DHS releases U.S. – EU joint statement following the Ministerial Meeting on Justice and Home Affairs

On November 13, the EU-US Ministerial Meeting on Justice and Home Affairs took place. This is a meeting held twice a year with the aim to oversee the Trans-Atlantic cooperation to fight terrorism and transnational crime.

The United States of America, which hosted the event, was represented by US Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Department for Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

The EU was represented by Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Věra Jourová, and the current holder of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider and Minister of Justice Félix Braz.

The European Union and the United States of America recall their joint statement on enhancing transatlantic cooperation in the area of Justice, Freedom and Security adopted in Riga on 3 June 2015 and welcome the progress in its implementation achieved so far.

The Parties met today to note and advance the critical Trans-Atlantic cooperation on cybercrime, transnational child sex offenders, counterterrorism, migrant smugglers and transnational organized crime. The US, EU and EU Member States are working together in the areas of judicial and police cooperation, including through Europol and Eurojust, to protect the security and privacy of all our citizens.

The Parties discussed important developments in the data protection area, welcoming the recent finalization of the negotiations on the umbrella agreement on data protection, and the movement through the US Congress of judicial redress legislation; and looking forward to swift completion of talks on a renewed safe framework for commercial transfers of personal data. The EU also updated on progress towards finalization of the reform of EU data protection rules by the end of the year. The parties also agreed on next steps on the review of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. The importance of enhanced police cooperation was underlined.

The EU updated its US counterparts on its steps to address the ongoing refugee crisis, implementing the European Agenda on Migration, as well as the European migration policy priorities for the longer term.

Recognizing the successful cooperation achieved so far in the areas of Data Protection, Mobility and Migration, Security, and Criminal and Civil justice, both parties agree to pursue this work on the basis of reciprocity and in view of a stronger and balanced partnership.

Source: DHS