Plenary report, 9 April 2024
On the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part, on cooperation between the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) and the competent authorities for judicial cooperation in criminal matters of the Republic of Armenia
Report A-9-2024-0165 · (17085/2023 – C90145/2024 – 2023/0400(NLE))
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs · Rapporteur: Thijs Reuten
AI:In short
The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs recommends that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of an agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on cooperation between Eurojust and Armenia's competent authorities for judicial cooperation in criminal matters. The explanatory statement says this is the first such international agreement with a third country since the Eurojust Regulation entered into application on 12 December 2019, and that such agreements are essential for effective international judicial cooperation. It states the agreement will improve cooperation with Armenia's authorities in investigating and prosecuting serious crimes, and that all conditions are met and safeguards on data protection, privacy and fundamental rights are in place. It adds that compliance will be continuously monitored once the agreement enters into force, and that possible breaches could eventually lead to suspension of the cooperation.
Position. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs recommends that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement, stating that all conditions are met and the necessary safeguards are in place.
Key points
- Parliament gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia on cooperation between Eurojust and Armenia's competent authorities for judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
- The agreement is the first international cooperation agreement between Eurojust and the competent authorities of a third country since the Eurojust Regulation entered into application on 12 December 2019.
- The explanatory statement says agreements on cooperation with third countries are essential for effective international judicial cooperation.
- The agreement will improve cooperation with Armenia's authorities involved in the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes.
- Such cooperation is only possible when agreements are subject to strict safeguards in relation to data protection, privacy and fundamental rights.
- For this agreement, all conditions are met and the necessary safeguards are in place.
- Compliance will be continuously monitored once the agreement has entered into force, and possible breaches could eventually lead to suspension of the cooperation.
Who is affected
- The Republic of Armenia: its competent authorities for judicial cooperation in criminal matters will cooperate with Eurojust.
- Eurojust: the agency gains a cooperation agreement with a third country's judicial authorities.
- The European Union and its member states: the agreement is concluded between the EU and Armenia.
Figures and deadlines
Legal basis. Articles 16(2), Article 85 in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 25 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Draft european parliament legislative resolution 10 paragraphs
(17085/2023 – C90145/2024 – 2023/0400(NLE))
(Consent)
The European Parliament,
–having regard to the proposal for a Council decision (COM(2023)0705),
–having regard to the draft agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part, on cooperation between the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) and the competent authorities for judicial cooperation in criminal matters of the Republic of Armenia (17085/2023),
–having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Articles 16(2), Article 85 in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) and Article 218(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C90145/2024),
–having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0165/2024),
1.Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement;
2.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Armenia.
Explanatory statement 4 paragraphs
This Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia marks the first international agreement on cooperation between the European Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) and the competent authorities in a third country since the entry into application of the Eurojust Regulation on 12 December 2019. In order for international judicial cooperation to be effective, agreements on cooperation with third countries are essential.
This agreement will improve cooperation with Armenia's authorities involved in the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes.
It is particularly important that this is only possible when agreements are subject to strict safeguards in relation to data protection, privacy and fundamental rights.
In the case of this Agreement, it is clear that all conditions are met and the necessary safeguards are in place. This will be continuously monitored once this Agreement has entered into force and possible breaches of the agreement could eventually lead to suspension of the cooperation. We welcome this important step in the cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia.
Annex: entities or persons from whom the rapporteur has received input 3 paragraphs
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he has received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, until the adoption thereof in committee:
| Entity and/or person |
| European Commission, DG JUSTICE |
| European Data Protection Supervisor |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Procedure pages
How the committees handled the text, and how their members voted on it.
Procedure – committee responsible 1 paragraph
| Title | Conclusion of an Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part, on cooperation between the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) and the competent authorities for judicial cooperation in criminal matters of the Republic of Armenia | |
| References | 17085/2023 – C9-0145/2024 – 2023/0400(NLE) | |
| Date of consultation or request for consent | 5.4.2024 | |
| Committee responsible Date announced in plenary | LIBE | |
| Rapporteurs Date appointed | Thijs Reuten 22.1.2024 | |
| Date adopted | 14.2.2024 | |
| Result of final vote | +: –: 0: | 62 0 5 |
| Members present for the final vote | Abir Al-Sahlani, Konstantinos Arvanitis, Malik Azmani, Pietro Bartolo, Vladimír Bilčík, Malin Björk, Vasile Blaga, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Karolin Braunsberger-Reinhold, Saskia Bricmont, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Damien Carême, Patricia Chagnon, Lena Düpont, Cornelia Ernst, Laura Ferrara, Nicolaus Fest, Maria Grapini, Sylvie Guillaume, Evin Incir, Sophia in ‘t Veld, Patryk Jaki, Marina Kaljurand, Assita Kanko, Fabienne Keller, Alice Kuhnke, Jeroen Lenaers, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Erik Marquardt, Nadine Morano, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Emil Radev, Paulo Rangel, Karlo Ressler, Isabel Santos, Birgit Sippel, Sara Skyttedal, Tineke Strik, Ramona Strugariu, Tomas Tobé, Milan Uhrík, Tom Vandendriessche, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Elena Yoncheva | |
| Substitutes present for the final vote | Patricia Caro Maya, Romeo Franz, Balázs Hidvéghi, Leopoldo López Gil, Jaak Madison, Matjaž Nemec, Carina Ohlsson, Philippe Olivier, Róża Thun und Hohenstein, Dragoş Tudorache, Charlie Weimers, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez | |
| Substitutes under Rule 209(7) present for the final vote | Mathilde Androuët, Laura Ballarín Cereza, Chiara Gemma, Svenja Hahn, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Gabriel Mato, Francisco José Millán Mon, Javier Nart, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Michal Wiezik | |
| Date tabled | 9.4.2024 |
Final vote by roll call in committee responsible 3 paragraphs
62 · For
- ECR
- Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Chiara Gemma, Patryk Jaki, Assita Kanko, Charlie Weimers, Jadwiga Wiśniewska
- ID
- Mathilde Androuët, Patricia Chagnon, Nicolaus Fest, Jaak Madison, Philippe Olivier, Tom Vandendriessche
- No group
- Laura Ferrara, Balázs Hidvéghi, Milan Uhrík
- EPP
- Vladimír Bilčík, Vasile Blaga, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Karolin Braunsberger-Reinhold, Lena Düpont, Jeroen Lenaers, Leopoldo López Gil, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Gabriel Mato, Francisco José Millán Mon, Nadine Morano, Emil Radev, Paulo Rangel, Karlo Ressler, Sara Skyttedal, Tomas Tobé, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez
- Renew
- Abir Al-Sahlani, Malik Azmani, Svenja Hahn, Sophia in 't Veld, Fabienne Keller, Javier Nart, Ramona Strugariu, Róża Thun und Hohenstein, Dragoş Tudorache, Michal Wiezik
- S&D
- Laura Ballarín Cereza, Pietro Bartolo, Maria Grapini, Sylvie Guillaume, Evin Incir, Marina Kaljurand, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Matjaž Nemec, Carina Ohlsson, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Isabel Santos, Birgit Sippel, Elena Yoncheva
- Greens
- Saskia Bricmont, Romeo Franz, Alice Kuhnke, Erik Marquardt, Tineke Strik
0 · Against
5 · Abstained
- The Left
- Konstantinos Arvanitis, Malin Björk, Patricia Caro Maya, Cornelia Ernst
- Greens
- Damien Carême