Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union at Eurojust

On the occasion of the first Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Eurojust, the EU's Judicial Cooperation Unit, hosted an event bringing together high-ranking Romanian officials and Eurojust representatives. The event was organised at Eurojust's premises in The Hague in cooperation with the Romanian Embassy in The Hague and the Romanian National Desk at Eurojust.

A special focus of the event was EU security, one of the Romanian Presidency's key priorities. The Presidency's objective in this area is to promote mutual trust and common strategies among EU institutions, Member States, and third States to deal with new security threats. To further secure the EU's external borders, the Presidency will work to improve transnational judicial cooperation to tackle important issues such as migrant smuggling, and to step up the fight against terrorism and organised crime.

By ensuring easier access to e-evidence and speeding up the implementation of the 2019-2023 Strategy on European e-Justice, the Romanian Presidency is working to ensure that the interests of citizens, companies and institutions in cyberspace and the real world are better protected. The Presidency is also focusing on strengthening the capacity of Justice and Home Affairs agencies to adapt more rapidly to digital developments, and increasing the interoperability of EU security systems.

The Romanian Presidency organised the cultural part of the event, which consisted of a jazz concert and an exhibition of contemporary painting, presenting Romanian talent at its best. The participants indulged in traditional culinary delicacies prepared by the Romanian National Desk.

The internationally acclaimed Romanian clarinettist, teacher, and composer, Alex Simu, performed with his trio, including the guitarist, violist, and violinist George Dumitriu and singer Tereza Catarov. In 2016, Alex Simu was awarded the Golden Calf by the Netherlands Film Academy for his music in the film Beyond Sleep.

The Romanian painter and art professor, Ioan Sbârciu, presented his contemporary art exhibition, Transylvanian Lights, which will be on display at Eurojust's premises for the duration of the Romanian Presidency (1 January to 30 June 2019). The exhibition is curated by Maria Rus Bojan, member of the International Association of Art Critics and, since 2005, an international member of the International Association of Art Critics Nederland.

Prof. Ioan Sbârciu is one of the most respected painters worldwide, and his name is linked to the new wave of the Cluj Painting School, which blazed the trail for many young artists. Mr Sbârciu generously donated one of his paintings to Eurojust, a gesture that was warmly welcomed by Eurojust's President, Ladislav Hamran.

Mr Hamran remarked: 'Eurojust is delighted to host this event to celebrate our common cultural background and European values. I also see this as an excellent opportunity to confirm Eurojust's support for the Romanian Presidency. I am convinced that by working together, we can create a safer Europe and make a real difference in the lives of our citizens.'

Photos © Eurojust