The digitalisation of Justice will be one of the highest priorities for the German Presidency of the Council of the EU, German Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht told MEPs on the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) on Thursday, 3 September.
If possible, the German Presidency intends to adopt Council of the EU conclusions on the potential of digitalisation to improve access to justice (see EUROPE 12547/16), at the October meeting of EU Justice Ministers.
The minister explained: “We are doing everything we can to adopt this as quickly as possible (...) before the Commission's communication on the digitalisation of justice, (see EUROPE 12540/15) which is expected in December 2020”.
Berlin organised a high-level conference on the issue in July and plans to organise another event for mid-December.
Cooperation in criminal matters will also be an important part of the German Presidency's work in the coming months.
In this respect, Lambrecht expressed the hope that the European Parliament would adopt its position on the Commission’s proposals to facilitate cross-border access to electronic evidence before long (EUROPE 12462/17). She also confirmed her intention to launch the ‘trilogues’ during the German Presidency and “to make as much progress as possible”.
Germany also intends to continue discussions in the Council of the EU on the lessons to be learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly the practical problems around applying the European arrest warrant. The Minister also announced that a conference would be held at the end of September that would bring together high-ranking experts to “put forward solutions”. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)