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Ministers have discussed also the possible measures in the area of e-Commerce, as well as further development of e-Justice concept. However, at the beginning of the meeting Ministers also touched upon recent tragic events in France.
The Presidency strongly condemns the recent Paris terrorist attacks, and is ready to continue work on strengthening counter-terrorism measures at the European level, inter alia, by exploring its judicial aspects. In this regard, the Presidency is convinced that there is a need to reflect on how to ensure maximum use of existing legislative and non-legislative instruments in the area of justice. As the Latvian Minister for Justice, Dzintars Rasnačs, stressed, counter-terrorism measures are a major challenge for Europe.
The data protection package has been on the agenda of the EU Council for over three years. One of the Latvian Presidency priorities is to develop a digital Europe, therefore the Presidency is interested in achieving a substantial progress on the data protection reform. During the meeting the Ministers were invited to express their views on the scope of the General Data Protection Directive that would apply to police and criminal justice authorities.
The last session was devoted to digitalisation of justice. The Ministers discussed ways to promote digital solutions and tools for justice in the areas of e-Commerce and e-Justice, i.e., modernisation of justice, which would allow easier access to justice for citizens.
At the end of the meeting Minister for Justice, Dzintars Rasnačs, started a new tradition for the Chair of the Meetings of the EU Ministers for Justice to have a Presidency gavel and base, the symbols of justice, which would travel to each rotating EU Council presidency.
