Eurojust

Eurojust
Seat	The Hague, Netherlands
Signed	February 28, 2002
Established	2002
Website	eurojust.europa.eu

Eurojust (also spelled capitalised as EUROJUST) is an agency of the European Union (EU) dealing with judicial co-operation in criminal matters. The seat of Eurojust is in The Hague.

Its task is to stimulate and improve the co-ordination of investigations and prosecutions among the competent judicial authorities of the EU Member States when they deal with serious cross-border and organised crime. Based on the decision of the 1999 Tampere European Council, Eurojust was set up in 2002 by the Council of the European Union. The original Eurojust decision was amended in 2003 and went through a significant revision in 2009.

Eurojust is composed of 27 National Members, one from each EU Member State. The National Members are senior and experienced judges, prosecutors, or police officers of equivalent competence, who are seconded in accordance with their respective legal systems and hold permanent seats in The Hague. Some National Members are supported by Deputies, Assistants or Seconded National Experts.

The 27 National Members together form the College of Eurojust. Eurojust can act as a College, through the National Members, or through national authorities in accordance with the powers granted to each National Member by their own state. In addition to national authorities of the Member States, Eurojust also co-operates with third states, and other EU bodies, such as the European Judicial Network, Europol, and OLAF.

The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union foresees that in order to combat crimes affecting the financial interests of the Union, the Council may establish a European Public Prosecutor’s Office from Eurojust.

History

Eurojust was established as a result of a decision that the European Council of Tampere (15–16 October 1999) made a decision to establish a permanent judicial co-operation unit called Eurojust in order to improve the fight against serious crime.

On 14 December 2000, the Council of the European Union formally established a provisional judicial co-operation Unit with the name of Pro-Eurojust to be Eurojust's forerunner. Its purpose was to be a sort of round table of prosecutors from all member states to enable concepts of Eurojust to be tried and tested. Pro-Eurojust started work on 1 March 2001 and Eurojust itself was established in 2002.

Future

In 2007 the European Commission proposed legislation for increasing the powers of Eurojust. The proposals include the harmonisation of the powers held by the national representatives, which currently vary, with a minimum set of powers and a minimum three year long renewable term to increase continuity. Members would also have automatic access to national databases, terrorist cases, and criminal, DNA and prison records. In 2009, it was announced that the Vatican might join Eurojust.

This is to ensure states co-operate with Eurojust and to deal with the increasing number of cases under its remit: cross border crime saw a 29% increase between 2006 and 2007. Eurojust is seen as the future of any future European Public Prosecutor's office, the creation of which is provided for under the Lisbon Treaty.

See also

• Area of freedom, security and justice

External links

• Official site
• E-Justice
• Goldirova, Renata. "Brussels seeks more powers for EU crime body". EUobserver, 17 April 2007.