The Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) is one of the configurations of the
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union, often referred to in the treaties and other official documents simply as the Council, and informally known as the Council of Ministers, is the third of the seven Institutions of the European Union (EU) as ...
and is composed of the justice and home affairs ministers of the 27
European Union member states.
Composition
JHA is composed of the justice and home affairs ministers of the 27
European Union member states.
[ While most member states send one minister for both sectors, others send one minister for justice and another for home affairs.][
The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, the ]European Commissioner for Justice
The Commissioner for Justice and Commissioner for Equality are posts in the European Commission. The portfolios of Justice and Equality were previously combined as ''Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality'' under commissioner i ...
and the European Commissioner for Equality also participate in the meetings.[
]
Tasks
The Justice and Home Affairs Council develops cooperation and common policies on various cross-border issues, with the aim of building an EU-wide area of justice.
Cross-border issues include guaranteeing fundamental rights, free movement of citizens, civil protection, asylum and immigration matters, common investigations into cross-border organised crime, the EU's security strategy, including the fight against terrorism and organised crime, cybercrime and violent radicalisation.
The council covers legislation relating to:[
* Free movement of persons, asylum and immigration
* Judicial cooperation in civil matters
* Judicial cooperation in criminal matters
* Police and customs cooperation
* Citizenship of the Union
* Combating discrimination
* Fight against terrorism
* Fight against organised crime
* Fight against trafficking in human beings
* Combating drugs
* Justice, freedom and security: enlargement
]
Legislative procedure
Since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty
The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
, the Council takes its decisions on most justice and home affairs legislation in co-decision with the European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
according to the ordinary legislative procedure
The European Union adopts legislation through a variety of legislative procedures. The procedure used for a given legislative proposal depends on the policy area in question. Most legislation needs to be proposed by the European Commission and ...
.[
]
See also
* Area of freedom, security and justice
The area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) is a collection of justice as well as migration & home affairs policies designed to ensure security, rights and free movement within the European Union (EU). Fields covered include the harmonisati ...
*
* European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...
** European Commissioner for Justice
The Commissioner for Justice and Commissioner for Equality are posts in the European Commission. The portfolios of Justice and Equality were previously combined as ''Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality'' under commissioner i ...
** European Commissioner for Equality
** European Commissioner for Home Affairs
References
External links
About the Justice and Home Affairs Council
Press releases of the Justice and Home Affairs Council
{{Council of the European Union
Council of the European Union