Category: Digital Criminal Justice

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Posted on

Hungarian EU presidency to combat cybercrime

Source: Eurojust

Cybercrime is a rapidly evolving and growing area of criminal activity. Cybercriminals are exploiting the speed and anonymity of the internet to commit a range of criminal acts, including large-scale cyberattacks and the use of malware, phishing and spam. Many of the cases opened at Eurojust, 534 cases in 2023 alone, investigate cybercrime. The Hungarian presidency will focus on the fight against cybercrime, as it is a serious threat to fundamental rights, critical infrastructure and competitiveness. A key objective in this priority area will be ensuring a safe online environment for children.

To strengthen the security of the EU and its citizens, the presidency will focus on the fight against terrorism and organised crime. The Hungarian presidency will strengthen law enforcement and judicial cooperation in the prevention, detection and investigation of smuggling and trafficking of human beings. To combat drug trafficking, the presidency will promote the implementation of the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan and the EU Roadmap for combatting drug trafficking and organised crime.

In the field of criminal justice cooperation, the presidency will continue to prioritise victim support and the fight against corruption. In 2023, Eurojust helped deliver justice to more than 375 000 victims of all forms of serious, cross-border crime. Through a dedicated working group, Eurojust ensures that victim rights are protected in cross-border criminal proceedings.

To enhance digitalisation in judicial cooperation, the presidency will explore possibilities for the use of AI in the justice sector, following the adoption of the AI Act. Since December 2018, Eurojust has been actively working on enhancing digitalisation in Eurojust and the wider European judicial community. The Digital Criminal Justice Programme is working on several enhancements for judicial cooperation, such as the modernisation of the case management system used by national authorities for all of Eurojust’s cross-border cases.

To mark the start of the Hungarian presidency, fine art from a contemporary Hungarian artist will be displayed at Eurojust. This is part of the tradition whereby the country that holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU has the opportunity to display selected artwork in the lobby and on public floors.

Posted on

Eurojust and eu-LISA discuss closer cooperation to support digitalisation of justice across Europe

Source: Eurojust

Ms Agnès Diallo and Mr Ladislav Hamran

Eurojust and eu-LISA will strengthen their coordination as EU Agencies to support the digitalisation of judicial cooperation across the European Union. During a visit to The Hague by eu-LISA Executive Director Ms Agnès Diallo, the discussions focused on the advantages of closer cooperation in support of the Digital Criminal Justice initiative.

This cooperation could, for example, focus on ensuring the interoperability of EU-wide digital systems with those of national authorities, the implementation of the Joint Investigation Teams Collaboration Platform and the European Criminal Records Information System – Third Country Nationals (ECRIS-TCN), as well as the possible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of judicial cooperation.

Executive Director of eu-LISA Ms Agnès Diallo stated: Digitalisation of the EU’s justice system has the potential to bring immense value to professionals and users. eu-LISA shares this strong vision and is fully committed to working with all its partners and stakeholders to make it a success. This is what we are continuously building together with Eurojust, ultimately for the benefit of EU citizens.

Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran said: New technologies shape the future of our societies, and it is important for prosecutors and judges to keep in step. I therefore consider closer cooperation with eu-LISA vital for Eurojust’s work, and its support will be crucial in making tomorrow’s cross-border judicial cooperation across the European Union a reality.

In addition, the development by eu-LISA of a specific collaboration platform for joint investigation teams (JITs CP) will provide a secure and efficient tool for the exchange of information between the different cross-border teams, which together with the vital support provided by Eurojust, will concretely streamline their work.

Furthermore, in 2024, eu-LISA will be entrusted with the operational management and further development of e-Justice Communication via Online Data Exchange (e-CODEX), the flagship project of EU e-Justice, a technological innovation that today represents the ‘gold standard’ for secure and reliable cross-border digital communication and information exchange, and whose functionalities will grow over time to effectively support the mission of Eurojust and serve the justice community at large.

Specific attention in today’s meeting between Ms Diallo and Mr Hamran was further given to the broader support that eu-LISA, as the EU Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice can provide to Eurojust, the Digital Criminal Justice initiative and ECRIS-TCN.

In 2020, the European Commission asked Eurojust to roll out a state-of-the-art project, in order to create an EU-wide digital platform that would enable Eurojust and judicial authorities in the Member States to exchange critical information on criminal investigations rapidly and efficiently. As part of these efforts, Eurojust was asked to roll out a state-of-the-art digital infrastructure for the European judiciary.

Ms Diallo and Mr Hamran also discussed the Presidency of eu-LISA of the Justice and Home Affairs Agency Network (JHAAN) this year. The JHAAN Presidency rotates annually, and the chairing by eu-LISA will provide a further opportunity to strengthen collaboration with Eurojust.