What is a JIT?

A joint investigation team (JIT) is a team consisting of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement authorities of several States, established for a fixed period and a specific purpose by way of a written agreement, to carry out criminal investigations in one or more of the involved States.

The possibility of setting up JITs between Member States is provided for in Article 13 of the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance between the Member States of the European Union, adopted on 29 May 2000, and in the Framework Decision of 13 June 2002. It is now also foreseen by other international instruments so that under certain conditions, non-EU States can join a JIT.

Each side appoints the persons - investigators and magistrates – who will act as JIT members, as well as a JIT leader, in charge of surpervising JIT activities when it operates on the territory of the concerned State.