Brexit raises profound questions regarding the future of the EU/UK cross-border cooperation in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ). A key component of the AFSJ are common policies covering criminal justice and police cooperation aimed at fighting terrorism and crime. These policies comprise not only a dynamic body of secondary legislation laying down EU standards and rules, but also a set of EU large-scale databases and EU Home Affairs agencies, as well as various international agreements covering important issues such as the exchange and access to information with countries like the US and Canada.
The UK has been a very active contributor to the EU acquis in these fields, and has been centrally involved in the development of international cooperation with key strategic partner, and in particular the US. However, current discussions on the UK status vis-à-vis the EU questions the operability of the current AFSJ normative instruments, information sharing tools, and EU Home Affairs agencies. It is equally central for the shapes of the next phase of the EU criminal justice and security policies, tools and actors.
This Task Force will explore the main issues and dilemmas raised by Brexit for effective and efficient supranational law enforcement and judicial cooperation in Europe, as well as in transatlantic relations, in particular as regards data flows. Future models of cooperation on cross-border criminal justice and policing between the EU and the UK, as well as in their collaboration with the US in a post-Brexit scenario will be identified and evaluated.
The Task Force will in particular focus on three key areas of security and justice cooperation:
- Judicial cooperation (European Arrest Warrant, the European Investigation Order, rules on e-evidence, and transatlantic data transfer, including through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties);
- Databases/information sharing (SIS II, Prüm, and PNR); and
- Participation in EU agencies (eu-LISA, Europol, Eurojust, and the EPPO).
The Task Force, will run from February 2018 to May 2018, in the form of three meetings. It aims at reaching sound conclusions and suggesting a set of priorities and recommendations for the EU and the UK to progressively build when negotiating future agreements in these policy areas. It will provide an unique forum/platform where policy-makers, national and European practitioners, private sector representatives and experts can meet and exchange views in an open and plural format when designing the way forward models/options for future cooperation between the EU/UK and the US in criminal justice and police cooperation.
At the end of the process, CEPS will publish a concise policy-oriented report with actionable recommendations. The report will be co-authored by Dr. Sergio Carrera and Prof. Valsamis Mitsilegas.
Meetings:
- 1st meeting: Wednesday, 21 February 2018
- 2nd meeting: Wednesday, 4 April 2018, from 12:30-16:00
- 3rd meeting: Wednesday, 16 May 2018
How to join?
Download the Prospectus, consult the conditions for participation, fill in application form and return it us.
For further questions, please do not hesitate to contact Sergio Carrera, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Justice and Home Affairs Unit at CEPS by email at: sergio.carrera@ceps.eu.
