On 25 July 2019, the Commission decided to open infringement proceedings against nine EU Member Statesfor not having completely transposed Directive 2012/29/EU on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime. The so-called Victims’ Rights Directive establishes EU-wide minimum standards for victims of crime as regards access to information, participation in criminal proceedings, and support and protection adapted to their needs. The Commission blames the Member States for not having implemented several provisions of this Directive, such as the right to be informed about both the victims' rights and the case, or the right to support and protection.

The Commission launched the first phase of the infringement procedure by sending a letter of formal notice to the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden. The Member States must now answer the request within two months. If the Commission is not satisfied with the information and concludes that the Member States in question are failing to fulfil their obligations under EU law, the Commission may then send a formal request to comply with EU law (a “reasoned opinion”).