On 24 June 2026, the European Commission published a proposal to revise the Eurojust Regulation and Annex with the aim of modernising the Agency's mandate and strengthening its role in tackling serious cross-border crime.

The proposal is part of a larger package published on 24 June 2026 to strengthen the EU's response to the evolving criminal landscape. The package includes two regulations to strengthen the mandates of Europol and Eurojust, a revision of the European Investigation Order, and amendments to the Data Protection Regulation for Union institutions and bodies.

Following Eurojust's evaluation published on 2 July 2025 (→eucrim 2/2025, 130-131), the proposal seeks to address the identified shortcomings.

The proposed revision of the Eurojust Regulation aims to strengthen and expand the Agency's operational capacities and its role in cross-border criminal justice cooperation: collecting electronic evidence, freezing criminal assets and identifying links between cases, while enhancing the Agency's involvement in emerging crime areas such as cybercrime, violations of EU restrictive measures, and gender-based violence. The proposal also seeks to reinforce support for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs).

On the governance side, the reform would streamline Eurojust's decision-making structures and require Member States to appoint National Members with prosecutorial or judicial powers, enabling the Agency to respond more effectively in urgent cross-border cases. In addition, the proposal envisages closer cooperation and more systematic information exchange with Europol, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), and other EU partners to improve operational coordination. Finally, it would strengthen Eurojust's engagement with priority third countries, allowing for earlier and more effective international cooperation in criminal investigations. A factsheet is available here.

In detail, the proposed Eurojust Regulation consists of nine chapters:

(1) General Objectives and Scope

The first chapter sets out Eurojust's legal framework, confirming its status as a Union agency with legal personality and its seat in The Hague. It defines the Agency's objective of strengthening judicial cooperation in combating serious cross-border crime and outlines its core tasks, including the coordination of investigations, the identification of links between cases, the preservation of evidence of core international crimes, support for asset recovery, and cooperation with partners such as Europol and the EPPO. The chapter also defines Eurojust's competence and the circumstances under which it may act, including in relation to the EPPO and third countries.

(2) Governance and Organisational Structure

The second chapter defines Eurojust's management and operational structures. While the Management Board, Executive Board, and Administrative Director are responsible for administrative and strategic matters, the operational core of Eurojust remains centred on the National Members and the College. Each Member State continues to second one National Member to Eurojus's seat in The Hague, supported by at least one Deputy and one Assistant. The Regulation distinguishes between powers that National Members may exercise independently and those exercised by the College, composed of all National Members, as Eurojust's main operational decision-making body. Independent powers of the National Members include, for instance, exchanging operational information, managing cases in the Case Management System, organising coordination meetings and centres, supporting JITs, requesting investigations or prosecutions, and assisting in resolving conflicts of jurisdiction. Other powers require the agreement of the competent national authority, including the issuing or execution of judicial cooperation and mutual recognition instruments. Acting independently, the College handles casework, takes operational decisions in cases referred by Member States or initiated by Eurojust, and elects the President and Vice-President from among its members for four-year terms.

(3) Operational Powers and Case Management

The third chapter constitutes the core of the proposed Regulation and sets out the different forms of Eurojust's operational support. It strengthens Eurojust's role in coordinating cross-border investigations and prosecutions, including through coordination meetings, coordination centres, judicial cooperation instruments, assistance in resolving conflicts of jurisdiction, and enhanced support for JITs. The chapter also introduces judicial coordination platforms to support particularly complex cross-border cases through operational, analytical, legal, and financial assistance. The proposal reinforces Eurojust's proactive role by allowing National Members, under defined conditions, to request national authorities to undertake or extend investigations, establish JITs, prioritise cooperation requests, or take other appropriate measures. It also expands Eurojust's role in preserving, analysing, and sharing evidence relating to core international crimes and in developing expertise, guidelines, and best practices in priority crime areas. In addition, the chapter strengthens cooperation and information exchange between Eurojust and national authorities. Member States would be required to establish Eurojust national coordination systems to ensure effective links between National Desks and relevant authorities. The Case Management System (CMS) would remain the central tool for managing cases, cross-checking information, and processing operational data, supported by secure digital communication channels.

(4) Processing of Operational Personal Data

The fourth chapter establishes the data protection framework applicable to Eurojust's processing of operational personal data. It clarifies that the specific data protection rules contained in the Eurojust Regulation apply alongside the general EU rules governing the processing of personal data by Union institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies. The chapter defines the categories of data that Eurojust may process, sets retention periods and safeguards, regulates data subject rights, and restricts access to operational data to authorised persons, including National Members and designated Eurojust staff. It also establishes rules on data protection oversight, data breaches, and responsibility for data accuracy and compliance.

(5) Cooperation with EU Bodies and International Partners

The fifth chapter strengthens Eurojust's cooperation with EU bodies, agencies, and international partners. It establishes a framework for working arrangements with Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, as well as third-country authorities and international organisations. It also introduces a common hit/no-hit system, allowing designated EU bodies and agencies – in particular Europol, the EPPO, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), and the EU Customs Authority (EUCA) – to indirectly identify relevant information held in Eurojust's Case Management System. The chapter further strengthens Eurojust's cooperation with the European Judicial Network (EJN), the JITs Network, the European Judicial Cybercrime Network (EJCN), and the European Judicial Organised Crime Network (EJOCN). It sets out the framework for cooperation with Europol, including information exchange and possible joint operational platforms. It also sets out cooperation with the EPPO, based on mutual cooperation within their respective mandates, including the secondment of an EPPO liaison officer to Eurojust. It covers Eurojust's relations with OLAF, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), AMLA, and the EUCA. Finally, the chapter regulates international cooperation with third-country authorities and international organisations through cooperation strategies, the posting of Eurojust liaison magistrates, the secondment of liaison prosecutors from third countries and international organisations, and the designation of contact points to facilitate judicial cooperation.

(6) Budgetary and Financial Provisions

The sixth chapter sets out the rules governing Eurojust's budgetary process, implementation, and financial control. It defines the roles of the Administrative Director, the Management Board, and the EU budgetary authorities and establishes requirements on reporting, auditing, and financial accountability, including the involvement of the Court of Auditors and OLAF.

(7) Staff

The seventh chapter lays down the rules applicable to Eurojust's staff, who operate under the authority of the Administrative Director and are subject to the EU Staff Regulations. It also provides for the use of seconded national experts and confirms the application of EU privileges and immunities to Eurojust and its staff.

(8) Reporting, Evaluation, and Accountability

The eighth chapter establishes Eurojust's accountability framework. It requires the Agency to submit annual reports to the European Parliament, the Council, and national parliaments and provides for regular independent evaluations of Eurojust's performance and continued relevance. It also allows the Commission and Member States to request Eurojust's views on legislative proposals concerning judicial cooperation in criminal matters.

(9) Final and Transitional Provisions.

The final chapter contains the rules on Eurojust's operational framework and the transition to the new Regulation. It covers access to documents, security rules, language arrangements, liability, and the Headquarters Agreement with the Netherlands. The chapter repeals the current Eurojust Regulation while ensuring continuity of the Agency's legal status, staff, ongoing activities, CMS, data processing operations, and existing cooperation arrangements.

The proposal will now be examined by the European Parliament and the Council before the revised instrument can be adopted and enter into force.