With the EU Council's position on the Victims' Rights Directive, EU member states have shown little willingness to commit to enhancing victim rights. They have largely rejected or diluted the EU Commission’s proposals, turning obligations into mere options. The EFRJ, together with 51 other organisations, signed the statement promoted by Victim Support Europe (VSE) to show solidarity with victims of crime and urge all EU Member State to honour commitments to victims of crime by adopting a strong Victims’ Rights Directive as the cornerstone legislation for all victims of crime.

The European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) sent feedback to the European Commission to assess the effect of the EU 2021-24 Strategy on Judicial Training. Our feedback promotes the strengthening of restorative justice frameworks across the EU.

The EFRJ is pleased to see that the European Commission Recommendation on Integrated Child Protection Systems recognised restorative justice as an important approach and practice for increasing child-friendly justice. However, it is important to draw the European Commission's attention to the need for a holistic restorative justice approach in all matters involving children.

A glimpse on the restorative justice landscape in Estonia through the eyes of the local organisers of the EFRJ's 12th International Conference in Tallinn, which took place between 29-31 May 2024.

Since the start of the fulll-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Institute for Peace and Common Ground has shifted its way of working. This article explains the change in their focus through the account of Alona Horova, who is the Head of the Institute's Board, and was a plenary speaker at the EFRJ's conference in Tallinn. 

Restorative justice in Slovakia has been developing since 2004. It all started from a period of stagnation in its application, due to the fact that prosecutors and judges found it time-consuming and burdensome compared to the traditional criminal system. Tomáš Horeháj's article explores Slovakia's progress in implementing restorative justice that happened in the past three years.

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