Have your say: EU public consultations related to victims’ rights
Dear VSE members,
The European Commission recently launched public consultations related to victims’ rights that can be of interest for you.
These consultations are not only an opportunity for you to share your national views and the situation on the ground, but it also allows to play an active role in influencing the upcoming EU legislation and initiatives on each topic, which will ultimately influence the national legislations themselves and your work with victims. We therefore strongly encourage you to submit an individual answer to these consultations.
Please find below a summary of the consultations that are currently open for feedback:
Fighting cross-border crime – IT collaboration platform for joint investigation teams
Joint investigation teams bring together prosecutors, law enforcement authorities & judges from two or more EU countries to fight cross-border crime. They are one of the most successful tools for cross-border investigations and prosecutions in the EU.
This initiative aims to create a dedicated IT collaboration platform for them to communicate and exchange information and evidence. The platform will fully comply with EU data protection rules on the legality of exchanging information and evidence.
Deadline: 2 February 2022
Modernising judicial cooperation between EU countries – use of digital technology
This initiative aims to make judicial cooperation in cross-border cases throughout the EU more efficient and more resilient to crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will make it mandatory for the authorities involved in each country to use digital technology, instead of paper, to communicate.
It will improve access to justice by ensuring that individuals, businesses and legal practitioners involved in cases can communicate digitally with the competent authorities in the other countries.
Deadline: 2 February 2022
Effective justice – common conditions for transferring criminal proceedings between EU countries
This initiative seeks to put in place common rules for transferring criminal proceedings between EU countries.
By establishing common conditions under which criminal proceedings initiated in one EU country may be transferred to another, the Commission aims to:
- make criminal proceedings more efficient, and
- improve the administration of justice in the EU.
Deadline: 4 March 2022
Effective justice systems are essential for implementing EU law and for upholding the rule of law and the values upon which the EU is founded.
The EU Justice Scoreboard:
- presents an annual overview of the indicators of effective justice systems – efficiency, quality and independence
- helps Member States improve the effectiveness of their justice systems.
Deadline: 22 December 2021
Additionally, VSE summarised the most important upcoming consultations for 2022. Our advocacy team will monitor these consultations closely and will inform you when they are open for feedback.
Prevention of harmful practices against women and girls
Harmful practices are forms of violence committed primarily against women and girls. They are forms of gender-based violence and serious violations of women and children’s rights. The most common forms of harmful practices include female genital mutilation or cutting, forced or early marriage and ‘honour’ based violence.
This initiative aims to tackle harmful practices by addressing prevention, support, training of professionals and victim-centred access to justice.
Upcoming roadmap: Commission adoption planned for fourth quarter 2022
Fighting human trafficking – review of EU rules
As announced in the strategy on combatting trafficking in human beings, this review of the Anti-Trafficking Directive – which will be based on the findings of an evaluation – will aim to modernise EU anti-trafficking rules.
It will specifically explore the possibility of making the use of the services of exploited victims of trafficking a mandatory criminal offence.
Upcoming public consultation: Fourth quarter 2022
Combating child sexual abuse – review of EU rules
Sexual abuse and exploitation of children are serious crimes, which produce life-long consequences for victims. Combating these crimes, both offline and online, is a high priority and to do so a better response is required.
As announced in the EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse, the Commission will carry out a study to:
- assess the implementation of EU Directive 2011/93
- identify legislative gaps, best practice and priority actions at EU level.
Upcoming public consultation: First quarter 2022
Criminal justice – EU rules on victims’ rights (update)
Effective justice systems are essential for implementing EU law and for upholding the rule of law and the values upon which the EU is founded.
The EU Justice Scoreboard:
- presents an annual overview of the indicators of effective justice systems – efficiency, quality and independence
- helps Member States improve the effectiveness of their justice systems.
Upcoming public consultation: First quarter 2022
Protection of personal data processed for law enforcement purposes – report on the EU law enforcement Directive
More information will be available throughout the second quarter of 2022.
