The 25th annual meeting of the German EJN Contact Points took place in Berlin from 5 to 6 May 2025, hosted by the General Prosecutor’s Office in Berlin (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Berlin). The meeting was also attended by EJN Contact Points from Austria, France, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland, as well as the National Member of the German Desk at EUROJUST and a representative of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Berlin.
A central topic of discussion was the challenges and best practices related to the cross-border exchange of information in criminal matters. Of particular interest was the question of whether information that supports proceedings or holds evidentiary value — such as details on a suspect’s whereabouts, periods of detention, or final judgments in preparation for an indictment — can be transmitted by police authorities or via the EJN without resorting to the more complex procedure of issuing a European Investigation Order (EIO).
The EJN Secretariat was represented by Mr. Hugh Dockry, Head of the EJN Secretariat, and Mr. Vasileios Sarigiannidis, Seconded National Expert. They delivered a comprehensive presentation on the work of the EJN, highlighting current developments and upcoming events in the field of criminal justice across Europe.
Discussions throughout the meeting deepened participants’ understanding of these important issues and reaffirmed the crucial role the EJN plays in addressing cross-border crime.
We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this event, including the Director of the General Prosecutor’s Office in Berlin, Mr. Guntram Hahne, the German EJN National Correspondents, Mr. Joachim Ettenhofer and Mr. Christian Schierholt, as well as all distinguished participants.