Judicial co-op needs mutual trust in EU: Henriksson

Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson on Thursday said that judicial cooperation requires mutual trust between the courts of EU member states, said an official press release.

Mutual trust, on the other hand, is based on the premises that our shared values are respected, Henriksson said at the meeting of the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters in Helsinki.

October marks 20 years since the European Council met in Tampere and decided that the EU will be developed into an area of freedom, security and justice.

“The European Union is a union of shared values and justice. Citizens' trust in a well-functioning judicial system is of utmost importance in Europe and in all democratic societies. That is why we must strengthen the rule of law,” Henriksson said.

Henriksson praised the European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters for having facilitated judicial cooperation between member states already for more than 15 years.

The objective of the network is to simplify and enhance cooperation between the judicial authorities of the member states. Enhancing good judicial cooperation and mutual trust contributes to strengthening a common rule of law culture.

More than 130 legal practitioners from all EU member states will attend the meeting of the network. The topics on the agenda include judicial cooperation within the EU and the recognition and enforcement of judgments.

The event is part of Finland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.