The political agreement reached by the Council and the European Parliament's negotiators was formally adopted by the Council on 8 March. The regulation will apply to protection measures ordered with a view to protecting a person when there exist serious grounds for considering that that person's life, physical or psychological integrity, personal liberty, security or sexual integrity is at risk all over the European Union.

The Council approved the informal agreement reached on 20 February with the European Parliament on a regulation on mutual recognition of protection measures taken in civil matters upon request of the person at risk. The European Parliament will now proceed to a plenary vote on the proposal in a few weeks’ time and the Council will adopt the proposal soon after the European Parliament's vote. The United Kingdom and Ireland have decided to take part in the application and the adoption of this instrument. Denmark will not be bound by it or subject to its  application.

The Council underlined that this regulation will apply to all victims irrespective of whether they are victims of gender-based violence. In fact, the regulation will apply to protection measures ordered with a view to protecting a person when there exist serious grounds for considering that that person's life, physical or psychological integrity, personal liberty, security or sexual integrity is at risk, for example as to prevent any form of gender-based violence and violence in close relationships, such as physical violence, harassment, sexual aggression, stalking, intimidation or other forms of indirect coercion.

This proposal is part of a legislative package which aims at strengthening the protection of victims in the EU and also includes a directive on minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime (Directive 2012/29/EU), which has been adopted recently.