Eurojust
Encyclopedia
Eurojust is an agency of the
European Union
(EU) dealing with judicial co-operation in criminal matters.
It is composed of national prosecutor
s, magistrate
s or police officers of equivalent competence from each of the EU states. Its task is to enhance the effectiveness of the national authorities when they are dealing with the investigation and prosecution of cross-border and organised crime (when those investigations do not involve members of governments or political parties), as in the international child pornography
investigation Operation Delego
.
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 prosecutor
s 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.
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.
Agencies of the European Union
An agency of the European Union is a decentralised body of the European Union , which are distinct from the institutions. Agencies are established to accomplish specific tasks. Each agency has its own legal personality...
European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) dealing with judicial co-operation in criminal matters.
It is composed of national prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s, magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
s or police officers of equivalent competence from each of the EU states. Its task is to enhance the effectiveness of the national authorities when they are dealing with the investigation and prosecution of cross-border and organised crime (when those investigations do not involve members of governments or political parties), as in the international child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
investigation Operation Delego
Operation Delego
Operation Delego is a major international law enforcement investigation which dismantled an international pedophile ring that operated an invitation-only Internet site named Dreamboard which featured incentives for images of the violent sexual abuse of young children under twelve, including infants...
.
History
Eurojust was established as a result of a decision that the European CouncilEuropean Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
of Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
(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
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
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 prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s 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 CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
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
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
and prison records. In 2009, it was announced that the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
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
European Public Prosecutor
The European Public Prosecutor is a proposed post in the European Union that can be established under the Treaties as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon.-Treaty:...
's office, the creation of which is provided for under the Lisbon Treaty.
External links
- Official site
- E-Justice
- Goldirova, Renata. "Brussels seeks more powers for EU crime body". EUobserverEUobserverEUobserver.com is an independent online newspaper covering the politics of the European Union .It focuses on human rights, civil liberties, transparency, anti-corruption, digital rights, critical environmentalism and the democratisation of the European Union...
, 17 April 2007.