Iraq's Judiciary Seals Strategic Working Agreement with European Union Criminal Justice Agency

The National Center for International Judicial Cooperation has signed a strategic working agreement with the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) at its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. This agreement, effective from June 29 to June 30, 2026, is a significant step towards enhancing Iraq's standing in international judicial cooperation. Judge Ali Hussein Jafat, Head of Iraq's National Center for International Judicial Cooperation, signed the agreement on behalf of the Supreme Judicial Council. Representing the European side was Michael Schmid, President of Eurojust. The signing took place amidst high-level judicial and diplomatic attendance. Judge Jafat affirmed the agreement represents an important achievement in developing judicial cooperation between Iraq and EU member states. He stressed it "reflects mutual trust and a shared commitment to combating terrorism, organized crime, and serious international offenses, establishing the principle of non-impunity, and developing joint mechanisms, particularly regarding extradition requests for wanted individuals." Michael Schmid, President of the European Agency, praised the "close partnership with the National Center." He highlighted that "experience proves no country succeeds alone against organized and international crime, making rapid data exchange and judicial coordination between states crucial for successful investigations and prosecutions." This move makes Iraq the tenth non-EU country to sign a working agreement with the criminal justice cooperation agency. This institutional achievement reflects the strategic vision of the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zaidan, to expand partnerships with global judicial bodies, thereby enhancing information exchange, supporting the pursuit and recovery of suspects, and streamlining legal cooperation with international partners.