On March 8, 2024, the World Jurist Association awarded its medal of honor to the Legal Service of the European Commission for its transcendental role within the European Union, especially ensuring the protection of fundamental rights. The award was collected by the Director-General of the Legal Service and EU Commission’s General Counsel, Daniel Calleja Crespo, who was accompanied by his colleagues from the unit.
The awarding ceremony took place during the Annual Conference of the Legal Service of the European Commission 2024 held in Brussels. The delegation of the WJA was integrated by President Javier Cremades, who presented the award; Egils Levits, president of Latvia 2019-2023 and Justice of the European Court of Justice 2004-2019, who presented the conference The Challenge of Artificial Intelligence to the Rule of Law and its Impact on Fundamental Rights; and Elisabeth Cassin, Vice-President of Group Spectrum Office at Orange and Trustee of the World Law Foundation, who was the master of ceremony of the WJA event.
In his intervention, President Cremades expressed that «with this tribute we want to remember, again and again, that the Rule of Law is the only alternative to the rule of force. Only under the Rule of Law can human beings live in peace and freedom. If we do not submit to the law, the law of the strongest and the jaws of totalitarianism lurk and threaten to devour freedom and coexistence«. And he added that «the effort and commitment of the Legal Service of the European Commission to defend the common heritage, the intangible, fragile, delicate and valuable heritage that has given Europe our most brilliant years of peace, prosperity and freedom: the Rule of Law, is becoming more and more valuable«.
World Peace & Liberty Award to the European Commission
This medal is a further recognition of the European Union and its institutions, as in 2023 the World Jurist Association presented the World Peace & Liberty Award, its highest award, to the European Commission for its performance in the establishment of laws and the way in which the Rule of Law is applied. As representative and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen received this award at the United Nations New York, in the presence of the 2019, 2021 and 2022 awardees: H.M. King Felipe VI of Spain; Iván Duque, former President of Colombia who received the award on behalf of the people of Colombia; and Andrew Young, American civil rights activist and first color US Ambassador to the United Nations, and accompanied by Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.
