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This news item continues the reporting on key EU/CoE reactions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022: the impact on the protection of the EU’s financial interests, on the EU’s internal security policy, and on criminal law. The following overview covers the period from March 2026 to mid-June 2026.

On 4 June 2026, the ECJ ruled in Case C-326/25 (CY v 03 Rayonno upravlenie na SDVR) on the scope of Regulation 2018/1862 concerning alerts in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for objects sought for seizure or use as evidence in criminal proceedings. For …

On 30 April 2026, the ECJ delivered its judgment in Case C-748/24 (Kotaňák) concerning the presumption of innocence under Directive 2016/343. The case raised the question of how far an appellate criminal court may go, at a preliminary stage of proceedings, when assessing incriminating evidence, …

On 29 January 2026, the ECJ delivered its judgment in Case C-562/24 (Munik) concerning the mutual recognition and execution of confiscation orders under Framework Decision 2006/783/JHA. The case clarified when the rights of a mortgage creditor may prevent the execution of a …

In the first judgment interpreting Regulation 2018/1805, the ECJ clarified whether the Regulation applies to confiscation orders issued in criminal proceedings that ended in an acquittal, but in which the court nevertheless ordered confiscation of property considered to be the proceeds of another criminal offence. Furthermore, the ECJ ruled on the ground for non-recognition due to a manifest breach of fundamental rights.

On 27 April 2026, the Verwaltungsgericht Koblenz (Administrative Court of Koblenz, Germany) ruled that an identity check by the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) at the German–Luxembourg border was unlawful. The judgment is significant because it applies the revised Schengen Borders Code, in particular the amended rules on the temporary reintroduction and prolongation of internal border controls in exceptional situations involving large-scale unauthorised migration movements.

The ECJ ruled that a police authority may, in a criminal investigation, collect biometric data solely on the ground that that collection is strictly necessary. The ruling puts a stop to the practice of taking biometric data by law enforcement authorities in a routine way.

In two parallel infringement proceedings against Hungary and the Czech Republic, AG Tamara Ćapeta concluded that both Member States have failed to correctly transpose Directive 2013/48/EU on the right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings as their national legislations allow the questioning of suspects without a lawyer if the lawyer does not appear within a certain time period.

On 4 June 2026, the European Commission published the 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard, the fourteenth edition of its annual comparative overview of the efficiency, quality, and independence of the justice systems of all 27 Member States.

On 4 March 2026, the European Commission adopted a new EU Industrial Maritime Strategy and an EU Ports Strategy aimed at strengthening competitiveness, sustainability, and security across the maritime sector.The Industrial Maritime Strategy focuses on reinforcing Europe’s global leadership in shipbuilding and shipping through …