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EU VICTIMS’ DIRECTIVE
NOVEMBER DEADLINE
FOR NEW EU
VICTIMS’ DIRECTIVE
Despite improvements of victim support services throughout the European Union, challenges remain in many
member states, according to the first comprehensive assessment by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.
All 28 member states now have until November to transpose the EU Victims’ Directive into national law.
W
ell-resourced, well-aimed
victim support is vital to
ensure that victims of
crime have real access
to justice for the suffering they have
been caused and ensure their rights are
respected, according to the EU Agency
for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
“Assistance must be made available
to victims before, during and after criminal
proceedings, and not only legal support,
but also psychological and emotional,”
says FRA Director Morten Kjaerum. EU
member states have until November 2015
to transpose the EU Victims’ Directive into
national law, and he claims a lot of work
has to be done.
“FRA research has consistently found
that under-reporting is a major obstacle
to ensuring victims have full access to
their rights. Targeted and practical victim
support systems are a crucial element
of any strategy to increase trust in the
authorities and increase reporting rates,
without which it’s impossible to improve
the investigation and prosecution of
crime.”
Member states must transpose the
articles of the Victims’ Directive by 16
November 2015. The Directive establishes
minimum standards on the rights, support
and protection of victims of crime.
The subject of victim support is closely
linked to FRA’s other work on access to
justice, discrimination and hate crime, and
particularly to the findings of the Agency’s
large-scale surveys of people who are
most often victimised.
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS
Data collected by FRA from all 28
member states to provide information and
analysis on current procedures at national
level demonstrates a number of positive
developments:
REPORT’S RECOMMENDATIONS
To help ensure effective support
for victims throughout the EU, FRA
makes a number of suggestions in
the report:
To view the report online visit www.bit.ly/1Kei25T
• Some EU member states such as
Belgium, Estonia or Finland ensure
that victim support organisations are
run either directly at police stations
or in their immediate vicinity, making
referrals easier.
• In several member states, including
Denmark, Poland and the UK, money
is raised for victim support services
through a fund paid into by people on
conviction of a criminal offence.
• Apps have been developed in some
states such as Spain or Sweden that
provide details on court procedure,
as well as on locations and contact
details.
The Victims’ Directive is just one element
of the broader Victims’ Package. Two
other pieces of legislation entered into
force on 11 January 2015, to ensure crime
victims who are granted protection in
one EU country, will be eligible for similar
protection in another member state.
• Member states need to ensure
the provision of targeted support
services, including trauma support
and counselling, for victims with
specific needs, for example victims
with a disability, victims of sexual
violence, or irregular migrants who
become victims of crime.
• Member states must ensure they
comply with obligations in the
Victims’ Directive to train police
officers and court staff, and make
available the additional resources
needed to implement these
measures.
• Bureaucratic hurdles should be
removed so that legal aid is made
available to victims who are party to
criminal proceedings in the same way
as it currently is to defendants.
• Member states should introduce
measures that ensure victims have
access to information about their
rights and available support services,
as well as to relevant information
about their case.
• To encourage more victims to
come forward and report crimes,
member states should ensure that
information about victim support
is immediately available from all
authorities and public services with
which victims come into contact,
including the health services.