Lay judges from across Europe have agreed a draft charter and a declaration seeking to protect and extend lay involvement in judicial decision-making across the continent.

At a meeting of the European Lay Judges Forum held over the weekend, 50 lay judges signed the London Declaration, expressing support for the role played by lay judges as an essential element of any justice system in a democratic society.

The declaration opposed attempts by any government to abolish or restrict the role played by ordinary citizens as judges and assessors within the justice systems of European states.

The declaration forms the basis of the charter, which the forum, aims to finalise by the end of the year. It will then present the charter to the European Commission, the parliament and its ministers.

The forum also agreed to the establishment of the European Network of Lay Judges, which will negotiate with the EC to encourage it to support and enhance the role of lay judges.

John Thornhill, chairman of the Magistrates Association in England and Wales, was appointed president of the network, and Jouni Elomaa, from its Finnish equivalent, was appointed secretary.

The Lay Judges Forum is part of a project, ‘European Day of Lay Judges’, funded by the European Commission. It is organised by the European Academy Berlin, the Federal Association of Lay Judges (Germany) and the Magistrates’ Association of England and Wales.

Thornhill said: ‘It’s a fundamental principle in a democratic society that lay people should be involved in judging their peers.’

He said, increasing the use of lay judges to hear civil and criminal cases would provide a cheaper way of delivering justice across the continent.

Thornhill added that magistrates in England and Wales should be able to deal with more serious cases and their sentencing powers increased from six to 12 months in custody, to reduce sums spent on Crown court trials.