Article 2 General objectives

to promote judicial cooperation with the aim of contributing to the creation of a genuine European area of justice in criminal matters based on mutual recognition and mutual confidence;

to promote the compatibility in rules applicable in the Member States as may be necessary to improve judicial cooperation. To promote a reduction in existing legal obstacles to the good functioning of judicial cooperation with a view to strengthening the coordination of investigations and to increase compatibility of the existing judicial systems in the Member States to the European Union with a view to providing adequate follow-up to investigations of law enforcement authorities of the Member States;

to improve the contacts and exchange of information and best practices between legal, judicial and administrative authorities and the legal professions: lawyers and other professionals involved in the work of the judiciary, and to foster the training of the members of the judiciary, with a view to enhancing mutual trust;

to further improve mutual trust with the view to ensuring protection of rights of victims and of the accused.