EU strengthens legal protections and support systems for victims of crime

On Wednesday evening, negotiators from Parliament reached an informal agreement with the Council to update the 2012 Victims’ Rights directive following a proposal by the Commission in 2023.

The agreement succeeds in:

• strengthening the rights of victims during criminal proceedings, including through information and emotional support at court premises, legal aid for the duration of the trial for victims with insufficient means, and speeding up payment of the awarded compensation by the offender;
• setting up helplines to provide information, support and referrals to relevant services, available online, via applications, and an EU-wide 116 006 phone number;
• introducing the possibility to report criminal offences in person and online, including for persons whose liberty is restricted, such as those people in prisons, in institutional care settings, and in immigration-related facilities for non-EU nationals. Third party reporting through civil society organisations should also be facilitated;
• support services available to victims with specific needs, based on individual assessment by trained persons; specific support should be provided for those in need of physical protection and in life threatening situations or for victims of sexual violence in particular, healthcare services can include, where legally available in a given EU country and in accordance with national law, emergency contraception, post-exposure prophylaxis treatment, testing for sexually transmitted infections and access to abortion;
• ensuring the highest standards of protection and support for child victims, by adopting a child friendly approach, and including various services (e.g. medical examination, psychological support, video recording of testimonies, crime reporting) if possible, within the same premises.

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Co-rapporteur for the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee Lucia Yar (Renew, Slovakia) said: “Parliament fought hard and secured major, concrete gains for victims – from stronger privacy protections to new rights to challenge judicial decisions, for example on legal aid and on the right to be heard. We also achieved a historic milestone: the first-ever reference to abortion in EU legislation, recognising that access to sexual and reproductive healthcare is essential for survivors of sexual violence. This deal is a victory for victims, for women and for a more just and equal Europe.”

Co-rapporteur for the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee Javier Zarzalejos (EPP, Spain) said: “The new directive is a major achievement that will raise protection standards across the European Union. It facilitates the reporting of crimes to prevent impunity, strengthens protection for the most vulnerable victims, mobilises additional resources, and reinforces victims’ rights and safeguards. This directive clearly demonstrates the European Union’s relevance for its citizens.”

Chair of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee Lina Galvez (S&D, Spain) added: “This new directive is very timely. Protecting victims, including protection of their privacy (or non-disclosure of their personal data), support, and access to justice, along with providing sexual and reproductive healthcare to victims of rape, which may include abortion in accordance with national law, has been a long-standing priority of the FEMM Committee and this Parliament. Women and girls already carry the weight of sexual violence; refusing them the care they need would gave been an unacceptable and unlawful escalation of that harm.”

Next steps

The agreement needs to be formally adopted by Parliament and Council before it can enter into force.

For more information: European Parliament