5.1 Cooperation with EU agencies

Operational cooperation with the main actors in the security chain is vital to ensuring justice gets done. Throughout 2023, Eurojust continued to cooperate closely with the European Justice and Home Affairs agencies, contributing judicial expertise in the common fight against cross-border crime. During 2023, the Agency handled a significant number of cross-border cases with Europol and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), as well as two cases with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

Europol

During 2023, Eurojust continued its strong partnership with Europol in both operational and strategic areas.

In terms of operational cooperation, the agencies worked closely together on 42 cross-border cases in 2023, with Europol joining Eurojust in 96 coordination meetings as well as 8 coordination centres. Europol also participated in 14 joint investigations supported by Eurojust, including the joint investigation team into alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine, which Europol joined as a participant in October 2023 (see section 2.1).

On 1 May 2023, the two agencies launched a pilot project for the systematic and structural exchange of data on a hit/no hit basis for link detection purposes. This joint undertaking aims to implement a first solution for the hit/no hit data exchange set out in the agencies’ respective founding regulations. The new process supports the cross-checking of information and the linking of ongoing investigations, thus providing further opportunities for cooperation. The follow-up on hits identified may include the establishment of contacts, sharing of further information and/or joint operational action. The pilot project will be reviewed in the first half of 2024 to evaluate the business processes, data retention periods, operational results and the impact on the respective agencies.

During 2023, the agencies participated in several meetings together to enhance strategic cooperation. A high-level meeting took place in June 2023 addressing topics such as the preparation of a proposal for a Core International Crimes Joint Platform between the agencies and the need to remind Member States working within EMPACT of the importance of early involvement of the judiciary. The annual Eurojust-Europol Steering Committee meeting took place in November 2023. The agenda included discussions on the cooperation of the agencies’ in joint investigation teams, the future of the SIRIUS project (co-implemented by Eurojust and Europol, see section 3.7), and the state of play of the hit/no hit pilot project.

Also in November 2023, both agencies made presentations at the Eurojust Inter-parliamentary Committee Meeting, which included a dedicated session on the agencies’ cooperation. Using examples of joint cases and activities, Eurojust demonstrated to members of the European Parliament and national parliaments that the close cooperation between the agencies is a prerequisite for success in the fight against cross-border organised crime and terrorism.

In 2023, Eurojust and Europol carried out parallel assessments of the practical implementation of the Eurojust-Europol Cooperation Agreement, also taking into consideration the two agencies’ revised mandates. The outcome of this exercise will be discussed at the joint meeting of the College of Eurojust and the Management Board of Europol in October 2024. An informal working group has been set up and meets regularly to identify business needs and opportunities to enhance cooperation in the years to come.

Eurojust also participated in the annual event of the EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security in October 2023, hosted by Europol, aimed at providing the latest innovation updates and effective solutions to support the work of internal security actors across the EU.

To improve operational cooperation, Eurojust colleagues participated in an exchange visit to Europol in June 2023, aimed at raising awareness among post holders of the agencies’ working methods and enhancing the dialogue between specialists in the same field.

EPPO

Fifteen new cases were opened at Eurojust in 2023 to support the EPPO in its investigations involving non-participating Member States and third countries, mostly concerning large-scale organised VAT fraud involving several countries. During 2023, the EPPO was involved in 26 Eurojust cases and participated in six coordination meetings organised at the Agency. In one of these cases, Eurojust also supported the EPPO in setting up a joint investigation team (JIT).

In early 2023, the workflows for the opening and handling of Eurojust cases involving the EPPO were adopted by the Colleges of both agencies.

The EPPO participated in the Eurojust-led EMPACT Operational Action on Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) fraud, which focuses on MTIC fraud involving intangible goods and services. Moreover, in March 2023, the EPPO also contributed to the US-EU expert group on obtaining evidence via mutual legal assistance (MLA) from the United States, as well as the EU-UK meeting on MLA cooperation with the United Kingdom in October 2023, both organised by Eurojust.

The Eurojust-EPPO Liaison Team’s third meeting took place in December 2023. Issues discussed included the next steps for the implementation of the hit/no hit system, the joint evaluation of the agencies’ working arrangement and Eurojust’s support to JITs involving the EPPO.

Progress was also made during 2023 on the implementation of the hit/no hit data exchange system between the two agencies, in order to enhance the detection of links between cases, which will start in 2024.

