ZAGREB, January 23, 2020 – An informal meeting of the EU’s ministers of justice and internal affairs, the first EU ministerial meeting to be held in Zagreb during Croatia’s presidency of the EU, started on Thursday with a discussion on ways to strengthen judicial cooperation and the rule of law in the EU.
EU justice ministers are meeting on Thursday, while the ministers of the interior will meet on Friday.
Attending the informal meeting, at which no decisions will be adopted, are also European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders and EU Public Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi.
The meeting is chaired by Croatian Justice Minister Dražen Bošnjaković.
The ministers will discuss ways to further strengthen judicial cooperation among EU member-states, progress on the European Council’s Guidelines for the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, ways to strengthen education in judicial matters, and the importance of judicial networks in civil and commercial legal cases.
Dutch Minister Sander Dekker said before the meeting that the rule of law would probably also be a topic.
Citing alleged degradation of the rule of law, Brussels has activated mechanisms defined by Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union against Poland and Hungary. If the two countries are found to be violating European values, it could result in the suspension of their voting rights in the EU.
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