At their EU Council meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday 13 June, the European Union’s home affairs ministers validated a political agreement on the revision of the 2012 directive on victims’ rights. This revision, proposed in July 2023 by the European Commission, aims to remedy the shortcomings identified in the evaluation of the 2012 directive.
On the basis of this ‘general approach’, the EU Council will be able to begin negotiations with the European Parliament, which adopted its position in April (see EUROPE 13371/33), in order to agree on a final legislative text.
The EU Council is banking on the accessibility of information technologies for reporting crime, ensuring that victims, including irregular migrants, can report crimes without fear of immediate return proceedings.
It stresses the need to preserve traditional methods of communication and to provide emotional support on the court premises.
Parliament is reinforcing this approach by putting forward detailed practical and emotional support mechanisms during legal proceedings.
The Member States stress the importance of providing victims with general information on legal proceedings and emotional support at judicial establishments. A free, confidential helpline, using the harmonised European number 116 006, will be set up. Available in the official languages of the Member States and in at least one other widely used language, it will provide information on victims’ rights, emotional support and referrals to specialist services.
The Parliament is going further by integrating real-time support via online chat and insisting on accessibility for victims of cross-border crime.
Both institutions recognise the importance of supporting child victims. The EU Council proposes integrated and tailored support services, while the Parliament insists on annual independent evaluations of these services and educational support.
On the issue of migrants, the EU Council and Parliament are ensuring that victims in an irregular situation can report crimes without fear of deportation. The EU Council suggests delaying the transfer of personal data to the migration authorities until the first individual assessment.
Parliament specifies that participation in criminal proceedings must not influence the residence status of victims.
The text agreed by the EU Council: https://aeur.eu/f/cna (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)