EESC Info: According to data from the European Commission, 15% of Europeans are victims of crime every year. Victims lack access to information, support and protection. What are the EESC's proposals on establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime?

Dovilė Juodkaitė: The proposed revision of the Victims' Rights Directive by the European Commission aims to enhance victims' rights, support and protection across the EU. It targets key rights crucial for safeguarding victims' rights throughout the legal process – access to information, individualised support, procedural rights and compensation. The EESC supports the proposal and focuses on specific provisions for improvement.

While there should be no hierarchy among victims and types of crimes, some victims may require additional support. The EESC welcomes amendments to improve individual victim assessment and supports specific measures for vulnerable victims, including children and people with disabilities.

Due to variations between Member States, the EESC suggests the Commission create detailed assessment guidelines for clarity on authorities' obligations, emphasising stronger obligations on training professionals on victims' rights and providing access to information. The EESC regrets the inclusion of mental health issues in the list of crimes and dangerous behaviour when assessing the offender's risk, advocating for its removal. Only factors linked to the dangerousness of a person should be included, so as not to continue discriminating against mental health issues.

The directive emphasises victims' ability to review court decisions independently, crucial for active justice participation. The EESC urges prompt notification of this right, expediting reviews. It also supports enhancing timely access to compensation by making the state advance payment in line with the compensation order and afterwards recuperating it from the offender.

Implementing the directive is crucial for consistent protection of victims' rights across the Union. The EESC urges Member States to allocate adequate funding for the transposition and implementation of the directive, emphasising the Commission's role in strengthening EU funding and aiding states with common standards and reporting formats for data collection. It suggests conducting studies and surveys on victims using a unified methodology and involving victim support services and civil society organisations in developing standards and formats.  Continuity of the work of the Victims' Rights Platform established within the framework of Victims' Rights Strategy 2020-2025 is important to guide and assist Member States in the transposition and implementation of the directive. Therefore, the EESC calls on the Commission to adopt the next term strategy, as well as Member States to adopt national strategies or programmes on victims' rights and to strengthen coordination and cooperation for cross-border cases.

The revision of the directive is a step in the right direction. By outlining where there is room for improvement, the EESC calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure that this revision ensures justice for all victims.