Eurojust at NADAL conference: EU judicial cooperation requires appropriate funding

Eurojust Vice President Klaus Meyer-Cabri underlined the importance of a rapid introduction of an EU wide Digital Justice infrastructure, at the NADAL network meeting of Public Prosecutors of the Supreme Judicial Courts of EU Member States in Tallinn today. Digital Justice would prevent bottlenecks in cross-border criminal cases, ensuring a fast and secure exchange of information between public prosecutors and Eurojust and other EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies.

Mr Meyer-Cabri pointed out that national systems are not designed to exchange information with colleagues abroad or with Eurojust; however, this exchange is essential with cross-border crime on the rise. The increase of cross-border crime is illustrated by the continuously high workload of Eurojust, with 19 % more cases being referred to the EU's Judicial Cooperation Unit in 2018.

Currently, there is no interoperable judicial system to make quick matches between criminal cases, and the introduction and transmission of information is done manually, with long and cumbersome procedures. An excellent example of the need for a more integrated Digital Justice approach by public prosecutors is the creation of the European Judicial Counter-Terrorism Register at Eurojust.

Vice President Meyer-Cabri stressed the importance of having an adequate budget for Eurojust, as this is not provided for in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, while other law enforcement agencies are considerably strengthened. This carries the risk of an incomplete judicial follow-up and could weaken the EU security chain.

Photo © Eurojust. Left to right: Ms Lavly Perling, Prosecutor General of Estonia and Chair of Nadal meeting; Mr Klaus Meyer-Cabri, Vice-President of Eurojust; and Mr ?Raivo Aeg, Minister of Justice of Estonia