The general approach of the Directive on combating sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, as well as the one on combating illegal migration, were passed during the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA), the Ministry of Justice announced on Friday.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Justice sent to AGERPRES on Friday, the Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, participated in the JHA meeting in Brussels.
During the debates, the general approach relating to the Directive on combating illegal migration was passed, an activity that is as reprehensible as it is profitable, with the member states agreeing on the need for a firm response at the Union level, mentions the cited source, who adds that the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, highlighted the historical importance of full integration of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen area, by the unanimous decision of the JHA Council on Thursday.
Also, the ministers of justice passed the general approach of the Directive on combating sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, an absolutely necessary legal framework in the concerted effort to combat sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, as well as child pornography, especially from the perspective technological and societal developments of the last decade.
At the same time, the ministry conveys that the officials from the member states have adopted the partial general approach regarding the Directive on the harmonization of certain aspects of insolvency law, a crucial legislative initiative for the creation of integrated European capital markets and for the facilitation of investments.
The JHA Council also included an exchange of opinions dedicated to the future of the criminal law of the European Union, Romania actively supporting the steps that can contribute to improving the quality of criminal legislation at the level of the Union.
European officials also had in mind an evaluation of the state of coordinated measures in the fight against impunity, in the context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, and the President of the Eurojust Agency, Michael Schmid, reiterated their determination to support these irreversible steps.
The theme of the working lunch of the Ministers of Justice followed the development of the actions foreseen by the conclusions of the Council regarding the use of artificial intelligence systems in the field of justice, also adopted on the occasion of the meeting of the JHA Council on December 12, 2024. The exchange of views initiated a robust identification exercise of the purposes of using these systems, respecting the 'human centric' approach to their implementation.
"The Minister of Justice, Alina-Stefania Gorghiu, had a dialogue, on the sidelines of the meeting, with the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, on which occasion she reaffirmed Romania's commitment to supporting the values and principles of the state. At the same time, the Romanian official had an exchange of views with the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, welcoming the full integration of of Romania in the Schengen area and ensuring that the Romanian state will remain a solid and stable partner in the European construction", the Ministry of Justice informs.