Strategic Seminar

Abstract

In September 2010, Eurojust and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU held a strategic seminar in Bruges, Belgium, devoted to the future development of Eurojust under the Lisbon Treaty. During two days, practitioners, academics and experts had the opportunity to discuss the possibility, provided for in Article 85 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), to adopt a new regulation for Eurojust and the possible establishment of a European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) from Eurojust according to Article 86 TFEU. The participants examined, inter alia, the structure and institutional development of Eurojust, its operational powers and its relations with national authorities, the resolution of conflicts of jurisdiction and operational co-operation with relevant partners, such as Europol and OLAF. The establishment of an EPPO and its relationship with Eurojust, as well as competences and rules of procedure, the admissibility of evidence and judicial review, were also discussed. The various questions resulting from the debate should encourage experts and relevant institutions to reflect and elaborate further on these issues.

A comprehensive report on the seminar, including the outcome of the eight workshops dedicated to specific topics and the general conclusions on future perspectives, is published below. This report was also published as a Council document on 9 December 2010.¹