The European Parliament adopted by 490 votes to 120, with 43 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Justice Programme.
Objectives
Members specified that the general objective of the 2021-2027 ‘Justice’ Programme shall be to contribute to the further development of a European area of freedom, security and justice based on the rule of law, including the independence of judges and impartiality of justice, on mutual recognition, mutual trust and cross border cooperation, thereby also contributing to the development of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights.
The Programme has the general objective of contributing to the further development of a European area of justice based on the rule of law, including independence and impartiality of the judiciary, on mutual recognition, mutual trust and judicial cooperation, thereby also strengthening democracy rule of law and fundamental rights.
It seeks in particular to:
- facilitate and support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, and to promote the rule of law, independence and impartiality of the judiciary, including by supporting the efforts to improve the effectiveness of national justice systems, and the effective enforcement of decisions;
- support and promote judicial training, with a view to fostering a common legal, judicial and rule of law culture, as well as the consistent and effective implementation of the Union’s legal instruments relevant in the context of this programme;
- facilitate effective and non-discriminatory access to justice for all, and effective redress, including by electronic means (e-justice), by promoting efficient civil, and criminal procedures, and by promoting and supporting the rights of all victims of crime as well as the procedural rights of suspects and accused persons in criminal proceedings.
Integration
In the implementation of all its actions, the programme shall seek to support and promote, as a horizontal objective, the protection of equal rights and the principle of non-discrimination enshrined in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Budget
Parliament has proposed that the financial envelope for the implementation of the programme for the period 2021-2027 should be EUR 316 million at 2018 prices (EUR 356 million in current prices).
The budget allocated for actions linked to the promotion of gender equality shall be indicated annually.
The programme shall support the European Judicial Training Network’s expenditure associated with its permanent work programme and any operating grant to that effect shall be awarded without a call for proposals in accordance with the Financial Regulation.
Parliament has requested that the programme be implemented by work programmes adopted by the Commission by means of a delegated act.
In its legislative resolution, Parliament reiterated its support for the programmes that have been implemented in the areas of culture, education, media, youth, sport, democracy, citizenship and civil society that have clearly demonstrated their European added value and enjoy lasting popularity among beneficiaries. It also reiterated that a stronger and a more ambitious Union can only be achieved if it is provided with reinforced financial means.