The Council of the European Union is being asked to sign an agreement between the EU and Algeria that would allow Eurojust and Algerian judicial authorities to cooperate and exchange personal data in the fight against serious crime, including organised crime, terrorism, corruption, money laundering and cybercrime. The proposal, published on 25 June 2026, will be discussed at the Council meeting scheduled for 29 June 2026.
The agreement covers cooperation on serious crimes listed in Annex I and related criminal offences. Under its terms, Algeria must designate at least one contact point, with an additional one for terrorism, and second a Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust. Eurojust may in turn second a Liaison Magistrate to Algeria. Personal data may be transferred only for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences, subject to strict conditions.
Onward transfers to other Algerian authorities, third countries or international organisations require prior explicit authorisation from Eurojust, with exceptions for bodies listed in Annexes III and IV. Special categories of data, such as those revealing racial origin, health information or biometric data, as well as data on victims and witnesses, require strict necessity and proportionality. Automated individual decisions producing adverse legal effects are prohibited unless authorised by law with adequate safeguards.
Data subjects are granted rights of access, rectification, erasure and restriction of processing. A joint supervisory mechanism is established under Article 24, and dispute resolution procedures are set out in Article 27. The agreement creates a legal framework for direct EU-Algeria judicial cooperation and personal data exchange in criminal matters, with robust data protection safeguards and oversight.
For EU law enforcement and judicial bodies, the agreement enables direct cooperation with Algeria, potentially improving cross-border crime fighting. For Algerian authorities, it provides a structured channel to access Eurojust's expertise and coordination. For data subjects, the strict data protection conditions and rights offer safeguards against misuse. For organised crime and terrorist networks, the enhanced cooperation may increase the risk of detection and prosecution. The agreement does not impose new obligations on EU businesses or citizens directly, but may indirectly affect them through more effective law enforcement.