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Minister McEntee attends the virtual informal meeting of Justice Ministers hosted by the German Presidency

2December 2020

This afternoon, Minister McEntee represented Ireland at the informal meeting of EU Justice Ministers, held in virtual format.

At the meeting, Ministers discussed the Justice aspects of countering terrorism. Speaking on this topic, the Minister said,

“The threat of terrorism is an issue that should to remain at the forefront of discussions and I welcome the continued engagement by Member States on this important topic at all levels. The recent attacks on our European partners show that further work is needed to ensure that we continue to improve our efforts to tackle this problem and it is vital that Member States show solidarity in our approach to this. Ireland is committed to the continued work to strengthen the fight against terrorism and I look forward to progress being made on this as a matter of priority.”

Ministers also discussed rule of law developments in the field of Justice. Speaking on the exchange of views, the Minister said,

“Ireland very much welcomes the publication of the Commission’s first annual rule of law report which provides details of the significant developments of the rule of law in Member States. The rule of law is the foundation stone on which judicial cooperation between Member States occurs and the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental value if the rule of law is to be maintained. The sharing of best practices in terms of judicial culture can only serve to enhance public confidence in the administration of Justice in the EU.”

Other issues on the agenda at the informal meeting of Justice Ministers included a presentation by the Presidency on the regulation on assignment of claims and an update on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).