From 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2018, Austria is holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Priorities of the Presidency in the area of criminal justice are as follows:

• To finalise the accompanying measures in preparation for the EPPO;
• To finalise the revision of Eurojust’s legal framework;
• To finalise the amendment to the European Criminal Records Information System to include third-country nationals;
• To improve the fight against terrorist crime, money laundering, fraud and counterfeiting of non-cash means of payment, and the freezing and confiscation of assets.

Furthermore, the Presidency will strive to advance the proposals for a Regulation on a European Production Order and a European Preservation Order on electronic evidence in criminal matters. It also plans to make progress on a Directive laying down harmonised rules on the appointment of legal representatives for the purpose of gathering evidence in criminal proceedings.