EUROPEAN AND
INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE,
HOME AFFAIRS AND
SECURITY POLICY
SAMENVATTING 2025/2026
,Inhoudsopgave
Introduction to European JHA integration ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
JHA policy areas ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Principal JHA cooperation levels ................................................................................................................................................................... 4
council of Europe – development & mandate ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Council of Europe – judicial cooperation (ter info) ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Council of Europe – crime & criminal policy ................................................................................................................................................ 6
EC/EU institutional framework...................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Origin and historical development European Union ...................................................................................................................................... 7
European Economic Community ................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Schengen............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Background .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
CoE + EC/EU integration history ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
Schengen 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Schengen 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Schengen 3: post-Amsterdam development ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Schengen 4: crises, challenges, resilience .................................................................................................................................................... 12
Schengen 5: crises, challenges, resilience .................................................................................................................................................... 12
European Political Cooperation (EPC) & Maastricht Treaty............................................................................................................................ 13
European Political Co-operation .................................................................................................................................................................. 13
TEU Maastricht............................................................................................................................................................................................ 15
three pillars .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
JHA areas ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
from EC/EPC to EU ................................................................................................................................................................................. 17
decision making ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
legal instruments ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Amsterdam, Nice, Constitutional and Lisbon Treaties ..................................................................................................................................... 20
TEU Post-Amsterdam .................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
main changes............................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
Visual support .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
decision-making ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Legal instruments ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
AFSJ | closer cooperation......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Police cooperation .................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Judicial cooperation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
TEU post Nice ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
European Constitution ................................................................................................................................................................................. 25
1
, From Amsterdam/Nice to Lisbon ................................................................................................................................................................. 25
visual support ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
EU Post-Lisbon ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
General changes ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Freedom, security and justice ................................................................................................................................................................... 26
EU Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27
European Union ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
institutions................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27
EU JHA Policies .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Market.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Intra and immigration .................................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Intra-migration ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Legal immigration .................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Illegal immigration................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Asylum ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40
Pact on Migration & Asylum ................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Judicial cooperation ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
horizontal ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 41
Vertical .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Police cooperation........................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Horizontal ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Vertical .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
EU Foreign and Security Policy ....................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Brussels Treaty ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
NATO Treaty ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
European Defence Community .................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Paris Agreement........................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Davignon Report .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Copenhagen Report...................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Stuttgart Declaration .................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Maastricht treaty .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Western European Union Petersberg tasks ................................................................................................................................................... 47
Amsterdam Treaty ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Chirac & Blair.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 47
Laeken Declaration ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Nice Treaty .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Thessaloniki EC ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
2
, Eurogendfor ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Lisbon treaty ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 50
