Videoconference of EU-USA Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs

As part of regular political dialogue between the European Union and the United States of America, Croatia, in its capacity as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, held a videoconference of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the EU i and the USA. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia Davor Božinović and the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Croatia Dražen Bošnjaković.

Amidst the circumstances conditioned by the outbreak of the new coronavirus and its global spread, discussion at the videoconference focused on European and US positions on important issues in the area of justice and home affairs during and after the pandemic. The emphasis was on the exchange of information on measures taken, lessons learnt and plans for the forthcoming period. The participants of the videoconference agreed that regular dialogue between the European Union and the USA is of great help to both sides in these new circumstances facilitating necessary modification and updating of priorities in order to maintain continuity and continue effective trans-Atlantic cooperation in the area of justice and home affairs.

Since responses to the challenges in security and mobility, in addition to those in the health and economic areas, are very important, today's videoconference was, from the European perspective, an opportunity to recapitulate the role of the European Union in adopting relevant measures and initiatives in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic within and beyond the Union borders.

Four areas of cooperation discussed

The participants of the ministerial conference discussed four essential areas of cooperation and noted specifics related and/or caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Ministers of the Interior discussed crime in the circumstances of the COVID-19 epidemic, primarily commenting on cybercrime, including online exploitation of children, and fight against terrorism with a special emphasis on spreading propaganda of racially motivated, violent and extremist content. Cybercrime is recognised as a sphere within which coordination and speedy exchange of information and new insights are crucial if not decisive. The increase in malwares, focus on IT networks of vital systems, such as health system, and the increase in cyberespionage were singled out as negative novelties. Europe and the USA monitor with special care the possible impact of the pandemic on the increase of social intolerance and tensions, which could result in radicalisation. It was concluded that such a trend should be an additional impetus for the adoption of regulation on removal of terrorist content online as soon as possible. The Ministers of Home Affairs considered the effectiveness of measures for restricting travel and conditions of travel, and restrictions in place for crossing national borders. Emphasis was laid on the importance of a coordinated and gradual relaxation of measures, with the objective of reaching full freedom of movement and lifting of border controls, all of this in line with the development of the epidemiological situation in order to avoid the second wave of infections. Moreover, the participants assessed the progress achieved in attaining visa reciprocity, which is a priority topic of European-American cooperation with regard to movement of people in spite of restrictive measures.

The Ministers of Justice discussed criminal justice, contact tracing apps and emergency measures to ensure functionality of justice systems in conditions of emergency, quarantine and isolation. They also touched upon the impact of restrictive measures on the execution of the European arrest warrant, especially in the part of surrendering the person to the issuing state.

The Ministers also discussed fight against disinformation related to COVID-19 in the sense of comprehensive combatting at all - state and non-state - levels, as well as developing cooperation with online service providers, especially with regard to the issue of content management, suspicious trade and online frauds. It was emphasised that the best fight against disinformation and various conspiracy theories is positive communication based on science and facts and international cooperation.

At the end of the videoconference, priorities of the forthcoming German Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the area of Justice and Home Affairs were presented.