In March 2020, Eurojust published the third Evaluation Report on Joint Investigation Teams (JITs). It covers the period from November 2017 to November 2019. In its two main chapters, the report presents the experiences of JIT practitioners with the evaluation of JITs and Eurojust’s experience with JITs as regards third states. The report identifies specific challenges as well as best practices during the phase when a JIT is set up, the operational phase, and the prosecution phase.

Challenges with regard to the setting up of a JIT include, for instance, problems identifying relevant JIT partners in cases with more than two countries and diverging operational priorities. Challenges in the operational phase include, for example, language issues, refusal to execute EAWs due to prison conditions, and differences in legal requirements regarding the hearing of victims and witnesses.

After analysing its experience with JITs as regards third States, Eurojust found that the many challenges identified by the JIT practitioners are similar to those identified by Eurojust