Iraq signs strategic judicial cooperation agreement with EU's Eurojust

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Higher Judicial Council signed a strategic working agreement with Eurojust, the European Union's criminal judicial cooperation agency, the council said. The agreement between Iraq's International Judicial Cooperation Center and Eurojust was signed on June 29–30, 2026, at Eurojust's headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. Judge Ali Hussein Jaafar, head of the International Judicial Cooperation Center, signed on behalf of the council, while Eurojust President Michael Schmid signed for the European side. High-level judicial and diplomatic representatives attended the ceremony. Jaafar said the agreement reflects mutual trust and a shared commitment to combating terrorism, organized crime and serious international crimes, describing it as an important step in developing judicial cooperation between Iraq and EU member states. Schmid said no single state can succeed against organized crime alone, noting that the speed of data sharing and judicial coordination is decisive for successful investigations. With the signing, Iraq became the tenth country outside the EU to conclude a working agreement with Eurojust.