Key EU terms: V

23 February 2010
by Ina Dimireva -- last modified 23 February 2010

A list of key EU legal terminology: V

Victims

The EU's crime strategy has a strong focus on helping the victims of crime, notably through the European Crime Prevention Network and the EU programmes STOP and Daphne.

Violence

The EU is working to combat all forms of violence, notably football hooliganism, sexual violence against women and illegal use of firearms.

Violence prevention

The European Commission actively supports the development of improved violence prevention and control initiatives for international sporting events.

Visa policy

The Amsterdam Treaty, which took effect in May 1999, brought all aspects of visa documentation into the legal and institutional framework of the EU.

Vocational training

Educational courses geared towards specific jobs e.g. computers, secretarial. The EU is developing a common policy for admitting non-EU nationals for such training.

Voluntary return

In an immigration context, this refers to the EU's policy of repatriating someone, by mutual consent, who is refused admission to a Member State.

Voting rights

If the Council establishes that a Member State has seriously and persistently breached human rights, it can suspend its voting rights in Council.

Source: European Commission - Justice and Home Affairs