EEAS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Global strategy ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
Strategic compass ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 52
Rearm Europe .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
Benelux ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 53
Origin and development ............................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Cooperation ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Institutional .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Interparliamentary Assemblee .................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Committee of Ministers............................................................................................................................................................................ 54
Secretariat-General................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Benelux Court .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 55
Today’s media ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 55
Council of Europe ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 57
History ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Human rights ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Rule of Law ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 58
Justice ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 58
Standards.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 59
Treaths ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Democracy ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Parliamentary Assembly .......................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Committee of Ministers............................................................................................................................................................................ 60
Secretariat ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61
Court ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61
Commissioner .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
NATO & OSCE ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Historical development ................................................................................................................................................................................ 62
Alliance → Treaty Origani ....................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Collective defence .................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Crisis management ................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Cooperative security ................................................................................................................................................................................ 63
NATO-Russia .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
3
, Secretary-General .................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
North-ATlantic Council ........................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Militaryy Committee ................................................................................................................................................................................ 65
Policy domains............................................................................................................................................................................................. 65
Link with EU: CFSP ................................................................................................................................................................................ 65
Terrorism ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 65
Cyber defence .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Woman, peace, security ........................................................................................................................................................................... 66
United nations .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 66
History ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Policy ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Peace & securty........................................................................................................................................................................................ 66
Development ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
Human rights............................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
Humanitarian affairs ................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
International law ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
General assembly ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Security Council....................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Tribunals .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 70
EcoSoc ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
Sec. General ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 71
Introduction to European JHA integration
JHA policy areas
Asylum, migration, border-crossing …
(judicial cooperation in civil matters)
Criminal law/policy – important classification:
- Substantive criminal law
- Criminal procedural law
- International co-operation in criminal matters
o Judicial co-operation
o Police and customs (law enforcement) co-operation
‘security’
Principal JHA cooperation levels
Levels
- Council of Europe (hereafter: CoE) (limited unless for EIJHAS course)
- European Union (EU)
- Schengen (including Prüm)
4
, - Benelux, NATO, OSCE, G7/G20, OECD, UN (EIJHAS course only)
- Handbook: origin and historical development, institutional structure and functioning, policy, (selective bibliography)
Transversal European JHA integration overview
- During 5 joint classes
- Transversal, i.e. cross-level character
o Rationale: institutional and policy dynamics are interwoven
o Not (entirely) following handbook/paragraph order
Council of Europe – development & mandate
Starts after WOII
- More and mora people were calling for a permanent end to this type of conflicts
- Idea of council of Europe (Churchill) → to strive for European unity
= International Committee of the Movements for European Unity
Organization of a congress in The Hague 7 may 1948 (‘Congress of Europe’)
- Goal: to establish a union in Europe
o Calling for an economic and political union that would guarantee
▪ Safety, economic independence and social progress
▪ The founding of a consulting assembly (raadgevende vergadering) chosen by national parliaments
▪ The drafting of the European charter for Human rights (Europees Handvest/Verdrag voor de Rechten van
de Mens)
▪ Establish a court (Hof) which enforces the charter through its judgements
Not all participating countries had the same view on the best way of achieving this
- Intergovernmental cooperation (e.g. UK, IR) vs. Fully-fledged supernational organization (Volwaardige supranationale
organisatie) (e.g. BE, FR)
5 may 1949: Statute of the Council of Europe was signed in Londen (10 MS)
- The organization has an intergovernmental character, reflecting a political compromise
- Ministers, private assembly (decision-making body) → baseline preference for intergovernmentalism
- Parliamentary Assembly (advisory opinion) → typical for supranational cooperation structures
