EU justice ministers focussed on anti-corruption and strengthening of fundamental rights

The first official Justice and Home Affairs Council during the Finnish Presidency met in Luxembourg on 7–8 October. The justice affairs session was chaired by Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson.

In their meeting on 7 October, the justice ministers discussed whether additional actions are needed at EU level to fight corruption. They also exchanged views on fundamental rights challenges in 2020 and beyond. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Other issues on the agenda included:

• EU actions to combat hate speech online
• Negotiations on the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights
• Negotiations for international agreements to facilitate cross-border access to electronic evidence
• Progress on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)
• New judicial counter-terrorism register of Eurojust, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation

The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting continues on 8 October in the home affairs configuration.