Press Release: Putting victims first: New European law improving rights for victims of crime has been adopted

European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU's Justice Commissioner, has welcomed the final adoption of a new European law which will improve rights for an estimated 75 million crime victims across the EU each year. The EU directive on victims' rights was adopted by the Council of Ministers, following an overwhelming majority vote (611 for, 9 against and 13 abstentions) by the European Parliament endorsing the new rules. The new EU directive sets out minimum rights for victims, wherever they are in the EU.