Eurojust: The EU Judicial Cooperation Unit

Eurojust’s mission 2

Eurojust in a nutshell WHAT ? WHO ? To ensure better coordination and cooperation between judicial and law enforcement authorities in the Member States in the fight against serious organised cross-border crime and terrorism Eurojust is managed by the College of Eurojust, which is composed of 28 National Members, and supported by National Desks and an Administration. The College elects its President and Vice-Presidents. WHO ? Eurojust is the EU Judicial Cooperation Unit, established in 2002, to stimulate and improve the coordination of investigations and prosecutions and the cooperation between competent authorities in the Member States in relation to serious organised cross-border crime. 3

Eurojust organigram 4

Eurojust’s competences Fighting serious and organised cross-border crime:

Casework 2002 - 2017 Statistics produced with data retrieved from CMS on 20 December 2017. Due to the ongoing nature of cases the figures may change after the reporting date.

Operations Department – Data Management Office STATISTICS: CaseS registered on environmental crime 1 Jan 2012 – September 2018 Operations Department Data Management Office 26/08/2019 Operations Department – Data Management Office

Registered environmental crime cases 26/08/2019 Operations Department – Data Management Office

Environmental crime cases (2012- September 2018) 55 cases (ongoing/closed) 22 multilateral and 33 bilateral cases 8 coordination meetings 2 coordination centres 4 JITs, of which 3 ongoing 26/08/2019 Welcome to Eurojust

Most frequently requesting and requested Member States (2012-2018) NOTE These figures do not include Member States that are requesting and requested less than 11 times in total. 26/08/2019 Operations Department – Data Management Office

Case example https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsberichten/@99896/dutch-authorities/ 26/08/2019 Welcome to Eurojust

Eurojust case cycle Request for assistance received Level I meeting (all National Members) Level II meeting (concerned National Members) Case closed at Eurojust Joint Investigation Team (JIT) Coordination issues discussed Level III meeting (Coordination Meetings) Coordination centre 12

Eurojust case cycle 1. Request for assistance received National authority/EU body sends request/initial information to Eurojust

Eurojust case cycle 2. Level I meeting National Member registers case and presents it before the College of Eurojust, i.e. all National Members

Plenary meeting of the College

Eurojust case cycle 3. Level II meeting National Members concerned discuss the case and next coordination steps

Eurojust case cycle 4. Coordination issues discussed Typical coordination issues: execution of MLA requests, conflicts of jurisdiction, coordination of parallel investigations/prosecutions, transfer of proceedings

Eurojust case cycle 5. Level III meeting Coordination meeting with national authorities (judicial and law enforcement)

Coordination meetings

Coordination meetings Purpose: to coordinate ongoing investigations and prosecutions Facilitating the exchange of information, Supporting the execution of MLA requests or coercive measures (e.g. search warrants and arrest warrants), Facilitating the possible setting up and functioning of a JIT, and Detecting and solving conflicts of jurisdiction, ne bis in idem-related issues or other legal or evidential problems Simultaneous interpretation 20

Coordination meeting with interpretation

Coordination meetings by videoconference

CMs: Crime types January – September 2018 03/10/2018 Only CMs on cases registered in the College are included in the overview.

Eurojust case cycle 6. Coordination centre Real-time sharing of informa-tion and joint execution of arrests, searches and seizures and other measures in different concerned

Freezing or confiscation Coordination centres Searches Freezing or confiscation orders Seizures EUROJUST Coordination centre Witness interviews Arrests Coordination Centres are Central hub for the real-time exchange of information and for coordinating the joint execution of judicial and law enforcement measures in different countries (e.g. arrest warrants) The joint operations are constantly monitored and coordinated at EJ All participating authorities are linked to each other at all times via dedicated telephone lines and computers 2016 statistics: 10 CCs organised by 4NDs 4 CCs on cases with JIT Top crimes: money laundering and fraud 2017 statistics JOINT ACTION DAY

Coordination centres Eurojust’s coordination centres facilitate the exchange in real time of information between Eurojust and the countries involved

Coordination centres 26/08/2019 Welcome to Eurojust

Eurojust case cycle 7. Joint Investigation Team (JIT) One team working for and on behalf of all concerned national authorities.

Joint investigation teams (JITs) Eurojust plays a prominent role by supporting the establishment and operation of JITs and advising practitioners, as a centre of judicial and legal expertise 2016 statistics: 148 JITs supported by EJ: increase of 23% 69 newly established 8 involving Italy (following entry into force in March 2016 of the law implementing Council Framework Decision 2002/465/JHA) 14 involving third States 11 on IIS 90 JITs funded by EJ: increase of 32% 2017 statistics:

Eurojust support to JITs 30

Eurojust case cycle 8. Case closed at Eurojust ….

Conflicts of jurisdiction Guidelines for deciding ‘Which jurisdiction should prosecute?’ (revised in 2016) Identify factors to prevent and support the settling of conflicts of jurisdiction Guidelines available on Eurojust’s website 32

EAWs 2017 Total EAW cases: 364 Data confirmed by the National Desks on 12 January 2018

Liaison Prosecutors and third States 34

Bridge building

Eurojust cooperation with practitioner networks ENPE Envicrimenet IMPEL - and - National contact points for Environmental crime Secretariat of European Judicial Network (EJN) Secretariat of JITs Network 26/08/2019 Welcome to Eurojust

Effective cross-border cooperation Detection of the involvement of organised crime in the committed environmental crime Assistance and early involvement of Eurojust Advantages and possibilities of JITs 26/08/2019 Welcome to Eurojust

Eurojust’s new premises Moved to New Premises in July 2017 more meeting seats, video-link and better interpretation facilities

Questions? Renske Mackor Eurojust Contact Point for Environmental Crimes and Assistant to the National Member for the Netherlands rmackor@eurojust.europa.eu