Relations with the authorities of third countries and international organisations
1. Eurojust may establish and maintain cooperation with authorities of third countries and international organisations.
To that end, Eurojust shall prepare a cooperation strategy every four years in consultation with the Commission, which specifies the third countries and international organisations with which there is an operational need for cooperation.
2. Eurojust may conclude working arrangements with the entities referred to in Article 47(1).
3. Eurojust may designate contact points in third countries in agreement with the competent authorities concerned, in order to facilitate cooperation in accordance with the operational needs of Eurojust.
Liaison magistrates posted to third countries
1. For the purpose of facilitating judicial cooperation with third countries in cases in which Eurojust is providing assistance in accordance with this Regulation, the College may post liaison magistrates to a third country subject to the existence of a working arrangement as referred to in Article 47(3) with the competent authorities of that third country.
2. The tasks of the liaison magistrates shall include any activity designed to encourage and accelerate any form of judicial cooperation in criminal matters, in particular by establishing direct links with the competent authorities of the third country concerned. In the performance of their tasks, the liaison magistrates may exchange operational personal data with the competent authorities of the third country concerned in accordance with Article 56.
3. The liaison magistrate referred to in paragraph 1 shall have experience of working with Eurojust and adequate knowledge of judicial cooperation and how Eurojust operates. The posting of a liaison magistrate on behalf of Eurojust shall be subject to the prior consent of the magistrate and of his or her Member State.
4. Where the liaison magistrate posted by Eurojust is selected among national members, deputies or Assistants:
(a)
the Member State concerned shall replace him or her in his or her function as a national member, deputy or Assistant;
(b)
he or she shall cease to be entitled to exercise the powers granted to him or her under Article 8.
5. Without prejudice to Article 110 of the Staff Regulations of Officials, the College shall draw up the terms and conditions for the posting of liaison magistrates, including their level of remuneration. The College shall adopt the necessary implementing arrangements in this respect in consultation with the Commission.
6. The activities of liaison magistrates posted by Eurojust shall be subject to the supervision of the EDPS. The liaison magistrates shall report to the College, which shall inform the European Parliament and the Council in the annual report and in an appropriate manner of their activities. The liaison magistrates shall inform national members and competent national authorities of all cases concerning their Member State.
7. The competent authorities of the Member States and liaison magistrates referred to in paragraph 1 may contact each other directly. In such cases, the liaison magistrate shall inform the national member concerned of such contacts.
8. The liaison magistrates referred to in paragraph 1 shall be connected to the case management system.
Requests for judicial cooperation to and from third countries
1. Eurojust may, with the agreement of the Member States concerned, coordinate the execution of requests for judicial cooperation issued by a third country where such requests require execution in at least two Member States as part of the same investigation. Such requests may also be transmitted to Eurojust by a competent national authority.
2. In urgent cases and in accordance with Article 19, the OCC may receive and transmit the requests referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article if they have been issued by a third country which has concluded a cooperation agreement or working arrangement with Eurojust.
3. Without prejudice to Article 3(5), where requests for judicial cooperation which relate to the same investigation and which require execution in a third country are made by the Member State concerned, Eurojust shall facilitate judicial cooperation with that third country.