- Meetings are in Strasbourg (seat of Council of Europe): the seat of the council
According to the statute, the Council aims to strive for greater unity between the members, to protect, and to realize the ideals and principles
that are common heritage and in doing so, to take car of their economic and social progress
- Taking initiatives to enhance democracy and the functioning of the rule of law, in which human rights are respected
- Drafting and concluding treaties on themes that concern the societies interests I the MS and that ust enhance cooperation
- Promoting and supporting cultural diversity
- Structuring and stabilizing the democratic functioning of each od the MS
ECHR 1950
= European Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
- Singed 1950
- First European instrument for the protection of human rights
→ Few years later: European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) was set up
The Council’s aspiration of a political and economic union incited several federally oriented countries to take the initiative and look for ways
to establish a stronger partnership
- Robert Schuman suggested uniting the 2 biggest war industries (the coal and steel industry) in a supranational organization
- Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy signed the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC) in spring 1951 → forerunner of the EU
From the start democratic values were placed at the heart of the institution.
- The Council of Europe slowly became a ‘watchdog’ for human rights and democracy.
- Influenced by the developing European Society, new priorities emerged such as migration, social exclusion and discrimination
Today: 46 countries
- Russian Federation: 28 February 1996 - 15 March 2022
5
, o Russia was part of the COE, but because of their “special military operation” in Ukraine they were eventually expelled
by the Committee of Ministers on March 16th 2022
In both the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly there are observers
Intergovernmental cooperation → there is nothing above the states (so its not supranational)
- This can be a weakness
- Member states can freely decide to commit or not
- Text is not binding until there is a sufficient number of ratifications (= states must formally ratify the instrument before it
becomes legally effective)
Legal instruments
- Conventions, resolutions, recommendation
- Conventions seem strong, but still have weaknesses
Broad mandate, including penal matters
- Judicial co-operation in criminal matters (‘mother conventions’)
- Judicial co-operation in criminal matters & criminal policy (including aspects of substantive criminal Law and criminal
procedural law) regarding specific topics and/or particular offences
Council of Europe – judicial cooperation (ter info)
Mother conventions in criminal matters
- 1957 European Convention on Extradition | 3 Protocols
- 1959 European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters | 2 Protocols
- 1964 European Convention on Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced/Released Offenders
- 1970 European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgements
- 1972 European Convention on Transfer of Proceedings
- 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons | Protocol
- 1990 Laundering Convention | Protocol
- 2001 Cybercrime Convention | Protocol
- …
Council of Europe – crime & criminal policy
Judicial co-operation in criminal matters /criminal policy with regard to specific topics and/or particular offences → sometimes part of the
JHA acquis (= omvat het geheel aan gemeenschappelijke rechten, plichten en wetgeving van de Europese Unie op het gebied van Justitie en
Binnenlandse Zaken)
- Computer-related crime & criminal procedural law connected with it, Corruption, Crimes against humanity/war crimes, Criminal
policy/justice in general, Cultural property, Data protection, DNA, Drugs, Environmental crime, Firearms, Intimidation of
witnesses/rights of the defence, Intolerance/racism and xenophobia, Mediation, Prison, Road traffic, Sanctions, (sexual) Offences
against minors, Terrorism, (victims of) Violence
EC/EU institutional framework
European Communitys (EC) - Treaties Establishing the
- European Coal and Steel Community (1951) (ECSC)
- European Atomic Energy Community (1957) (EURATOM)
- European Economic Community (1957) (TEC)
o 1984 Europen Single Act: internal market by 1992, i.e. area without internal borders in which the free movement of
goods, capital, services and persons is guaranteed
The most prominent features of the supranational ‘European Community’s’:
- The presence of bodies which can act independently from the MS , both regarding their compositions and their working methods
- The possibility of decision making through majority voting, implying that MS can be bound by decisions regardless if they voted
in favor or not
- The presence of bodies which can execute these decisions or can monitor their proper execution by the MS
- The possibility of creating rights and duties, which are enforceable directly before the MS national courts, regardless of whether
they are in line with a MS national legislation
Espace judiciaire Europeén/European Political Co-operation
- Cooperation between the Member States, outside the formal framework of the European Communities
6
, Treaty evolution
- Treaty on European Union (TEU) → Maastricht Treaty, February 1992
- Amsterdam Treaty (October 1997)
o Changes TEC and TEU
o Integrates Schengen acquis (Schengen protocol)
- Nice Treaty (February 2001)
- European Constitution (2004)
- Lisbon/Reform Treaty (2007)
o Transition from TEU/TEC to TEU/TFEU
→ EC prepared the way for the EU in the area of justice and home affairs
Origin and historical development European Union
The EU is a result of a combination of different cooperation mechanisms, both intergovernmental and supranational → There are important
differences between these ways of cooperating
- Intergovernmental cooperation is a form of cooperation ‘between governments’
o Decision making power is vested in bodies composed of governmental representatives
▪ Some organizations may still be equipped with parliamentary assemblies or expert committees, which have
a merely advisory function
o All decisions must be endorsed by all participating states (unanimity)
o Typical for most forms of international cooperation
- Supranational cooperation
o Decisions may be adopted following a majority vote → they do not need the acceptance of all participating states
▪ These organizations are far less dependent upon the goodwill of the participating states
▪ Their bodies are independent, and their decision-making process is one of qualified majority voting, rather
than unanimity.
o Decisions can be made which bind all participating states, including those who gave up a part of their sovereignty.
EU: unique and complex structure, which is a result of its organic and incremental development.
→ Within its historical development, 3 major phases:
- Phase 1:
o Three supranational European Communities → Setting up of the ECSC, ECC and EURATOM
o Intergovernmental cooperation within the framework of European Political Cooperation
- Phase 2:
o Structuring of different tracks of integration and further development thereof → the so-called pillar structure
o This structure maintained the distinction between supranational and intergovernmental cooperation
- Phase 3:
o The reshaping of the EU towards its current form → has now abandoned the pillar structure.
