Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime

Author (Corporate) ,
Series Title
Series Details L 315, Pages 57-73
Publication Date 14/11/2012
Content Type

Summary:

Directive 2012/29/EU - adopted by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on 25 October 2012 - concerning protection for victims in criminal proceedings.

Further information:

This Directive - known as the Victims' Rights Directive - aims to reinforce existing national measures with EU-wide minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime across the European Union (EU).

Its main goals are to ensure that victims of crime receive appropriate information, support and protection and may participate in criminal proceedings wherever the damage occurred in the EU. Every Member State must ensure that victims of crime are recognised and treated in a respectful, sensitive and professional manner according to their individual needs and without any discrimination.

The Directive lays down minimum standards for all victims of all crimes regardless of victims’ nationality or residence status. As soon as a crime is committed or criminal proceedings take place in the EU, the victim must be granted the rights established by the victims’ directive. Under the directive, family members of deceased victims are considered victims themselves.

The proposal for this legal act was tabled by the European Commission on 18 May 2011. The co-legislators reached an informal agreement on a compromise text for the draft law in June 2012, which was formally endorsed by the plenary of the European Parliament on 12 September, followed by the Council of the European Union on 4 October. It entered into force on 15 November 2012 and should be incorporated into national by 16 November 2015. This Directive replaces Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA.

Source Link http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2012/29/oj
Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
ILGA Europe: Resources, December 2013: Guidelines for transposition EU Crime Victims’ Directive and homophobic/transphobic hate crimes https://www.ilga-europe.org/resources/ilga-europe-reports-and-other-materials/guidelines-transposition-eu-crime-victims

Official
EUR-Lex: COM(2011)275: Proposal for a Directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2011:275:FIN
European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Rights, support and protection of victims of crime: minimum standards https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2011/0129(COD)
European Commission: Protecting victims' rights https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/criminal-justice/protecting-victims-rights_en
European Commission: Press Release, 18/05/2011: European Commission ensures better protection of crime victims https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_11_585
European Commission: Memo, 18/05/2011: Victims' rights: Frequently asked questions https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_11_310
European Commission: Memo, 10/07/2012: Victims' rights: EU Justice Commissioner Reding welcomes double vote of support from European Parliamentarians https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_12_541
European Commission: Memo, 12/09/2012: Putting Victims first: Commission welcomes European Parliament vote to improve rights for 75 million crime victims https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_12_659
European Commission: Press Release, 04/10/2012: Putting victims first: New European law improving rights for victims of crime has been adopted https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_12_1066
European Commission: Press Release, 13/11/2012: Putting victims first: New rules on victims' rights to become law https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_12_1200
European Commission: Press Release, 21/02/2014: European Day for victims of crime: Commission takes action to make improved victims' rights a reality https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_14_165
UK Government: HMRC: Statutory Guidance, February 2016: HMRC responsibilities for standards on the rights, support and protections of victims of crime (EU Victims Directive 2012/29/EU) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-eu-directives-eu-victims-directive-201229eu/hmrc-responsibilities-for-standards-on-the-rights-support-and-protections-of-victims-of-crime-eu-victims-directive-201229eu

Subject Categories
International Organisations