Brussels, 13 August 2025
On Thursday, the European Commission launched an open public consultation to gather feedback for its new EU Strategy on victims’ rights. To further strengthen victims’ rights, the Commission is inviting contributions from victims of crime, citizens as well as all relevant actors in the field, including victims’ rights experts and support services, law enforcement authorities, judicial bodies, civil society organisations, and academia.
In June this year, the EU adopted a revised Victims’ Rights Directive, which provides stronger protection and support for victims of crime, and makes it easier for them to access justice. The new Strategy will support the implementation of the revised Directive and build on the achievements of the previous Strategy on victims’ rights. This includes the creation of the Victims’ Rights Platform, a forum gathering all relevant actors working on victims’ rights, and the ‘Keep your Eyes Open‘ campaign.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, said: “Crime is a trauma for millions of victims every year. They require full support and protection from public authorities. In the digital realm, cybercrimes operate on a large-scale across borders and can affect multiple victims simultaneously. We need everyone’s input to ensure that we increase the support to all victims of crime across the EU.”
Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, said: “No one expects to become the victim of a crime. That is why we, as public authorities, have a responsibility to ensure victims are protected and supported when they need it most. With the revised Victims’ Rights Directive, we have strengthened Europe’s rules. Now, we must ensure that those rights are a reality across the EU. That is what the new Strategy will deliver. We invite everyone to contribute because crime can affect anyone, and defending the rights of victims is a matter for all.”
The public consultation will run for 12 weeks. More information is available online.
Source information – EU Commission