EU advances its Pledge4Justice at the UN Crime Congress and welcomes the adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declaration
As crime becomes increasingly transnational, digital and complex, the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Abu Dhabi from 26 September to 1 October 2026, provided an important opportunity to assess shared challenges, exchange practical experience and strengthen political commitment to international cooperation.
A key outcome of the Congress was the adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declarationwhich sets the direction for international action on crime prevention and criminal justice over the next five years.
After having been key in the negotiations leading to the Abu Dhabi Declaration, the European Union took an active role in the Crime Congress, contributing to discussions on crime prevention, criminal justice and international cooperation. The EU’s engagement was also reflected in its Pledge4Justice commitment to launch significant new initiatives to counter organised crime and terrorism and strengthen capacity in the criminal justice and antitrafficking domains.
The EU’s priorities were set out in the Statement delivered by Ambassador Carl Hallergård during the General Debate, which reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to effective multilateral cooperation in responding to evolving global crime threats in full respect of human rights and the rule of law. Throughout the week, the EU Delegation also contributed actively to workshops, side events and bilateral exchanges with international partners. The European Union was also represented by Olivier Onidi, Deputy Director-General in DG Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission and Tommaso Chiamparini, European Commission Coordinator for victims’ rights, whose contributions enriched side events and thematic discussions across the Congress programme.
This engagement reflected the breadth of today’s criminal justice agenda: from organised crime, migrant smuggling and environmental crime to the crime-terrorism nexus, the use of emerging technologies, equal access to justice for all, women’s full participation, child-friendly justice, humane alternatives to detention, and alternatives to the death penalty that safeguard human dignity.
This diversity was also reflected in the EU-funded programmes and projects represented during the event, including JUST4ALL, PLEAD II and EU-ACT as well as the upcoming Themis and Intercept projects which form part of the European Union’s Pledge4Justice commitment.
Across the discussions, several common priorities emerged clearly: the need for stronger practical cooperation, more effective and accountable justice institutions, and responses firmly grounded in human rights, gender equality and the rule of law. The Congress also highlighted the importance of sustained multilateral engagement and close cooperation with international partners in turning political commitments into concrete action.
In this context, the Congress provided an opportunity to advance practical cooperation. In the margins of the event, Eurojust President Michael Schmid and UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi signed a Working Agreement to strengthen cooperation in the fight against serious cross-border crime.
Overall, the Congress provided an important platform to advance dialogue on current and emerging crime challenges. Through its active participation, the European Union reaffirmed its strong commitment to multilateralism and to effective, rights-based responses to organised crime, terrorism, cyber-enabled crime and other evolving threats.
Source: www.eeas.europa.eu