o The phased development explains the mixture of supranational and intergovernmental aspects, which is so typical of
today’s EU = current form
European Economic Community
Realization of an internal market
- Area without internal borders in which the free movement of goods, capital, services and persons is guaranteed
Focus on economic and monetary integration
No competence as regards criminal law
- However: competence to combat fraud against the EC budget on an administrative level
EEC altered by European single act, changed the economic community treaty by introducing new goal which is realization of new markets
Free movement of persons is also seen as a threat, because free movement of criminals
→ Criminals won’t be stopped by borders no more → police and judicial cooperation needed
- Cross border crime triggered the Schengen idea
1951 – ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community)
- Signed 18 April 1951, but would not have the required ratification to be installed until 23 July 1952
- Control over these 2 traditional war industries to an independent, supranational body, named the ‘High Authority”
7
INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE,
HOME AFFAIRS AND
SECURITY POLICY
SAMENVATTING 2025/2026
,Inhoudsopgave
Introduction to European JHA integration ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
JHA policy areas ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Principal JHA cooperation levels ................................................................................................................................................................... 4
council of Europe – development & mandate ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Council of Europe – judicial cooperation (ter info) ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Council of Europe – crime & criminal policy ................................................................................................................................................ 6
EC/EU institutional framework...................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Origin and historical development European Union ...................................................................................................................................... 7
European Economic Community ................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Schengen............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Background .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
CoE + EC/EU integration history ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
Schengen 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Schengen 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Schengen 3: post-Amsterdam development ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Schengen 4: crises, challenges, resilience .................................................................................................................................................... 12
Schengen 5: crises, challenges, resilience .................................................................................................................................................... 12
European Political Cooperation (EPC) & Maastricht Treaty............................................................................................................................ 13
European Political Co-operation .................................................................................................................................................................. 13
TEU Maastricht............................................................................................................................................................................................ 15
three pillars .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
JHA areas ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
from EC/EPC to EU ................................................................................................................................................................................. 17
decision making ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
legal instruments ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Amsterdam, Nice, Constitutional and Lisbon Treaties ..................................................................................................................................... 20
TEU Post-Amsterdam .................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
main changes............................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
Visual support .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
decision-making ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Legal instruments ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
AFSJ | closer cooperation......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Police cooperation .................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Judicial cooperation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
TEU post Nice ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
European Constitution ................................................................................................................................................................................. 25
1
, From Amsterdam/Nice to Lisbon ................................................................................................................................................................. 25
visual support ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
EU Post-Lisbon ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
General changes ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Freedom, security and justice ................................................................................................................................................................... 26
EU Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27
European Union ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
institutions................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27
EU JHA Policies .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Market.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Intra and immigration .................................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Intra-migration ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Legal immigration .................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Illegal immigration................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Asylum ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40
Pact on Migration & Asylum ................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Judicial cooperation ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
horizontal ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 41
Vertical .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Police cooperation........................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Horizontal ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Vertical .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
EU Foreign and Security Policy ....................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Brussels Treaty ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
NATO Treaty ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
European Defence Community .................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Paris Agreement........................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Davignon Report .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Copenhagen Report...................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Stuttgart Declaration .................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Maastricht treaty .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Western European Union Petersberg tasks ................................................................................................................................................... 47
Amsterdam Treaty ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Chirac & Blair.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 47
