21/11/2022
The second meeting between the contact points of Latin America and the European agency Eurojust was held in Buenos Aires to further strengthen communication between the two regions.
Eurojust’s contact points in Latin America have met in Buenos Aires with members of the European agency to deepen the figure of the Joint Investigation Teams (JIT). This is a sophisticated tool of international legal cooperation for complex cases used in the European Union that has already been replicated in Latin America with the teams formed, for example, in Brazil and Paraguay. This meeting is a continuation of the work developed to date by the PAcCTO program, co-led by the FIIAPP, and Eurojust.
The contact points (CPs) are an essential element for cooperation with the competent authorities of third countries and enable rapid links to be established between judicial authorities, thus providing vital support and information for combating cross-border crime.
José de la Mata and Daniela Buruiana, national members of Eurojust from Spain and Romania, detailed the European and international regulatory frameworks for the construction of a JIT and Antonio Segovia, Director of International Cooperation of the National Prosecutor’s Office of Chile, presented the Latin American regulatory framework that exists for the constitution of these teams (from the Mercosur Framework Agreement to bilateral agreements).
For their part, the Latin American prosecutors present (the contact points) shared their concerns focused on operational aspects regarding the leadership of the JITs, conflict resolution or working language.
Some of the conclusions reached were the need to continue working together and to promote national will to intensify cooperation; the development of internal regulations on operational aspects (team members, use of evidence, etc.); the need for training in this area for judges, prosecutors and police; and the promotion of national coordination mechanisms until the formation of the JIT.
General Guidelines for Coordination with Eurojust
This second meeting is the logical continuation of the work developed to date by the PAcCTO with Eurojust. Thus, at the first meeting in 2021, the drafting of a General Guide for Coordination and Cooperation between the Contact Points and Eurojust was approved.
In addition, this work has continued during the second half of 2022 with the specific adaptation of the Guide to the national particularities of each of the 15 participating countries. The aim is to disseminate among national legal operators the work of Eurojust and the support opportunities offered by the Agency. It also includes information on how to approach and what to work on with the designated Contact Point in their countries.
