L 338)2 Official Journal of the European Union 21.12.2011 DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2011/99/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2011 on the European protection order THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 82(1)(a) and (d) thereof, Having regard to the initiative of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Estonia, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, Romania, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (1), Whereas: (1) The European Union has set itself the objective of main- taining and developing an area of freedom, security and justice. (2)  Article 82(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provides that judicial coop- eration in criminal matters in the Union shall be based on the principle of mutual recognition of judgments and judicial decisions. (3)  According to the Stockholm Programme — An open and secure Europe serving and protecting citizens (%), mutual (1) Position of the European Parliament of 14 December 2010 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and position of the Council at first reading of 24 November 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Position of the European Parliament of 13 December 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] C 115, 4.5.2010, p. 1. (6) recognition should extend to all types of judgments and decisions of a judicial nature, which may, depending on the legal system, be either criminal or administrative. It also calls on the Commission and the Member States to examine how to improve legislation and practical support measures for the protection of victims. The programme also points out that victims of crime can be offered special protection measures which should be effective within the Union. This Directive forms part of a coherent and comprehensive set of measures on victims’ rights. The resolution of the European Parliament of 26 November 2009 on the elimination of violence against women calls on Member States to improve their national laws and policies to combat all forms of violence against women and to act in order to tackle the causes of violence against women, not least by employing preventive measures and calls on the Union to guarantee the right to assistance and support for all victims of violence. The resolution of the European Parliament of 10 February 2010 on equality between women and men in the European Union 2009 endorses the proposal to introduce the European protection order for victims. In its Resolution of 10 June 2011 on a Roadmap for strengthening the rights and protection of victims, in particular in criminal proceedings, the Council stated that action should be taken at the level of the Union in order to strengthen the rights and protection of victims of crime and called on the Commission to present appropriate proposals to that end. In this framework, a mechanism should be created to ensure mutual recognition among Member States of decisions concerning protection measures for victims of crime. According to that Resolution, this Directive, which concerns the mutual recognition of protection measures taken in criminal matters, should be complemented by an appropriate mechanism concerning measures taken in civil matters. In a common area of justice without internal borders, it is necessary to ensure that the protection provided to a natural person in one Member State is maintained and