The meeting, chaired by Italian Minister Andrea Orlando, allowed the participants to exchange their views and contribute with progressive ideas on the subjects of fair penalties and prison systems in Europe.
The Ministers also debated at length the ongoing refugee crisis. The participants highlighted the need to promote the core principles of solidarity and sharing responsibility but also the necessity to deepen judicial cooperation, combat the rise of xenophobia and to put forward a holistic approach to managing the crisis.
Minister Orlando announced “the phenomenon we are witnessing now is complex and needs a coordinated strategy at the EU level. In order to handle this crisis, we must cooperate, share responsibilities and work tirelessly for better migration and integration policies. As social-democrats, we need to tackle the repressive rhetoric of extremists and populists movements by showing that solidarity and responsibility drive our actions in managing this crisis.”
The ministers agreed to meet in December before the last JHA reunion under the Luxembourgish presidency of the EU.
List of participants:
- Andrea Orlando, Minister of Justice, Italy, Chair
- Orsat Miljenic, Minister of Justice, Croatia
- Heiko Maas, Minister of Justice, Germany
- Paulius Griciūnas, Vice-Minister of Justice, Lithuania
- Owen Bonnici, Minister of Justice, Malta
- Josef Weidenholzer, Vice-President of S&D
