WUNRN
EU-Wide Protection for Victims of
Domestic Violence to Become Law
MEMO/13/449
Event Date: 22/05/2013 |
European
Commission
EU-Wide Protection for Victims of Domestic
Violence to Become Law
Victims of violence, in particular domestic violence,
will soon be able to count on EU-wide protection, after the European Parliament
voted with an overwhelming majority (602 votes in favour, 23 against, 63
abstentions) to endorse the European Commission's proposal for an EU-wide
protection order. The new regulation will mean that citizens (in most cases
women) who have suffered domestic violence can rely on a restraining order
obtained in their home country wherever they are in the EU: the protection will
travel with the citizens. In practice, the EU law will benefit women in
particular: around one in five women in
"An
estimated 1 in 5 women in
Today's vote in the European Parliament follows a
political agreement between the European Parliament and Council of Ministers at
a so-called trilogue meeting in February (MEMO/13/119). The draft Regulation will
now pass to the Council for formal adoption, expected at the meeting of
European Justice Ministers in June. The Commission proposed the Regulation on mutual recognition of protection
measures in civil matters as part of a package of measures to
improve victims’ rights (see IP/11/585 and MEMO/11/310). The Victims Directive –
which sets out minimum rights for crime victims wherever they are in the EU –
is already in the European statute book (IP/12/1200). Both instruments will also
complement the European Protection Order of 13 December
2011, which ensures free circulation of criminal
law protection measures throughout
Next steps: Ministers in the
Justice Council are expected to adopt the draft regulation at their meeting on
6-7 June. Once the Regulation is adopted and published in the EU's Official
Journal (the EU's Statute Book), the focus will move to implementation and
ensuring that Members States put in place both the Regulation and the Directive
on victims' rights (IP/12/1200) so that victims of crime and
victims of violence can benefit from protection in their everyday lives.
Background
On 18 May 2011, the European Commission proposed a package of measures to ensure a minimum level of rights, support and protection for victims across the EU, no matter where they come from or live.
This included a proposal for a Regulation on mutual
recognition of civil law protection measures. It will ensure that victims of
violence (such as domestic violence) can still rely on restraint or protection
orders issued against the perpetrator if they travel or move to another EU
country and will complement the European Protection Order, adopted on 13
December 2011 and dealing with criminal law protection orders.
The second proposal, for a Directive on victims'
rights, was adopted on 4 October 2012 by the Council of Ministers (IP/12/1066), after the European Parliament
endorsed it with an overwhelming majority on 12 September 2012 (MEMO/12/659). The directive sets out
minimum rights for victims, wherever they are in the EU. It will ensure that:
·
victims
are treated with respect and police, prosecutors and judges are trained to
properly deal with them;
·
victims
get information on their rights and their case in a way they understand;
·
victim
support exists in every
·
victims
can participate in proceedings if they want and are helped to attend the trial;
·
vulnerable
victims are identified – such as children, victims of rape, or those with
disabilities – and are properly protected;
·
victims
are protected while police investigate the crime and during court proceedings.
Member
States now have three
years to implement the provisions of the Directive into their
national laws.
Up to 15% of the EU population may fall victim of a
crime somewhere in the EU every year. The risk of being a victim is just as
great when travelling abroad as it is at home. With Europeans making around
1.25 billion trips as tourists within the EU every year, some will inevitably
become victims of crime in another country.
Minimum rules for victims are part of the EU's broader
objective to build a European area of justice, so that people can rely on the
same level of basic rights and have confidence in the justice system wherever
they are in the EU.
For more information
European Commission – victims' rights
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/criminal/victims/index_en.htm