Justice and Home Affairs Council

The Justice and Home Affairs Council works on policies and legislation about justice, including on civil and criminal law, and about home affairs, including on migration, the fight against organised crime, and security and border control.

It also aims to protect fundamental and citizens' rights.

An illustration featuring Lady Justice holding scales, a circular graphic with colored segments, and a map of Europe with stars, representing themes of justice and European integration.

Areas of work of the Justice and Home Affairs Council

Borders and visas

The Council works on strengthening the management of the EU's external borders and harmonising visa policies to ensure security.

Migration and asylum

The Council develops and adopts common rules on migration and asylum to ensure fair responsibility-sharing, protect those in need, and manage migration effectively across all member states.

Fighting crime

The Council helps to strengthen judicial cooperation, ensuring that citizens and businesses can rely on fair and effective justice systems across member states.

Cybersecurity

The Council boosts the EU's resilience to cyber threats by improving cooperation, implementing key cybersecurity rules, and strengthening responses to major incidents.

Fundamental and citizens' rights

The Council works to safeguard fundamental and citizens' rights by adopting laws that protect privacy, data protection, and equal treatment across the EU.

How does the Justice and Home Affairs Council work

Depending on the agenda, the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) brings together ministers responsible for justice or home affairs from all 27 EU member states. They meet in two compositions.

Justice

The JHA Council (Justice) focuses on judicial cooperation in both civil and criminal law and fundamental rights.

Home Affairs

The JHA Council (Home Affairs) focuses on migration, border management and police cooperation. They are also responsible for civil protection within the EU.

Ministers usually meet in the Justice and Home Affairs Council at least four times a year. Relevant European Commissioners also participate in these meetings.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings are prepared by working parties and committees composed of national experts, and by Coreper II.

Work programme during the Irish presidency

Through the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Irish presidency promotes a comprehensive approach to asylum and migration that is fair, firm and rules-based.

In the area of security, the presidency focuses on securing borders, combatting serious and organised crime and responding to new and emerging threats.

Other priorities include upholding EU values, fundamental rights and the rule of law by addressing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, combating discrimination against minorities, and protecting and promoting the rights of the child.

Programme of the Irish presidency