Participants also discussed the access to the professions of judge and public prosecutor in different countries, different systems for initial and further training of judges and public prosecutors, and the implications for the development of training programs in the countries of central and eastern Europe. Discussions also focused on the role of the judge in protecting individual rights and freedoms guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary. Participants also noted to the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe No. R(94)12 on the independence, efficiency, and role of judges. They indicated their agreement with this recommendation's principle of using objective criteria and merit to select judges and prosecutors. The meeting concluded with agreement on developing and strengthening cooperation in training through the development of a European network for the exchange of information on this topic. Attached list of participants, profiles of each country's system, questionnaire distributed before the meeting, and tables