Joint investigation teams

Eurojust supports the use of JITs during the entire life cycle of a cross-border investigation:

1. Planning

The decision to set up a JIT often takes shape at Eurojust. Once parallel or linked investigations have been identified by the National Desks at Eurojust, and the case has been registered, Eurojust may organise a coordination meeting between the involved States. During the meeting, Eurojust helps authorities assess the suitability of the case for the purpose of establishing a JIT. The setting up of JITs can also be agreed upon without, or prior to, a coordination meeting.

2. Setting up the JIT

Next, Eurojust supports the national authorities in setting up the team, by assisting in the drafting of JIT agreements and helping the partners navigate differences in procedural laws and reach agreement on key areas of cooperation and working methods. In establishing a JIT, practitioners are able to make use of supporting tools, jointly developed by the JITs Network, Eurojust and Europol.

3. The operational phase

Throughout the operational phase of a JIT, Eurojust works with the JIT partners to ensure the smooth running of joint investigations, providing legal and practical support. In particular, Eurojust helps to identify and resolve issues, coordinate investigative and prosecutorial strategies between the partners, and enable the coordination of joint operations. For example, by organising and hosting coordination meetings and setting up coordination centres.

4. Evaluation

Following the closure/expiry of a JIT, those involved perform an evaluation of its performance, in particular for JITs which received financial support from Eurojust. The feedback provided is important in improving the use and functioning of JITs and for establishing best practice for future use of the tool. The JITs Network has developed a JIT evaluation form for this purpose, as well as guidance and support to carry out the evaluation.

JIT model agreement

Updated in 2017, a model agreement has been developed to facilitate the setting up of JITs. Appendix I to the model agreement was revised in 2022. The consolidated document is available in all official EU languages and can be downloaded in editable Word and PDF formats.

JITs Practical Guide

The JITs Practical Guide developed by the JITs Network in cooperation with Eurojust, Europol and OLAF, aims to provide information, guidance and advice to practitioners on the formation and operation of JITs.

Guidelines on Joint Investigation Teams Involving Third Countries

The Guidelines on Joint Investigation Teams Involving Third Countries, jointly prepared by the JITs Network Secretariat and Eurojust, provide guidance to EU Member State practitioners on setting up a Joint Investigation Team with a third country. A Checklist for Practitioners is also available and will soon be translated into all EU languages.

JIT evaluation reports

The JITs Network Secretariat periodically publishes JIT evaluation reports that provide an overview of the best practices and lessons learnt as reported by the JIT practitioners working with JITs. In the Second and Third JIT Evaluation Reports, the findings of the JIT national practitioners were complemented with Eurojust’s experience in supporting JITs.

JITs Funding Portal

Eurojust operates an online tool, the JITs Funding Portal, through which national authorities can securely submit funding applications for JITs.

JITs factsheet

A comprehensive overview of JITs as a key instrument of judicial cooperation, including information on the ways in which Eurojust supports JITs, can be found in this factsheet.

As demonstrated by Eurojust’s casework, the added value of JITs has resulted in the tool being progressively incorporated into the prosecutorial strategies of the Member States. In 2021, Eurojust supported 254 JITs, including 72 that were established during 2021, and 182 that were ongoing from previous years, representing an increase of more than 200% compared with 2015.

Although JITs are still predominantly used in bilateral cases, Eurojust’s casework and subsequent case evaluations show that the tool successfully supports investigations with a multinational dimension, with a sizeable number of JITs involving more than two States.

In recent years, Eurojust’s involvement in JITs has led to successful outcomes across a wide range of cases, including priority crime areas as defined by the Council of the European Union, such as terrorism, cybercrime, migrant smuggling, drug trafficking and trafficking in human beings (THB). The often complex and fast-moving nature of such cases makes the speed and flexibility enabled by JITs especially advantageous. The criminal organisations involved are typically highly mobile, with targets often moving across borders at speed; the involved authorities must be just as agile when tracking and building cases against suspects.

The use of JITs in investigations involving third States

JITs are increasingly recognised by practitioners from EU Member States as a valuable option for judicial cooperation with non-EU States. While the operation of such JITs may present specific features or deviate from usual EU practice, the tool is sufficiently flexible to allow practical adjustments and still function efficiently. Indeed, as experience in using the mechanism has grown, the number of newly established JITs involving third States supported by Eurojust has increased significantly, rising from 3 in 2016 to 32 in 2021. The Third JIT Evaluation Report includes a chapter devoted to Eurojust’s experience in JITs with third States.