PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE AND THE REFORM OF THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR Minister Jonathan Attard attends and participates in the EU Council of Justice Ministers

Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction sector Jonathan Attard attended and participated in the Justice Ministers’ Council which met in Brussels and focused on a range of legislative and non-legislative themes, which are considered important for improving justice and security across Europe.

During the legislative discussions, a directive aimed at establishing minimum rules to prevent migrant smuggling was discussed, seeking to create a unified approach among EU Member States.

Another significant subject was the directive on combating the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, where a general approach to strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals was agreed. On this subject, Minister Attard said that Malta remains firm in its commitment to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation and supports various aspects, including the inclusion of new crimes related to solicitation and exploitation of children. He said that in today’s digital era, we need to recognise the importance of tackling online abuse and exploitation including live streaming.

Non-legislative topics on the agenda included an exchange of views on the future of criminal law in Europe, with Minister Attard reiterating that Member States should retain the possibility to adapt and apply these tools in a way that remains coherent and consistent with their respective national legal systems and traditions.

He stressed that Malta welcomes the continuation of discussions on the future of EU criminal law, while always keeping in mind the principles of attribution, subsidiarity and proportionality which should remain the foundation for any future initiative in this field.

The Council of Ministers also addressed the need to strengthen cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, stressing that collaboration should extend not only among EU Member States but also with third countries to effectively address these challenges.

This Council meeting was chaired for the first time by European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Commissioner Michael McGrath.

Minister Attard took this opportunity to congratulate him for this role and reaffirmed Malta’s commitment to continue implementing reforms that strengthen the Rule of Law and ensure access to justice for all citizens.