Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have endorsed an agreement that strengthens criminal justice cooperation between Eurojust and the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The European Parliament consented to this agreement with a significant majority, registering 619 votes in favour, nine against, and 45 abstentions.
Eurojust, the European Union agency responsible for facilitating cooperation in criminal justice matters, supports national authorities in their efforts to combat serious crimes such as terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and money laundering. The agency plays a crucial role in coordinating and supporting cross-border operations.
The agreement delineates the terms of cooperation between Eurojust and the Bosnian authorities, allowing for the secure and confidential exchange of classified information. It encompasses data protection and security provisions, including principles related to proportionality, storage, and retention of data, as well as data subjects’ rights to access and rectify their information and guidelines for handling sensitive data.
To further enhance operational collaboration, this agreement enables Bosnia and Herzegovina to assign a liaison prosecutor to Eurojust, while Eurojust may designate a liaison magistrate to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moreover, Eurojust is authorised to assist in establishing joint investigation teams involving the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU member states.
The Council of the European Union will now proceed with adopting this agreement. A subsequent working arrangement will elaborate on the specifics of Eurojust’s cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
