EU justice, home affairs ministers discuss fighting against organised crime at informal meeting

The fight against organised crime and handling criminal family structures were among the subjects discussed at an informal meeting of the ministers of justice and home affairs of the European Union, Romania's Ministry of Justice (MJ) reported on Wednesday.

According to a MJ press release, on Wednesday, Justice Minister Radu Marinescu participated in the informal meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers, an event that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"During the debates, topical issues were addressed, such as striking a balance between competitiveness and the right to personal data protection amid a strong European legal framework, combatting organised crime and handling criminal families, but also the need to pass effective measures, in the context of combatting violence against children," the release reads.

Marinescu welcomed, at the first working session, the usefulness of the initiative of the Danish Presidency to carry out a reflection to identify new directions of simplification and reduction of administrative burden, especially for companies, stressing, in the context, the importance of striking a balance between the need for competitiveness and the imperative of protecting personal data.

"I believe that all personal information must benefit from the level of protection offered by the regulation, all the more so as technological developments have a particular impact on the way in which data is collected and subsequently processed, with such developments raising significant concerns related to the security of personal data, such as security breaches, unauthorised access and misuse of this information," Marinescu is quoted as saying in the release.

During the second working session, Marinescu highlighted the importance of continuing discussions at European level on effective ways to fight against organised crime, including from the perspective of families or criminal gangs.

In his speech, Marinescu said that improving the implementation of existing tools, ensuring the interoperability of IT systems and strengthening cooperation between national authorities of member states should remain key priorities on the European agenda in the field of justice. Romania supports the consolidation of the European framework, through a balanced approach adapted to operational realities, which would allow for an effective reaction to all forms of organised crime, including those involving family structures.

At a working lunch, the justice ministers discussed combatting violence against children. In his speech, Marinescu underscored the importance of a common agreement on the unacceptable nature of any form of violence against children, both legally and socially. "We believe that only through a change of mentality at the level of our societies, supported by an efficient application of the legislation, can we prevent and contain these phenomena. Through an empathetic, professional and adapted justice system, we can guarantee that every victim among children is supported, listened to and protected at the highest standards," according to MJ.