The European Union (EU) has expressed its commitment to ensuring consistency and coherence of its external and internal policies in the fight against impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (‘core international crimes’).1 Within its Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) policy, the EU seeks to support national authorities in the Member States in their investigation and prosecution of these crimes to ensure that the EU does not become a safe haven for perpetrators.2

As part of this commitment, in 2002, the Council of the EU (the ‘Council’) adopted Council Decision 2002/494/JHA on the establishment of a ‘European Network of contact points in respect of persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes’ (the ‘Genocide Network’ or the ‘Network’). The Genocide Network meets twice per year and brings together prosecutors, police investigators and other experts (‘contact points’) from all Member States. In 2003, the Council adopted Council Decision 2003/335/JHA, designed to increase cooperation between police and prosecution services, thereby maximising the ability of criminal justice authorities in different Member States to cooperate effectively in the investigation and prosecution of alleged perpetrators of core international crimes. The Network fosters the implementation of this Decision by facilitating the exchange of information amongst practitioners, encouraging cooperation between national authorities in different Member States and providing a forum for sharing best practice. Since 2011, the Genocide Network is supported in its work through the Secretariat based in The Hague with Eurojust.