The EU Council's Working Party on Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters (COPEN) is scheduled to meet on 29 June 2026 in Brussels to adopt a draft report on Lithuania and exchange views on several criminal justice proposals, according to a notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council. The meeting will address items including an EU position on third-party accession to the Budapest Convention, a proposed EU-Algeria agreement on Eurojust cooperation, and reports on money laundering and environmental crime directives.
The agenda, dated 24 June 2026, lists 12 items. Under item 2, the working party will adopt a draft report on Lithuania (document 10252/26) as part of the 11th round of mutual evaluations. Item 3 involves an exchange of views on a proposal for a Council Decision on the EU position regarding third-party accession to the Budapest Convention (document 9081/26 + ADD 1), following discussions at the 27 May 2026 COPEN meeting. Item 4 will see the Commission present proposals for Council Decisions on an EU-Algeria agreement on Eurojust cooperation (documents 9977/26 and 9980/26, to be issued).
Item 5 features a Commission presentation of a report on Directive (EU) 2018/1673 on combating money laundering by criminal law (document 10802/26 + ADD 1 + ADD 2). Item 6 covers a Presidency information on a proposal for a Council Decision authorising Member States to sign the Third Additional Protocol to the European Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters (document WK 8012/26). Item 7 includes a Presidency debrief on the bilateral meeting between the Council of Europe and the EU (Strasbourg, 24 June 2026).
Item 8 involves Eurojust presenting a note (document 10238/26) and the Commission providing information on Directive (EU) 2024/1203 on environmental protection through criminal law. Item 9 features the EJN Secretariat presenting conclusions from its 65th Plenary (Copenhagen, 5-7 November 2025) on organised crime (document 9989/26) and its 66th Plenary (Limassol, Cyprus, 27-29 May 2026) on the future of the EJN (document 10265/26). Item 10 covers the Genocide Prosecution Network Secretariat presenting conclusions and report from its 39th Meeting (The Hague, 22-23 April 2026) (documents 9987/26 and 9988/26). Item 11 includes a Presidency presentation of an updated overview of ongoing and proposed international negotiations in criminal law (document WK 7826/26, to be issued). Item 12 provides information from the IE delegation on the work programme for the second semester of 2026.
The meeting advances several EU criminal justice files, including mutual evaluations, external agreements, and key directives on money laundering and environmental crime. Stakeholders impacted include EU member states (through mutual evaluations and implementation of directives), Eurojust and the European Judicial Network (operational cooperation), and third countries like Algeria and parties to the Budapest Convention (through proposed agreements). The working party's discussions will feed into subsequent Council decisions and legislative processes.