OLAF

During 2023, OLAF continued to be a key partner in Eurojust’s operational work, in line with the Working Arrangement signed by the two agencies in March 2023 to step up cooperation.

Eurojust worked with OLAF on two cases in 2023, including one on agro-pharmaceuticals, for which a coordination meeting was organised in September 2023.

During the year, OLAF participated in the activities of the EMPACT Operational Action on MTIC fraud, led by Eurojust. At the strategic level, a high-level meeting between the two agencies focused on the implementation of the Eurojust-OLAF Action Plan 2022-2023 to fight crimes affecting the European Union’s financial interests, and an exchange of views on the agencies’ joint cases.

The Eurojust-OLAF Liaison Team met regularly in 2023 to discuss cooperation and operational matters, including the agencies’ joint training workshop, which took place in January 2024 with a focus on JITs and environmental crime.

Cooperation with training partners

Throughout 2023, Eurojust continued to support the training activities of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL), the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) and the Academy of European Law (ERA), in line with its mandate and Memoranda of Understanding. Eurojust supported 9 ERA, 13 EJTN and 16 CEPOL training activities (12 of which were co-organised with the EJTN). Eurojust’s input to the training activities focused on the Agency’s expertise on judicial cooperation instruments.

Eurojust also contributed to CEPOL’s capacity-building projects, in particular the Western Balkans Partnership against Crime and Terrorism Project (WB PaCT) and the CT INFLOW project.

In 2023, Eurojust and the EJTN celebrated 15 years of cooperation. On this occasion, the new Secretary-General of the EJTN visited Eurojust in February 2023 to discuss past joint achievements and projects for the future. The agencies’ partnership includes study visits and training activities in which Eurojust delegates expert speakers.

In 2023, Eurojust experts participated in 13 EJTN trainings, including some practical case-based simulations on international fraud, counter-terrorism and human trafficking. A study visit was organised in June 2023, involving 30 participants from national judicial authorities, dedicated to participants’ chosen topics of interest: cybercrime, anti-trafficking and asset recovery/financial investigations, money laundering and economic crimes.

Moreover, in 2023, Eurojust hosted 23 EJTN trainees from 16 EU Member States for training periods of 3 or 4 months (for a total of 77 months). The trainees worked with their respective National Desks at Eurojust on cross-border cases and attended coordination meetings and coordination centres. Thanks to this unique opportunity, they acquired an in-depth insight into European criminal justice cooperation and supported their colleagues from other EU Member States.

Justice and Home Affairs Agencies Network (JHAAN)

In 2023, the activities of the JHAAN focused on five thematic priorities: digitalisation, the European Green Deal, information provision in mixed migration situations, cybersecurity, and the communication and promotion of the Network.

In July 2023, the JHAAN published a Report on the survey of JHA Agencies’ environmental and greening activities. The survey results show that JHA agencies are strongly committed to stepping up their environmental and greening activities, at a time when environmental protection and sustainability are high on the EU agenda. The report proposes recommendations for discussion and implementation by future JHAAN presidencies.

Read brochure

Under the JHAAN communication and promotion priority, an updated JHAAN brochure and a new JHAAN promotional video were produced in 2023 to raise awareness about the Network and the individual agencies, both internally and externally. An online open market event also took place in September 2023, targeting all JHA Agencies staff as well as colleagues from other EU institutions.

In March 2023, an updated Joint paper on JHA Agencies’ contribution to EU solidarity with Ukraine was published, covering the period February 2022-February 2023. The paper describes the actions taken by the nine EU agencies cooperating within the JHAAN, which form an integral part of the EU’s coordinated response to the war in Ukraine.

In November 2023, the nine JHA agencies, the Network’s observers, the incoming Belgian Presidency of the Council, and the representative of the EU Agencies Network, gathered at the European Union Agency for Asylum’s headquarters in Malta for the Heads of JHA Agencies meeting. Participants discussed recent and upcoming developments in the Justice and Home Affairs field, including the Belgian Presidency’s priorities to step up the fight against drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, and organised crime. The agencies took stock of the achievements accomplished with regard to the JHAAN’s five thematic priorities in 2023, and focused on their upcoming objectives. Eurojust’s digitalisation initiatives to modernise cross-border judicial cooperation were one of the priorities presented at the meeting.