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

PR_NLE-AP_Agreement

Symbols for procedures

* Consultation procedure

*** Consent procedure

***I Ordinary legislative procedure (first reading)

***II Ordinary legislative procedure (second reading)

***III Ordinary legislative procedure (third reading)

(The type of procedure depends on the legal basis proposed by the draft act.)

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

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

(17085/2023 – C90145/2024 – 2023/0400(NLE))

(Consent)

– 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

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

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 – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

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

Key to symbols: