The Civil Liberties and the Women's Rights Committees endorsed the new European Protection Order (EPO) rules which include that crime victims who are granted protection in one EU Member State will be able to get similar protection if they move to another. According to MEPs, the EPO directive is an important step in building a European area of justice.

Under new European Protection Order rules endorsed by the Civil Liberties and the Women's Rights Committees at the European Parliament, crime victims who are granted protection in one EU Member State will be able to get similar protection if they move to another. The text was previously agreed by Parliament's negotiators and the Council. The European Protection Order (EPO) will therefore enable anyone protected under criminal law in one EU state to apply for similar protection if they move to another. This protection would be available to, for instance, victims of gender violence, harassment, abduction, stalking or attempted murder.

In particular, an EPO may be issued only if the aggressor is banned by the initial country from places where the protected person resides or which s/he visits, or if restrictions are imposed on contact or approaches by the aggressor to the protected person. On the other hand, the person causing the danger should have a right to be heard and to challenge the EPO. In addition, this directive would only apply to protection measures taken in criminal matters. However, due to differences among Member States' legal systems, the country to which the person moves may apply other kinds of measures (criminal, administrative or civil), provided they guarantee a similar level of protection.

MEPs also backed that a separate legislation for civil matters which complements the EPO. To that end, the Commission proposed in May 2011 a regulation on mutual recognition of protection afforded by civil law. The combination of the two instruments (the EPO directive and the regulation) should cover the broadest possible range of protection measures for victims issued in the Member States.