Laeken Declaration ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Nice Treaty .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Thessaloniki EC ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
2
, Eurogendfor ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Lisbon treaty ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 50
EEAS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Global strategy ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
Strategic compass ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 52
Rearm Europe .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
Benelux ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 53
Origin and development ............................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Cooperation ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 53
Institutional .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Interparliamentary Assemblee .................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Committee of Ministers............................................................................................................................................................................ 54
Secretariat-General................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Benelux Court .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 55
Today’s media ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 55
Council of Europe ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 57
History ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Human rights ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Rule of Law ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 58
Justice ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 58
Standards.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 59
Treaths ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Democracy ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Parliamentary Assembly .......................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Committee of Ministers............................................................................................................................................................................ 60
Secretariat ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61
Court ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 61
Commissioner .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
NATO & OSCE ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Historical development ................................................................................................................................................................................ 62
Alliance → Treaty Origani ....................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Collective defence .................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Crisis management ................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Cooperative security ................................................................................................................................................................................ 63
NATO-Russia .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
3
, Secretary-General .................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
North-ATlantic Council ........................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Militaryy Committee ................................................................................................................................................................................ 65
Policy domains............................................................................................................................................................................................. 65
Link with EU: CFSP ................................................................................................................................................................................ 65
Terrorism ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 65
Cyber defence .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Woman, peace, security ........................................................................................................................................................................... 66
United nations .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 66
History ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Policy ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Peace & securty........................................................................................................................................................................................ 66
Development ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
Human rights............................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
Humanitarian affairs ................................................................................................................................................................................ 67
International law ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Institutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
General assembly ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Security Council....................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Tribunals .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 70
EcoSoc ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
Sec. General ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 71
Introduction to European JHA integration
JHA policy areas
Asylum, migration, border-crossing …
(judicial cooperation in civil matters)
Criminal law/policy – important classification:
- Substantive criminal law
- Criminal procedural law
- International co-operation in criminal matters
o Judicial co-operation
o Police and customs (law enforcement) co-operation
‘security’
Principal JHA cooperation levels
Levels
- Council of Europe (hereafter: CoE) (limited unless for EIJHAS course)
- European Union (EU)
- Schengen (including Prüm)
4
, - Benelux, NATO, OSCE, G7/G20, OECD, UN (EIJHAS course only)
- Handbook: origin and historical development, institutional structure and functioning, policy, (selective bibliography)
Transversal European JHA integration overview
- During 5 joint classes
- Transversal, i.e. cross-level character
o Rationale: institutional and policy dynamics are interwoven
o Not (entirely) following handbook/paragraph order
Council of Europe – development & mandate
Starts after WOII
- More and mora people were calling for a permanent end to this type of conflicts
- Idea of council of Europe (Churchill) → to strive for European unity
= International Committee of the Movements for European Unity
Organization of a congress in The Hague 7 may 1948 (‘Congress of Europe’)
- Goal: to establish a union in Europe
o Calling for an economic and political union that would guarantee
▪ Safety, economic independence and social progress
▪ The founding of a consulting assembly (raadgevende vergadering) chosen by national parliaments
▪ The drafting of the European charter for Human rights (Europees Handvest/Verdrag voor de Rechten van
de Mens)
▪ Establish a court (Hof) which enforces the charter through its judgements
Not all participating countries had the same view on the best way of achieving this
- Intergovernmental cooperation (e.g. UK, IR) vs. Fully-fledged supernational organization (Volwaardige supranationale
organisatie) (e.g. BE, FR)
5 may 1949: Statute of the Council of Europe was signed in Londen (10 MS)
- The organization has an intergovernmental character, reflecting a political compromise
- Ministers, private assembly (decision-making body) → baseline preference for intergovernmentalism
- Parliamentary Assembly (advisory opinion) → typical for supranational cooperation structures
- Meetings are in Strasbourg (seat of Council of Europe): the seat of the council
According to the statute, the Council aims to strive for greater unity between the members, to protect, and to realize the ideals and principles
that are common heritage and in doing so, to take car of their economic and social progress
- Taking initiatives to enhance democracy and the functioning of the rule of law, in which human rights are respected
