Brussels, 7 June 2022
Justice (9 June 2022)
Judicial cooperation
Ministers will aim to reach a general approach on two proposals to modernise judicial cooperation. The draft text on digital information exchange in terrorism cases will allow Eurojust to take a stronger and more proactive role to support coordination and cooperation between national investigating and prosecuting authorities for terrorist offences. The proposal to establish a collaboration platform for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) will make it easier for members of these teams to share information and evidence and to communicate safely, improving the management of joint operations.
Ministers will take stock of progress in the ongoing negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament regarding the e-evidence proposals. These proposals aim to speed up access to electronic evidence by creating a legal framework for judicial orders addressed directly to a service provider or to its legal representative in another member state.
Fight against impunity in Ukraine
Ministers will exchange views on fighting impunity in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. They will focus in particular on the EU’s continued support in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes. They will also discuss the effective implementation of EU restrictive measures against Russia over Ukraine.
Environmental crime
Ministers will seek to agree a partial general approach on the draft environmental crime directive. They will also discuss how to move forward on the remaining open elements.
This proposal will replace the existing legislation with a more ambitious text, defining new environmental criminal offences, providing more details on sanctions and introducing measures to assist persons who report offences.
Fundamental rights
Justice ministers will aim to approve Council conclusions on the rights of the child. This follows the presentation by the Commission, on 24 March 2021, of an EU strategy on the rights of the child, which proposes concrete actions to protect, promote and fulfil children’s rights.
Ministers will be updated on the state of play on the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The presidency will report on progress made in the negotiations in the Council of Europe and the preparations within the competent Council bodies.
Over lunch ministers will exchange views on data protection in the context of international data transfers.
Home Affairs (10 June 2022)
Schengen area
Ministers will be invited to adopt a general approach on the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. This proposal builds on the lessons learnt from recent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the instrumentalisation of migrants. It seeks to provide member states with the necessary tools to respond to new challenges when managing the Schengen external border, as well as the internal borders within the Schengen area.
Ministers will also discuss the situation of the Schengen area, on the basis of a report to be presented by the European Commission.
Over lunch ministers will focus on the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). They will discuss the governance of the agency and their expectations regarding the implementation of its mandate.
Response to the situation in Ukraine
Ministers will take stock of the implementation of the 10 point plan for stronger European coordination on welcoming people fleeing the war from Ukraine. They will focus in particular on the setting up of the EU platform for registration and the cooperation with Moldova. They will also discuss possible challenges related to human trafficking and trafficking of firearms.
Police cooperation
Ministers will be invited to agree general approaches on two legislative proposals to improve law enforcement cooperation. The draft directive on information exchange will ensure equivalent access for law enforcement authorities to information available in other member states and avoid the proliferation of communication channels used for information exchange, while reinforcing the role of Europol. The Prum II draft regulation will modernise the technical infrastructure supporting the Prum exchanges and broaden these exchanges to other data categories such as facial images.
Asylum and migration
The Presidency will report on the state of play of ongoing work as part of the gradual, step-by-step approach. At the informal ministerial meeting which took place in Lille on 3 February, ministers gave broad support to the proposal for a gradual approach to make headway on the complex asylum and migration negotiations. On this basis, work has continued on a first step, which aims for equivalent advances in the areas of external border protection, solidarity and responsibility.
Meeting information
- Meeting n°387
- Luxembourg
- Start: 9 June 2022, 09:30
Preparatory documents
Find more information in the background briefing below ->
Source – EU Council