Strategy on cooperation with international partners

Eurojust is a hub for judicial cooperation, delivering hands-on support to prosecutors and judges working together in the fight against cross-border crime. Relying on its unique expertise, partnerships and modern digital tools, Eurojust ensures that national borders are no obstacle to prosecuting crime and that justice is served.

To this end, Eurojust is engaging with competent authorities of countries outside the European Union and with international organisations to foster closer cooperation, in order to more effectively combat serious and organised crime that threatens the Union. Mindful of the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, the Agency builds strong ties with countries and organisations that share the EU’s desire for a more secure world in which equality, rule of law and human rights are respected.

Under Article 52 of the Eurojust Regulation, every four years Eurojust prepares, in consultation with the European Commission, a cooperation strategy that specifies the third countries and international organisations with which there is an operational need for cooperation.

Strategy on Cooperation 2024–2027
Strategy on Cooperation 2020-2023

Strategy on Cooperation 2024–2027

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The Eurojust Strategy on Cooperation with International Partners 2024–2027 was adopted by the College in March 2024. It builds on Eurojust’s previous cooperation strategy and highlights the steps that the Agency intends to take to strengthen its role as a gateway for cross-border cooperation between authorities investigating and prosecuting serious crime in and outside the European Union.

The Eurojust Strategy on Cooperation with International Partners 2024–2027 establishes six priorities:

Intensify efforts to enable the conclusion of international agreements
Formalise, where possible, cooperation with relevant non-EU countries
Reinforce the global network of Eurojust contact points
Increase engagement with regional judicial networks and associations
Seek opportunities for closer cooperation and joint actions with like-minded international organisations
Build mutual trust with partner countries and provide support to strengthen their capacities

Strategy on Cooperation 2020-2023

In November 2019 the College adopted the first strategy on cooperation with international partners, for 2020-2023. The strategy includes a list of third countries and international organisations that was developed using the following four criteria:

Eurojust’s earlier priorities in relation to third countries;
Eurojust’s casework involving third countries;
Eurojust’s operational needs identified by national authorities;
Ongoing negotiations for international agreements on cooperation with Europol.

The strategy outlined the third countries with which there is a pressing need for operational cooperation, namely Algeria, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.

Eurojust also identified the following international organisations for possible operational cooperation: the ICC; the ICPO-Interpol; the Iber-RED; the Office of the Prosecutor of the IIIM regarding crimes committed in Syria; the UNITAD; and Ameripol, once it acquires legal personality.

Based on this list, the Commission submitted to the Council of the EU its Recommendation for a Decision authorising the opening of negotiations for agreements on cooperation with Eurojust between the European Union and ten third States, namely: Algeria, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey. Following this Recommendation, on 1 March 2021 the Council adopted its Decision authorising the opening of negotiations with the States recommended by the Commission, to which it added three more, namely Argentina, Brazil and Colombia.