In bringing together representatives of the judiciary in member and Observer states of the Council of Europe, each one with its own national practice in the field of early settlement of disputes, the 1st European Conference of Judges launched an intial exchange of wide-ranging views of the legal and procedural framework aiming at strengthening the role of judges as far as the possibilities for a more expeditious and efficient resolution of disputes between the parties is concerned.The participants invited the Council of Europe to hold European conferences of judges at regular intervals in order to assist judges in their essential role of upholding and implementing the rule of law in the member states of the Council of Europe.