On 18 October 2022, the European Commission published its Work Programme for the year 2023. The programme contains 43 new policy initiatives across all six of the headline ambitions of European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen's Political Guidelines reinforcing her first State of the Union speech (→news of 27 July 2020). Many of the key initiatives in this Work Programme also follow up on the outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe (→ eucrim 2/2022, 84-85). In the Annex, the Work Programme lists potential new initiatives, pending proposals, and those to be withdrawn or repealed. In the area of justice and home affairs, new ideas for initiatives concern the following:

• Updating the anti-corruption legislative framework;
• Setting up a sanctions framework targeting corruption;
• Revising the Directive on combatting child sexual abuse;
• Setting up a Cybersecurity Skills Academy;
• Intensifying cross-border police cooperation;
• Strengthening the Schengen area through the adoption of the revised Schengen Border Code.

As next steps, the Commission will start discussions with the EP and Council, in order to agree on joint legislative priorities. The Commission will also continue to support and work with Member States to ensure the implementation of new and existing EU policies and laws.