This year, under the Frontex presidency of the network, the agencies focused on two strategic EU priorities – contributing to the European Green Deal and digitalisation.

In a series of events throughout the year, the agencies discussed the impact of climate change on migration and organised crime, looked at EU and international efforts in fighting environmental crimes, presented and exchanged ideas about how to make their administrations carbon-neutral and digital solutions that will make the agencies more effective.

The meeting also offered an opportunity to discuss the latest developments, tasks and challenges ahead of the agencies.

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson and Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans addressed the participants of the event.

“Today at the annual meeting of the heads of the Justice and Home Affairs Agencies I shared my assessment of the current political situation and common priorities for next year. Warm thanks to all the heads of JHA Agencies for their essential work to maintain and strengthen the European area of freedom, security and justice”, said EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.

During the meeting, the heads of the nine JHA agencies signed a joint statement on the EU Green Deal, reaffirming their commitment to contribute to a safer and cleaner environment by undertaking activities ranging from operational to administrative actions, within limits of their respective mandates.

"The EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies have an important role to play in Europe. Today we reaffirm our commitment to contribute to a safer and cleaner environment. Under the Frontex Presidency of the Justice and Home Affairs Network a lot has already been done – from law enforcement operations, through training and research to prosecution of crimes," said Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.

"The agencies have developed a joint paper on fighting environmental crime, recognising the serious, multidimensional challenge to the European Union and its citizens," he added.

Below key achievements of the network this year:

• Seminar on environmental crime;
• Seminar “Understanding the Influence of climate change on Justice and Home Affairs”
• Research study for European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG) and Frontex with a focus on green solutions – “How our community can become greener?”
• Seminar on “How to make the JHA Agencies administrations carbon neutral by 2030?”
• Joint paper on fighting environmental crime

The JHA Agencies’ Network connects the EU Agencies protecting the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. It includes nine agencies: CEPOL, EASO, EIGE, EMCDDA, eu-LISA, Eurojust, Europol, FRA and Frontex.

FRA is the EU's independent centre of reference and excellence for promoting and protecting human rights. It supports the fundamental rights of all people living in the EU by working with stakeholders from the local to international level and by sharing evidence-based insights and expert advice with policy- and decision-makers.

In 2022, CEPOL, EU’s agency for law enforcement training, takes over the Presidency of the Network.