On 23-24 October, the 20th Annual Meeting of the National Experts on Joint Investigation Teams took place at Eurojust. This year’s event focused on the admissibility of evidence and e-evidence, a crucial aspect of modern criminal investigations. It was organised by the JITs Network Secretariat, in collaboration with Eurojust and Europol.

As organised crime groups increasingly exploit emerging technologies to facilitate their illicit activities, the need for effective and efficient collection of electronic evidence has become paramount. The meeting aimed to tackle the new legal challenges arising from the shift towards virtual evidence, and to identify best practices for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) to support judicial and law enforcement authorities in obtaining electronic evidence across the EU and beyond.

Eurojust has been actively involved in supporting the gathering of electronic evidence and ensuring its admissibility in courts.

More than 85 participants attended the event, including 36 JIT National Experts from 23 EU Member States alongside representatives from the European Commission, eu-LISA, EJTN, ICC-OTP and OLAF.

For two decades, the JITs Network has been instrumental in facilitating the work of practitioners, encouraging the use of JITs, and promoting the exchange of experience and best practices. On this occasion, the JITs Network marked its 20th annual meeting. These annual meetings are a vital forum for JIT National Experts to discuss issues related to JITs and international cooperation; laying the foundation for trust and understanding that is essential for efficient cross-border collaboration.