Ladislav Hamran began his journey at Eurojust in 2007 as the National Member for the Slovak Republic. He was appointed Vice-President in 2013 and has served as President since 2017. Under his leadership, Eurojust has experienced a remarkable evolution in its role, responsibilities and global reputation. With his mandate ending in November, President Hamran looks back on seventeen challenging and impactful years at the agency.
By Ladislav Hamran
In May last year, following 132 arrests in one of Eurojust’s landmark operations against mafia-style organised crime in ten different countries, the Chief Prosecutor of Munich commented: ‘We couldn’t have done it without Eurojust.’ It might seem a straightforward statement, but the recognition from national authorities is not something I take for granted. In fact, Eurojust has spent the past 22 years carefully building its reputation as a unique hub for cross-border judicial cooperation. Thankfully, our efforts have not been in vain: when Eurojust was first established, all of its case files could fit into a few moving boxes. Today, we manage over 13,000 cases annually.
At the same time, Eurojust’s impressive growth extends beyond the volume of cases, and our entire approach to cross-border judicial cooperation has changed significantly. One of the most valuable lessons I have learned at Eurojust is the importance of continuous evolution. Criminals keep devising new and innovative methods for their illegal activities and we face a growing range of challenges in our efforts to uphold the rule of law. With this in mind, I have focussed my presidency on expanding Eurojust’s geographical reach, advancing our technological capabilities and broadening the range of crimes that we address.
A global endeavour
In an increasing number of cases at Eurojust, the key to success lies in close cooperation with countries outside the European Union. Criminals are undeterred by national or even continental borders, making the fight against crime a truly global endeavour. Throughout my tenure as president, I have been a firm believer in the power of partnership, dedicating much of my time to forging new alliances and reinforcing existing ones.
One of the challenges of working with colleagues from other parts of the world is knowing who to talk to. Eurojust offers a worldwide network of Contact Points that is readily accessible to all EU prosecutors and has expanded significantly in recent years, growing from 40 to over 70 jurisdictions since 2017. Our global approach is also reflected at Eurojust’s headquarters, where we house not only prosecutors from the 27 EU Member States but also liaison prosecutors from non-EU countries such as the United States, Ukraine, Georgia and the Western Balkan region. During my presidency, we welcomed nine new liaison prosecutors, bringing the total to twelve.
In another important milestone, Eurojust has started hosting projects dedicated to cooperation with specific regions. In 2019, we welcomed the EuroMed Justice Programme, which has been instrumental in developing relations with judicial authorities in the nine South Partner Countries of the European Union. Last year, we launched the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project to strengthen cooperation within the Western Balkans and between the region and the European Union in the fight against organised crime and terrorism.
Our efforts to establish global partnerships do not stop here. In the coming years, Eurojust aims to secure additional International Agreements with non-EU countries, allowing us to welcome even more liaison prosecutors. For this purpose, we have identified priority regions, including Latin America, where cooperation is crucial in the fight against organised drug trafficking. We recently took an important step forward by signing Working Arrangements for closer strategic cooperation with six Latin American countries.
Embracing innovation
In today’s information era, prosecutors succeed by having the right information at the right time. They must quickly determine if their counterparts across borders are investigating the same suspects, if there are connections to larger criminal or terrorist networks, or if crucial evidence from abroad could be key to securing a conviction. To crack cross-border cases effectively, we need fast, secure information exchange – and that depends on having the right digital tools.
The downside is that new technologies also present significant challenges. Encrypted mobile phones allow criminal networks to hide their communications, while cybercriminals can carry out their activities without ever leaving the comfort of their own homes. Despite these hurdles, I remain optimistic. When we use technology for good, there is great potential to enhance the effectiveness and success of our investigations and prosecutions.
In recent years, Eurojust has taken critical steps to modernise the digital tools essential for cross-border judicial cooperation. Under the banner of ‘Digital Criminal Justice,’ we have launched several innovative initiatives. One key development is an online platform that allows countries collaborating in Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) to set up, plan and coordinate their operations with ease, ensuring efficient communication and the secure sharing of vast amounts of information and evidence.
Moreover, we are developing a cutting-edge Case Management System that will move us beyond outdated, manual data entry methods to a structured, encrypted and fully automated process for handling operational data. By embracing these technological advancements, we are not only future-proofing our procedures, but also strengthening our collective ability to combat crime on a global scale.
Ending impunity
Of all Eurojust’s achievements during my Presidency, I am perhaps most proud of our response to the war in Ukraine. Expanding beyond our traditional focus on organised crime and terrorism, we have taken a leading role in combating impunity by holding perpetrators of international crimes – war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression – accountable for their actions.
Just three weeks after the start of the Russian invasion, we helped to set up a JIT between Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland, later joined by four more EU Member States, to coordinate their investigations into crimes committed in the context of the war. This was the first time the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) had participated in a JIT, while Europol and the United States were also closely involved. Our agency offers advanced legal advice, logistical and financial support, and equipment with state-of-the-art encryption.
The war in Ukraine is likely to be the most documented armed conflict in history. With evidence collected by national authorities, the ICC, non-governmental organisations and civil societies, we launched the Core International Crimes Evidence Database in February 2023 to streamline and coordinate these efforts. We use this database to preserve, analyse and store evidence related to the war in Ukraine, and potentially other conflicts in the future. It helps us establish connections, identify gaps and guide prosecutors on next steps. The database already contains over 2,300 files submitted by 14 countries.
We did not stop there. To defend the rule of law, all perpetrators of international crimes must be held accountable for their actions. There can be no exception for the leadership crime of aggression, which is why we set up the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA) in July 2023. Through the ICPA, Ukraine, several EU Member States and the United States are securing crucial evidence and making sure that no time is lost in building a case for the future prosecution of the crime of aggression – wherever that prosecution will take place.
The importance of people
Impressive as these achievements may be, none of them would have been possible without the incredibly talented, dedicated and hardworking team at Eurojust. The old adage that human resources are the most valuable asset certainly holds true. I therefore extend my deepest gratitude to my fellow National Members and the Eurojust Administration – it has been a profound honour to serve as their President.
To the members of the diplomatic community in The Hague, I would like to say that it has been an absolute privilege to have worked together in advancing the cause of justice. By promoting Eurojust and connecting us to the judicial authorities in their home countries, colleagues from embassies and international organisations have made a vital contribution to our work. I am hopeful that this strong partnership in the pursuit of justice will continue into the future.
