Llop advocates creating an instrument in the EU to share criminal data in the fight against organized crime

It ensures that this tool "would fill a current gap" in the field of European cooperation

MADRID, 27 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Minister of Justice, Pilar Llop, has assured that it would be "extremely useful" to create a European instrument on the transfer of criminal proceedings "especially in the context of organized crime", because, in her opinion, "it would fill a current gap" in the field of European cooperation.

This was stated in the informal Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) of the European Union (EU), which took place on the 26th and 27th in Stockholm, Sweden, a country that has held the presidency of the Union since last January 1st.

Llop has considered that the tool "should clearly define its content, the specific procedure, provide for mandatory consultations, for example, between the different judicial authorities, establish the obligation to take charge of the procedure when there are taxed reasons for transmission, unless grounds are applicable of rejection, which should, logically, be appraised".

On the sidelines, the Minister of Justice highlighted the role of Eurojust in supporting and reinforcing the coordination of investigations and judicial proceedings of the national authorities in matters of serious cross-border crime.

As specified by the Ministry in a press release, Llop has stressed that Eurojust "works hard and very well", while stressing, however, the need for this body to have resources.

"We support providing them with these resources and above all taking advantage of talent, technology and digitization," said the Minister of Justice.

"It is very important to make it clear that we cannot give up digitization, technology, because otherwise we would be giving up our future in the field of judicial cooperation, and even more so in this type of horrendous crime," Llop concluded.

As reported by the Ministry, the Director General of International Legal Cooperation and Human Rights, Elsa García-Maltrás, has also attended the JHA Council.

From Justice they have also communicated that Llop has also held a meeting with the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, in which the president of the Commission on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament (LIBE) has also participated. , Juan Fernando López Aguilar, and in which they have spoken about the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) and about the next European presidency by Spain.

Likewise, the minister has had a trilateral meeting with the ministers of Justice of Belgium, Vincent Van Quickenborne, and Hungary, Judit Varga, countries that make up the Trio of presidencies of the Council of the EU, which Spain begins in the second half of 2023.

Lastly, Llop met with his Portuguese counterpart, Catarina Sarmento e Castro, and the Greek Vice-Minister for International Cooperation and Human Rights, Giorgos Kotsiras.