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Ministers of Justice from nine EU Member States convene in Helsinki

Ministry of Justice
Publication date 28.4.2014 9.21
Press release -

The Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen and Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson discussed the future of the European area of justice with Ministers of Justice from other Member States of the European Union on Monday. The informal meeting was attended by Ministers of Justice from nine Member States.

Minister Henriksson was pleased with the discussions conducted with her colleagues.

- We have a good mutual understanding about the direction of the development of the European area of justice in the near future. We must, also in future, strive towards an open and safe Europe, where citizens can be certain that their rights are realised and where the Member States can trust each other, says Minister of Justice Henriksson.

- The EU Member States have committed themselves to common values and obligations: adherence to democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law.

- Measures to ensure that these common values of the Union are respected must be developed and strengthened in the EU. This way we can increase both the trust between the Member States and the citizens' trust in the Union, Henriksson emphasises.

The participants of the informal meeting were the French Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira, the Greek Minister of Justice Charalampos Athanassiou, the Swedish Minister of Justice Beatrice Ask, the Dutch Minister of Justice Ivo Opstelten, the Danish Minister of Justice Karen Hækkerup, the Latvian Minister of Justice Baiba Broka, the Estonian Minister of Justice Andres Anvelt, and the Lithuanian Vice Minister of Justice Paulius Griciūnas.

The objective is to decide on new strategic guidelines for the European area of justice in the meeting of the EU Heads of States to be held in June.

The topics of the afternoon's discussion that is open to the public are the future of the European area of justice, fundamental rights and the rule of law as well as anti-corruption activities. The event features speeches by Prime Minister Katainen, Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström and Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights Morten Kjaerum. In addition, a panel discussion between the Ministers of Justice will be conducted.

More than 300 participants have pre-registered to attend the event at the University of Helsinki.

Further information: Robin Harms, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. 0500 993 346
Jussi Mäkinen, Adviser for International Affairs, tel. 02951 50528
e-mail: [email protected]

Anna-Maja Henriksson Jyrki Katainen
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