Valletta Protocol marks new step in European judicial cooperation

Malta has hosted a landmark event in European justice collaboration with the signing of the Third Additional Protocol to the 1959 European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.

“This is a clear message, Europe stands together to ensure justice knows no borders,” Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said during the ceremony in Valletta.

Ministers, dignitaries and legal experts were welcomed from across Europe with the ceremony including speeches from Bjorn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, who spoke of the need for stronger judicial cooperation and reaffirmed the Council of Europe’s commitment to justice, human rights and the rule of law.

In his address, Attard spoke of the enduring importance of the 1959 Convention, describing it as a cornerstone of judicial cooperation in Europe. He said the new Valletta Protocol is a forward-looking response to the changing nature of crime, which is increasingly transnational, digital and complex.

The Protocol introduces reforms to modernise judicial cooperation. These include faster and more secure communication between authorities through direct exchanges, electronic requests, and urgent recourse to Interpol.

Other changes include making mutual assistance procedures faster and easier, allowing it in more situations, expanding electronic communication, and permitting surveillance tools such as GPS trackers and phone interception.

To ensure fairness, the Protocol clarifies cost-sharing arrangements and strengthens data protection rules, so that personal data is used only for its intended purpose. It also creates a mechanism for the friendly settlement of disputes under the Council of Europe’s Committee on Crime Problems.

“These provisions are not only innovative and practical, but they also uphold the highest standards of rule of law, due process, and human dignity,” Attard said.

The signing took place at the margins of the Ministerial Conference, under the Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

From all the Member States, Sixteen signed the Protocol, with Attard signing on behalf of Malta, in the presence of Ambassador Francesca Camilleri Vettiger, Permanent Representative of Malta to the Council of Europe.

Malta called on all remaining Member States to join the protocol, reinforcing unity against organised crime and outdated procedures.