Last week, the European Parliament adopted the revised Victims’ Rights Directive, marking the most significant reform of EU victim protection legislation in more than a decade.
The reform aims to strengthen how victims of crime are treated across the European Union, with new safeguards designed to improve access to justice, reinforce privacy protections and expand support services for those affected by crime.
Liberals in Renew Europe played a central role in shaping the final outcome, focusing in particular on stronger rights for victims during criminal proceedings, better protection of personal data and improved access to healthcare and support for victims of sexual violence.
Under the revised directive, victims will have stronger guarantees throughout legal proceedings, including the right to be informed of key decisions affecting their case and the possibility to request reviews of certain decisions. The reform also strengthens privacy protections, limiting the unnecessary sharing of sensitive personal information during proceedings.
The reform also delivers concrete improvements across the EU, including a new EU-wide victims' helpline and, for the first time, the possibility to report certain crimes online, without having to go to a police station.
Lucia Yar MEP (Progresívne Slovensko, SK) said:
"Every year, 75 million victims across Europe are left to navigate trauma and justice systems alone. Today, the European Parliament took a decisive step to change that. This reform strengthens victims’ rights across the EU and makes clear that protection, dignity and access to justice are not optional. Victims must be informed at every stage of the process, with their data protected and their rights respected. It marks real progress for victims’ rights in Europe.
We ensured that victims of sexual violence are not overlooked. Access to sexual and reproductive healthcare must be part of the support victims receive, and for the first time, an EU legislative text explicitly recognises abortion care as one of the forms of healthcare a victim may need after sexual violence. It is now up to the Member States to ensure that the support is available in practice."
The revised directive is expected to receive final approval by the Council of the EU on 8 June.