- Drafting and concluding treaties on themes that concern the societies interests I the MS and that ust enhance cooperation
- Promoting and supporting cultural diversity
- Structuring and stabilizing the democratic functioning of each od the MS
ECHR 1950
= European Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
- Singed 1950
- First European instrument for the protection of human rights
→ Few years later: European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) was set up
The Council’s aspiration of a political and economic union incited several federally oriented countries to take the initiative and look for ways
to establish a stronger partnership
- Robert Schuman suggested uniting the 2 biggest war industries (the coal and steel industry) in a supranational organization
- Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy signed the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC) in spring 1951 → forerunner of the EU
From the start democratic values were placed at the heart of the institution.
- The Council of Europe slowly became a ‘watchdog’ for human rights and democracy.
- Influenced by the developing European Society, new priorities emerged such as migration, social exclusion and discrimination
Today: 46 countries
- Russian Federation: 28 February 1996 - 15 March 2022
5
, o Russia was part of the COE, but because of their “special military operation” in Ukraine they were eventually expelled
by the Committee of Ministers on March 16th 2022
In both the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly there are observers
Intergovernmental cooperation → there is nothing above the states (so its not supranational)
- This can be a weakness
- Member states can freely decide to commit or not
- Text is not binding until there is a sufficient number of ratifications (= states must formally ratify the instrument before it
becomes legally effective)
Legal instruments
- Conventions, resolutions, recommendation
- Conventions seem strong, but still have weaknesses
Broad mandate, including penal matters
- Judicial co-operation in criminal matters (‘mother conventions’)
- Judicial co-operation in criminal matters & criminal policy (including aspects of substantive criminal Law and criminal
procedural law) regarding specific topics and/or particular offences
Council of Europe – judicial cooperation (ter info)
Mother conventions in criminal matters
- 1957 European Convention on Extradition | 3 Protocols
- 1959 European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters | 2 Protocols
- 1964 European Convention on Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced/Released Offenders
- 1970 European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgements
- 1972 European Convention on Transfer of Proceedings
- 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons | Protocol
- 1990 Laundering Convention | Protocol
- 2001 Cybercrime Convention | Protocol
- …
Council of Europe – crime & criminal policy
Judicial co-operation in criminal matters /criminal policy with regard to specific topics and/or particular offences → sometimes part of the
JHA acquis (= omvat het geheel aan gemeenschappelijke rechten, plichten en wetgeving van de Europese Unie op het gebied van Justitie en
Binnenlandse Zaken)
- Computer-related crime & criminal procedural law connected with it, Corruption, Crimes against humanity/war crimes, Criminal
policy/justice in general, Cultural property, Data protection, DNA, Drugs, Environmental crime, Firearms, Intimidation of
witnesses/rights of the defence, Intolerance/racism and xenophobia, Mediation, Prison, Road traffic, Sanctions, (sexual) Offences
against minors, Terrorism, (victims of) Violence
EC/EU institutional framework
European Communitys (EC) - Treaties Establishing the
- European Coal and Steel Community (1951) (ECSC)
- European Atomic Energy Community (1957) (EURATOM)
- European Economic Community (1957) (TEC)
o 1984 Europen Single Act: internal market by 1992, i.e. area without internal borders in which the free movement of
goods, capital, services and persons is guaranteed
The most prominent features of the supranational ‘European Community’s’:
- The presence of bodies which can act independently from the MS , both regarding their compositions and their working methods
- The possibility of decision making through majority voting, implying that MS can be bound by decisions regardless if they voted
in favor or not
- The presence of bodies which can execute these decisions or can monitor their proper execution by the MS
- The possibility of creating rights and duties, which are enforceable directly before the MS national courts, regardless of whether
they are in line with a MS national legislation
Espace judiciaire Europeén/European Political Co-operation
- Cooperation between the Member States, outside the formal framework of the European Communities
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, Treaty evolution
- Treaty on European Union (TEU) → Maastricht Treaty, February 1992
- Amsterdam Treaty (October 1997)
o Changes TEC and TEU
o Integrates Schengen acquis (Schengen protocol)
- Nice Treaty (February 2001)
- European Constitution (2004)
- Lisbon/Reform Treaty (2007)
o Transition from TEU/TEC to TEU/TFEU
→ EC prepared the way for the EU in the area of justice and home affairs
Origin and historical development European Union
The EU is a result of a combination of different cooperation mechanisms, both intergovernmental and supranational → There are important
differences between these ways of cooperating
- Intergovernmental cooperation is a form of cooperation ‘between governments’
o Decision making power is vested in bodies composed of governmental representatives
▪ Some organizations may still be equipped with parliamentary assemblies or expert committees, which have
a merely advisory function
o All decisions must be endorsed by all participating states (unanimity)
o Typical for most forms of international cooperation
- Supranational cooperation
o Decisions may be adopted following a majority vote → they do not need the acceptance of all participating states
▪ These organizations are far less dependent upon the goodwill of the participating states
▪ Their bodies are independent, and their decision-making process is one of qualified majority voting, rather
than unanimity.
o Decisions can be made which bind all participating states, including those who gave up a part of their sovereignty.
EU: unique and complex structure, which is a result of its organic and incremental development.
→ Within its historical development, 3 major phases:
- Phase 1:
o Three supranational European Communities → Setting up of the ECSC, ECC and EURATOM
o Intergovernmental cooperation within the framework of European Political Cooperation
- Phase 2:
o Structuring of different tracks of integration and further development thereof → the so-called pillar structure
o This structure maintained the distinction between supranational and intergovernmental cooperation
- Phase 3:
o The reshaping of the EU towards its current form → has now abandoned the pillar structure.
o The phased development explains the mixture of supranational and intergovernmental aspects, which is so typical of
today’s EU = current form
European Economic Community
Realization of an internal market
- Area without internal borders in which the free movement of goods, capital, services and persons is guaranteed
Focus on economic and monetary integration
No competence as regards criminal law
- However: competence to combat fraud against the EC budget on an administrative level
EEC altered by European single act, changed the economic community treaty by introducing new goal which is realization of new markets
Free movement of persons is also seen as a threat, because free movement of criminals
→ Criminals won’t be stopped by borders no more → police and judicial cooperation needed
- Cross border crime triggered the Schengen idea
1951 – ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community)
- Signed 18 April 1951, but would not have the required ratification to be installed until 23 July 1952
- Control over these 2 traditional war industries to an independent, supranational body, named the ‘High Authority”
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