Regulation 2023/969 - Collaboration platform to support the functioning of joint investigation teams - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 132/1

The Union has set itself the objective of offering its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers, in which the free movement of persons is ensured. At the same time, the Union should ensure that that area remains a safe place. That objective can only be achieved by more effective, coordinated cooperation of the national and international law enforcement and judicial authorities and by means of appropriate measures to prevent and combat crime, including organised crime and terrorism.

Achieving that objective is especially challenging where crime takes a cross-border dimension on the territory of two or more Member States and/or third countries. In such situations, Member States need to be able to join their forces and operations to allow for effective and efficient cross-border investigations and prosecutions, for which the exchange of information and evidence is crucial. One of the most successful tools for such cross-border cooperation is joint investigation teams (‘JITs’) that allow for direct cooperation and communication between the judicial and law enforcement authorities of two or more Member States and possibly third countries so that they can organise their actions and investigations in the most efficient manner. JITs are set up for a specific purpose and a limited period by the competent authorities of two or more Member States and possibly third countries, to carry out criminal investigations with a cross-border impact jointly.

JITs have proven instrumental in improving judicial cooperation in relation to the investigation and prosecution of cross-border crimes, such as cybercrime, terrorism, and serious and organised crime, by reducing time-consuming procedures and formalities between JIT members. The increased use of JITs has also enhanced the culture of cross-border cooperation in criminal matters between judicial authorities in the Union.

The Union acquis provides for two legal frameworks to set up JITs with the participation of at least two Member States: Article 13 of the Convention established by the Council in accordance with Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union, on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union (2) and Council Framework Decision 2002/465/JHA (3). Third countries can be involved in JITs as Parties where there is a legal basis for such involvement, such as Article 20 of the Second Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed in Strasbourg on 8 November 2001 (4) and Article 5 of the Agreement on mutual legal assistance between the European Union and the United States of America (5).

International judicial authorities play a crucial role in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes. Their representatives may participate in a particular JIT on invitation of the JIT members based on the relevant agreement setting up a JIT (‘JIT agreement’). Therefore, the exchange of information and evidence between national competent authorities and any other court, tribunal or mechanism that aims to...