chatbot to be placed within a broader discussion on the use of technology in cross-border investigations, the management of digital evidence and the evolution of European instruments for judicial cooperation.
The project was also presented at several events organised by the ViSAR project, focusing on victim protection, domestic violence and restorative justice. In these contexts, the European Arrest Warrant did not take centre stage. However, the discussions showed that issues relating to access to legal information, the training of professionals and the use of artificial intelligence extend far beyond the sole field of criminal justice cooperation.
Shared concerns despite different themes
One of the most interesting insights from these presentations was the convergence of concerns expressed by a wide range of professional communities.
Magistrates, prosecutors, lawyers, academics, researchers, court staff, mediators, victim support specialists and law enforcement representatives were introduced to the chatbot in contexts that were sometimes very different from one another.
However, several themes emerged repeatedly.
Discussions regularly centred on:
- the quality and reliability of legal information;
- the traceability of the sources used;
- data protection;
- the transparency of artificial intelligence mechanisms;
- the importance of human oversight;
- the training needs of professionals;
- the use of digital tools in sensitive legal contexts.
These concerns arise regardless of the areas under discussion. Whether the issue is European arrest warrants, victim protection, digital investigations or restorative justice, the requirements set out for digital tools remain largely consistent.
Building bridges between European projects
The events of 2026 also reveal an interesting shift in dissemination practices.
Traditionally, each European project disseminates its results to its own network of stakeholders. The EuroLegalBot presentations illustrate a different approach, based on the sharing of results between projects pursuing complementary objectives.
Participation in the SOURCE and ViSAR events enabled EuroLegalBot to be presented to professional communities that would probably not have been reached by the project’s communication activities alone.
Conversely, these exchanges enabled the consortium to observe how a tool designed for judicial cooperation in criminal matters might be perceived in other areas of the justice system.
This approach of cross-fertilisation appears particularly relevant in a context where European projects often address complementary aspects of the same digital transformation: judicial cooperation, training, victim protection, access to legal information, artificial intelligence, digital evidence and restorative justice.
Towards a shared heritage of tools and knowledge
Beyond the visibility they offer to the projects, these interactions are gradually contributing to the creation of a shared European heritage.
The various presentations of EuroLegalBot have highlighted the potential for reusing the tools developed as part of projects funded by the European Union. This reuse does not necessarily mean a direct transfer of a tool to another field. Above all, it promotes the circulation of methods, best practices, technological approaches and lessons learnt from experience.
The interest generated during the demonstrations of conversational interfaces, legal assistants, interactive avatars and AI-assisted training tools is testament to this momentum.
A transformation that goes beyond technology
Ultimately, the EuroLegalBot experience serves as a reminder that the development of European digital justice does not rely solely on the development of new technologies.
It also depends on the ability of projects to engage in dialogue with one another, to share their findings and to create shared spaces for reflection bringing together practitioners, researchers, institutions, and developers.
By taking part in events focusing on digital investigations, victim protection and restorative justice, EuroLegalBot has shown that a specialised project can contribute to broader debates on the evolution of digital tools in the service of justice.
This networking of European initiatives is probably one of the most important conditions for the eventual emergence of a genuine European digital justice ecosystem based on knowledge-sharing, cooperation between projects and the direct involvement of legal professionals.
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