Commission welcomes agreement on stronger EU rules ensuring victims rights
Victims of crime across the European Union will receive better support and access to information, and easier access to justice thanks to the political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission proposal for a revised Victims Rights Directive.
The revised Victims Rights Directive includes setting up victims helplines that will provide information, guidance and emotional support to victims. It will be easier for victims to report crimes online and to participate in criminal proceedings. They will receive support at courts in dedicated spaces and there will be additional psychological support available to those victims who need it. Child victims will also benefit from better access to justice in courts. Crime reporting and testifying, social services, psychological and medical care, and administrative guidance will all be better structured and coordinated to meet their specific needs.
All victims will benefit from stronger protection of their personal dataand access to compensation will be reinforced. The new rules also strengthen training activities to ensure police officers, judges and prosecutors efficiently respond to victims rights and needs.
Background
The Victims Rights Directive entered into application in 2015. Since that time, it brought a positive impact on victims rights to access information and improved their access to support services. The evaluation of the Victims Rights Directive, published in June 2022, confirmed that it has broadly generated the expected benefits. However, it also demonstrated shortcomings that require targeted improvement in relation to victims main rights.
For more information
