Iraq signs strategic cooperation agreement with EU judicial agency Eurojust

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Higher Judicial Council signed a strategic working agreement with Eurojust, the European Union's criminal judicial cooperation agency, during a ceremony at the agency's headquarters in The Hague on June 29-30, 2026. The agreement was signed by Judge Ali Hussein Jaafar, head of the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation, and Eurojust President Michael Schmid. Jaafar said the deal reflected mutual trust and shared commitment in combating terrorism, organized crime and serious international offenses. Schmid said no state can tackle organized and international crime alone, adding that rapid information sharing and judicial coordination between countries are decisive for successful investigations. According to the Judicial Council, Iraq became the tenth non-EU country to sign an agreement with Eurojust. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in The Hague, Eurojust coordinates the judicial network against cross-border organized crime, including terrorism, money laundering, cybercrime and human trafficking. The agreement aims to strengthen information sharing in counterterrorism and organized crime probes, facilitate the tracking and extradition of suspects, and accelerate international legal cooperation procedures.