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Eurojust minimises the risks associated with the cross-border dimension of cases by ensuring timely and efficient coordination between the various countries and actors involved. This approach guarantees the respect of victims’ rights beyond national boundaries.

Eurojust is ideally placed to map and report on best practices to overcome the challenges stemming from the cross-border nature of the cases referred to Eurojust. Specifically, Eurojust can:

• clarify the definition and identification of victims (particularly when there are many victims and/or large-scale terrorist attacks);
• ascertain the procedural status of victims (i.e. the status of  victims versus witnesses);
• draw practitioners’ attention on the need to anticipate and mitigate the risk of secondary victimisation;
• facilitate the consideration given to victims’ interests when addressing jurisdiction issues; and
• propose concrete solutions to overcome the difficulties related to ensuring victims’ remediation and compensation.

Eurojust has gained broad experience over the years in victims’ rights issues. The Agency’s work demonstrates the value of including the victims’ rights perspective when designing investigation and prosecution strategies to tackle cross-border crime. Eurojust is committed to supporting these efforts by incorporating the victims’ rights dimension more systematically into the support it provides to practitioners.

Eurojust is a member of the EU Victims’ Rights Platform, consisting of representatives of European Justice and Home Affairs agencies, networks, bodies and civil society organisations working on implementing the EU Strategy on Victims’ Rights. The Agency supports Member States and EU institutions including the European Commission Coordinator for victims’ rights on the revision of EU legislation, such as the Directive on Victims’ Rights.

Together with other EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies, Eurojust contributes to dedicated publications in the area, such as the Joint Report on the identification and protection of victims of human trafficking. The Report is the first full overview of successful actions to detect and protect victims of human trafficking.

Legal instruments

The Victims' Rights Directive establishes minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime and ensures that persons who have fallen victim to crime are recognised and treated with respect. They must also receive proper protection, support and access to justice.

The EU has adopted specific rules for certain groups of victims. These rules build on the Victims' Rights Directive but respond more directly to the specific needs of some victims. The EU legislation exists to provide protection and support for:

• victims of human trafficking;
• child victims of sexual exploitation and child pornography; and
• victims of terrorism.

The EU has put in place legislation that facilitates access to compensation in situations where the crime was committed in an EU country other than the victim's country of residence.

Main policy documents

The European Commission adopted its first-ever EU strategy on victims' rights (2020-2025) on 24 June 2020. The main objective of this strategy is to ensure that all victims of crime, no matter where the crime took place in the EU or under what circumstances, can fully exercise their rights. To that end, it outlines actions that will be conducted by the European Commission, Member States and civil society.

Press releases