Brussels, 10 October 2022
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New collaboration platform to remove obstacles to information-sharing across borders
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EP wants to make sure international criminal courts, European Public Prosecutor’s Office can also participate
To facilitate the work of joint teams where prosecutors, police and investigative judges from EU member states work together, MEPs approved a new secure collaboration platform.
On Monday, the Civil Liberties Committee approved a report on setting up a collaboration platform to support Joint Investigation Teams (JITs), cross-border teams that allow cooperation between the judicial and law enforcement authorities of several EU member states. Currently, JIT cooperation faces obstacles in electronic communication and secure information exchange between members and other EU bodies (for example, Eurojust, Europol and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)). To resolve these issues, the new legislative proposal foresees a collaboration platform for easy and secure sharing of information and files.
The report was approved with 56 votes in favour, none against, and none abstaining. Also, MEPs approved starting interinstitutional negotiations based on the report with 52 votes in favour, none against, and none abstaining.
At this stage of the procedure, MEPs reviewed the proposals and introduced some adjustments. They wanted to make sure that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and international courts and tribunals, notably the International Criminal Court (ICC), can also participate in JITs. Also, they ensured that the data protection provisions are consistent with proposals of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), and sought to bring forward the activation date of the new platform by one year (to 2025 at the latest).
Quote
Rapporteur Malik Azmani (NL, Renew) said: « With this collaboration platform in place, cooperation between the parties of the current Joint Investigation Teams on the war crimes committed in Ukraine would have been much easier facilitated. Instead of prosecutors and police officers sending each other USB-sticks or e-mails with evidence, we need a safe, swift and secure platform for exchanging information in cross-border investigations, sooner rather than later! »
Next steps
The decision to start interinstitutional negotiations will be announced at the second European Parliament plenary in October, where members reaching the medium threshold can request a vote on it in the same plenary. If there is no objection or the report is approved in a vote, it will then form the Parliament’s mandate in negotiations with the Council.
Further information
Renew Europe: Platform for cross-border investigations set to advance prosecution of Ukraine war crimes
January 10, 2022
Today the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) adopted a report, drafted by Renew Europe’s First Vice-President Malik Azmani, on the establishment of a cooperation platform to provide technical support to the parties involved in Joint Investigation Teams (JITs).
JITs bring together prosecutors, police and judges from different countries to coordinate cross-border investigations and swiftly conclude prosecutions. A secure and safe electronic collaboration platform to exchange information in cross-border investigations will significantly speed up the work of the investigation teams.
Rapporteur Malik Azmani (VVD, Netherlands) emphasises “The first time participation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the JIT investigating war crimes in Ukraine shows that international coordination and information exchange for the gravest of crimes will become increasingly important.”
Renew Europe wants to enable the ICC to use the JIT collaboration platform to exchange information and evidence on war crimes in Ukraine.
He continues: “If we already had the collaboration platform in place, we could have more easily facilitated the cooperation between the involved parties of the Joint Investigation Teams on the war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Instead of having prosecutors and police officers sending each other USB-sticks or e-mails containing evidence, we need a safe, swift and secure platform for exchanging information in cross-border investigations. And it should be up and running sooner rather than later. Renew Europe pushed to speed up the start of the operations of the JITs collaboration platform with one year: instead of 2026 to the 1st January 2025.”
Source Renew Europe (via email)