At the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg, ministers agreed to begin  EU-US negotiations on cross border access to e-evidence.

The 6-7 June council meeting agreed that law agencies should push for transatlantic sharing of electronically stored evidence, while also respecting individual rights.  

Minister of State David Stanton (pictured) welcomed the move saying the move is of particular interest to Ireland given the number of foreign technology companies that are based here

In relation to migration and asylum, the minister welcomed the increased focus on creating more legal pathways into Europe and on working with countries of origin and transit.

Irregular migration

“Tackling the root causes of irregular migration remains a key aspect of our ongoing work. Engagement and cooperation with third countries is critical and the establishment of the EU Trust Fund for Africa has already proven to be a useful way to support countries of origin and transit in a tailored way. 

Ireland’s contribution to the fund is the third highest per-capita of the EU Member States.

In the margins of the Council meetings, Minister Stanton also held preliminary discussions with a number of other Member States about the scope for the future cooperation and exchanges of experiences in the area of youth justice.

Ireland is currently developing a new youth justice strategy.