Eurojust

Mission

The European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust)  (Eurojust) supports judicial coordination and cooperation between national authorities in combating serious cross-border crime.

Eurojust 

• coordinates investigations and prosecutions involving at least two countries
• provides support to solve conflicts of jurisdiction among national authorities
• facilitates the execution of European Arrest Warrants, European Investigation Orders, and confiscation and freezing orders
• provides support to the activities of Joint Investigation Teams (JITs)
• preserves, analysis and stores evidence relating to core international crimes and related offences

To do this, Eurojust

• holds coordination meetings
• funds and provides legal expertise and technical facilities to JITs
• gathers and disseminates knowledge and expertise about cross-border crimes and the best ways to counter them

Eurojust also hosts the Secretariats of the European Judicial Network, the Joint Investigation Teams Network and the Network for investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (Genocide Network).

Structure

Each Member State seconds one national member at Eurojust, who is assisted by one deputy and one Assistant. All national members sit in the College of Eurojust, together with one representative of the Commission when the College exercises its management functions. The College is assisted by an Executive Board, which is responsible for taking administrative decisions to ensure the proper functioning of Eurojust. The Executive Board is composed of the President and Vice-Presidents of Eurojust, one representative of the Commission and two other members of the College designated on a two-year rotation system. The Administrative Director attends the meetings of the Executive Board without the right to vote.

Legal Basis

Eurojust’s structure and functioning is regulated by Regulation (EU) 2018/1727.

On 1 December 2021, the Commission adopted an initiative on the digital information exchange in terrorism cases. The proposals aims at rendering the exchange of information between the national competent authorities and Eurojust and the European Judicial Terrorism Register more efficient.

On 25 April 2022, the Commission adopted an urgent proposal to amend the Eurojust Regulation to allow Eurojust to collect, preserve, analyse and exchange evidence related to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Evaluation of Eurojust   

As required by the Eurojust Regulation , the Commission published an evaluation of Eurojust.

Its main objectives are to:  

• Assess whether the Eurojust Regulation has been fully and correctly implemented by Eurojust and the Member States.
• Evaluate Eurojust’s performance in achieving its objectives, as well as the Regulation’s impact on addressing its initial aims, focusing on effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence, and EU added-value.
• Identify areas within the Eurojust Regulation that may require revision.

The evaluation is supported by an external study prepared by an independent consultant. The evaluation, as well as the support study cover the period from 12 December 2019, when the Regulation came into force, to 1 May 2024. Eurojust’s operations, including cooperation with national authorities in EU Member States, third countries, and international organisations are examined. 

More Information

Legal Basis

Eurojust