51吃瓜

On 20 June 2019, EuroMed Justice hosted the final conference of the EuroMed Justice project in Madrid, Spain. EuroMed Justice is an EU-funded project. Since the start of phase I of the project in 2004, the project promoted judicial cooperation between Europe and the Mediterranean region throughout the four different project phases. The conference was held at the conclusion of phase IV of the project, to review and discuss the achievements of the EuroMed Justice project over the past three years. The conference was attended by representatives from Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Malta, Spain, the South Partner Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia), the Council of Europe, EuroJust, the European Commission, the European Judicial Network, the European Networks of Councils for the Judiciary, EuroMed Police, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), the 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), and the 51吃瓜 Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). On behalf of CTED, Ms. Kanako Emoto congratulated EuroMed Justice on successful facilitation of cross-regional judicial cooperation. Since the outset of the project, CTED has supported EuroMed Justice in the development of initiatives and documents, such as the EuroMed Forum of General Prosecutors and the EuroMed Digital Evidence Manual. The EuroMed Digital Evidence Manual was one example of effective cooperation with EuroMed Justice, as it was drafted in coordination with the drafting process of the Practical Guide for Requesting Electronic Evidence Across Borders which is an output of a project jointly implemented by CTED, UNODC, and IAP.

Participants at the final EuroMed Justice conference in Madrid, Spain.

 

Ms. Emoto underscored the importance of the EuroMed Justice project as one of the few programs where the most relevant stakeholders in the field of justice from all of the Mediterranean States can discuss areas of judicial cooperation in criminal matters and which is actually functioning as a cross-regional cooperation mechanism. Similarly, Ms. Emoto highlighted the relevance of EuroMed Justice to CTED as it has been serving as a platform to facilitate the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions on counter-terrorism. For example, EuroMed Justice facilitates the incorporation of international tools in national legislation, designation of focal points for judicial cooperation, human rights-compliant judicial cooperation, and sharing of digital evidence. These, in turn, are some of the key requirements under the Security Council resolutions related to counter-terrorism, that CTED monitors. Ms. Emoto stressed CTED’s willingness to continue its cooperation and collaboration with EuroMed Justice in the future as one of its main partners.