EU justice policy: the way forward
This European Commission communication sets out the political priorities with respect to making further progress towards a common European area of justice based on trust, mobility and growth by 2020.
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: The EU justice agenda for 2020 – Strengthening trust, mobility and growth within the Union (COM(2014) 144 final of 11.3.2014).
KEY POINTS
European Union justice policy must ensure that individuals and businesses can benefit fully from a trusted and fully functioning common European area of justice.
This communication presents the Commission’s vision for the future of EU justice policy in the form of an EU justice agenda for 2020.
Trust, mobility, growth: three key challenges need to be addressed in order to create a common area of justice by 2020, as shown below.
Mutual trust: this is the bedrock on which EU justice policy should be built. Instruments such as the European Arrest Warrant or rules on conflict-of-laws issues between EU countries require a high level of mutual trust between national justice authorities. Citizens, legal practitioners and judges must also be able to fully trust judicial decisions taken by other EU countries.
Mobility: Europeans are increasingly taking advantage of the rights conferred on them by the EU treaties. There are currently nearly 14 million EU citizens residing in a EU country of which they are not nationals. However, they still face practical and legal problems when they travel, study, marry, form a family and buy and sell products and services in other EU countries. Justice policy should continue to remove obstacles to EU citizens exercising their right to move freely and live in any EU country.
Growth: EU justice policy should continue to support economic recovery and growth and continue to tackle unemployment. Structural reforms need to be pursued so as to ensure that justice systems are capable of delivering swift, reliable and trustworthy justice. Businesses and consumers need to be confident that they will be able to effectively enforce contracts and handle disputes in court, or where possible out of court, throughout the EU, within a reasonable amount of time.
EU justice agenda for 2020
The Commission proposes tackling these challenges by means of the following methods or a combination of these.
1 Consolidate the existing legal framework: this would ensure that effective remedies are respected and that EU fundamental rights are defended. Efforts are also needed to improve the use of e-justice and to train judges and legal practitioners.
2 Codify EU law and practice: this would ensure that EU law is clearer and more consistent for citizens and businesses.
3 Complement the existing legal framework: where appropriate, new initiatives that facilitate citizens’ lives and further contribute to economic growth should be envisaged.
More information can be found on the Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice website or the Commission’s Effective Justice Newsroom website.
Justice Programme (2014-2020)
This programme contributes to the further development of a European Union area of justice based on mutual recognition and mutual trust, by promoting judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters and helping train judges and other legal practitioners.
Regulation (EU) No 1382/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a Justice Programme for the period 2014 to 2020.
It establishes the Justice programme for the period 2014-2020. It replaces 3 funding programmes that expired in 2013 (Civil Justice Programme, Criminal Justice Programme and Drug Prevention and Information Programme).From 29 December 2013. The programme started on 1 January 2014.
KEY POINTS
The Justice Programme aims to ensure that EU law is fully and consistently applied. Its mission is to facilitate access to justice for people and businesses throughout the EU, particularly when they live, work, do business or even face trial in another EU country.
The 2014-2020 programme specifically promotes:
judicial cooperation in civil matters, including civil and commercial matters, insolvencies, family matters (such as divorce) and successions, etc.,
judicial cooperation in criminal matters such as financial crime (fraud, money laundering, corruption), cybercrime, environmental crime, terrorism, trafficking in human beings, sexual exploitation and child pornography, etc.,
judicial training, including language training on legal terminology, with a view to fostering a EU common legal and judicial culture,
effective access to justice in the EU, including rights of victims of crime and procedural rights in criminal proceedings,
drugs policy initiatives (judicial cooperation and crime prevention aspects).
EU added value:
All actions funded must provide added value at EU level.
Projects funded must:
contribute to the effective and consistent implementation of EU law instruments (such as the European Arrest Warrant) or policies,
improve knowledge and understanding of EU law and policies, both for citizens and for legal professionals,
promote cross-border cooperation and develop mutual trust among EU countries,
improve the efficiency of judicial systems and their cooperation by means of information and communication technology,
create practical tools and solutions to address cross-border judicial issues.
Actions funded:
training activities (staff exchanges, seminars, development of online training tools or training modules for members of the judiciary and judicial staff, etc.),
mutual learning, cooperation activities, exchange of best practices, peer reviews, development of information technology tools including the improvement of the EU e-Justice portal to improve citizens’ access to justice,
awareness-raising activities, information campaigns, conferences, etc.,
support for key players (key EU organisations and networks EU countries’ authorities implementing EU law, etc.),
analytical activities (studies, data collection, development of common methodologies, indicators, surveys, preparation of guides, etc.).
To ensure the implementation of the programme, an annual work programme is adopted by the Commission with an overview of the main areas of funding and the budget allowed per objective.
REFERENCES
Regulation (EU) No 1382/2013