Bijeenkomst voor juridische samenwerking met het Oostelijk Partnerschap wordt gehouden in Vilnius (en)

The Ministry of Justice in cooperation with the Prosecutor General’s Office and the European Judicial Network in criminal matters is organising the 41st plenary meeting of the European Judicial Network during which the issues concerning legal cooperation in criminal matters with third coutries will be dealt with on 19-21 November in Vilnius.

One of the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency is closer integration between the Eastern Partnership countries and the European Union (EU); therefore, it is planned that the major issues of the agenda of the meeting will include consideration of legal cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries. During the meeting it is intended to discuss extradition, transfer of proceedings in criminal matters and other important measures of legal cooperation in criminal matters.

“Crimes are of cross-border nature; thus, efficient legal cooperation in criminal matters becomes more and more important in combatting crime not only in the European Union, but also beyond its borders. Exchange of experience of cooperation with third countries will contribute to better solution of the problems arising in cooperation practices and allow defining the guidelines for future actions towards more efficient mutual relationship”, emphasizes the Minister of Justice Juozas Bernatonis.

The plenary meetings organised in Member States once per half a year create a unique possibility for the contact persons of the European Judicial Network to directly exchange relevant experience.

The issues concerning activities of the European Judicial Network, prospects of cooperation between the European Judicial Network and other judicial networks and liaison among such networks will be considered during the general part of the plenary meeting. The experience of legal cooperation in criminal matters between Lithuania and third countries, the EU legal cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries will be discussed, the proposal for the reform of Eurojust will be considered.

Experience in the most frequent practical cases in cooperation with the Eastern Partnership and other third countries in the matters concerning extradition and transfer of criminal proceedings as well as dealing with such cases will be exchanged in work groups during the other part of the meeting. Furthermore, attempts will be made to find out how it would be possible to reinforce cooperation in criminal cases and increase efficiency thereof, how the European Judicial Network could contribute to facilitate cooperation with third countries.

The plenary meeting will be opened by the Vice-Minister of Justice Giedrius Mozūraitis and the Prosecutor General Darius Valys. More than 100 participants, representatives from the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the EU Member States, the Eastern Partnership countries, other judicial networks and institutions are expected in the event.

This meeting is one the events of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union organised by the Ministry of Justice.