Mutual Recognition Of Judicial Decisions In European Criminal Law

This book examines the mutual recognition of judicial decisions in European criminal law as a cornerstone of judicial co-operation in criminal matters in the European Union. Providing comprehensive content and combining theoretical and practical aspects, it covers all of the major issues surrounding mutual recognition. The book analyses its definition, genesis, principles, case law, implementation and evaluation. Special attention is given to mutual recognition measures, namely European arrest warrant (i.e. surrender procedure), mutual recognition of custodial sentences, and measures involving deprivation of liberty, mutual recognition of probation measures and alternative sanctions, mutual recognition of financial penalties, mutual recognition of confiscation orders, the European supervision order in pre-trial procedures (i.e. mutual recognition of supervision measures as an alternative to provisional detention), the European investigation order (i.e. free movement of evidence), and the European protection order (i.e. mutual recognition of protection orders). Instead of focusing solely on a criminal law approach, the book also considers the subject from the perspectives of European Union law and International criminal law.

Based on author's dissertation (doctoral)--Universiteit Antwerpen, 2011, under title: The Principle of Mutual Recognition in the EU Internal Market and the EU Criminal Justice Area

This book develops a conceptual framework of the principle of mutual trust in EU criminal law. Mutual trust is a household term in the EU criminal law vocabulary and is widely regarded to be a prerequisite for a successful application of mutual recognition. But despite its importance, the parameters of the concept are not clear. The book demonstrates that mutual trust is multi-faceted: combining the elements essential to a successful EU criminal law, as part of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. The book approaches trust from multiple angles. First, a study of social science literature. Second, a meticulous assessment of mutual trust in EU criminal law. Third, a study of trust in US interstate criminal justice cooperation. Finally, the book identifies a comprehensive approach to tackle trust related difficulties in EU criminal law. This timely book will be of great interest to anyone looking to gain a full picture of this core principle in EU criminal law.

In the EU's fast-growing Area of Freedom, Security and justice, the principle of mutual recognition should play a key rote in the field of judicial cooperation in criminal matters. Since mutual recognition was enshrined as a cornerstone of judicial cooperation in the EU by the European Council of Tampere in 1999, an increasing number of binding instruments based on this principle have been adopted in the framework of the EU's Third Pillar. The considerable impact of those instruments on national criminal legal systems has often required a major effort by Member States in adjusting their national legislation so that it complies with the new mechanisms agreed at EU level. What are the real difficulties encountered by Member States in the transposition of these legislative texts into national law and, even earlier, when the texts are being negotiated within the Council of the EU? What tessons can be learned from the early years of their practical implementation by the competent judicial authorities? And, above ail, what will be the future rote and scope of the principle of mutual recognition in criminal matters in Europe? The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the adoption of a new multi-annual programme (replacing the Hague Programme) to strengthen the EU's Area of Freedom, Security and Justice are both pending. In this crucial time of transition and uncertainty, the book seeks to provide answers to the above questions and many other related issues. Through its country by country approach covering the vast majority of the Member States, it intends to provide policymakers, practitioners, academics and researchers with a comprehensive analysis of the problems that have emerged and the solutions envisaged by each State in their implementation of mutual recognition instruments. The country chapters are followed by a final EU-wide analysis that seeks to identify common themes and obstacles and to consider future options and possible scenarios. The whole study, based on in-depth research combined with interviews conducted with hundreds of practitioners and experts from across the EU, amounts to a remarkable team performance carried out together with academics and researcher members of ECLAN (European Criminal Law Academic Network).

. . . this book fills a significant gap in the English-language literature and must be read by all who seek to understand why profound reflection is needed on the theoretical underpinnings of EU criminal justice. Samuli Miettinen, Journal of Common Market Studies The book contains a number of interesting arguments and comments on the development of EU criminal law. . . the authors efforts to provide a generalist book in this ever-growing, increasingly important and still under-researched field of EU law must be welcomed. Valsamis Mitsilegas, The Edinburgh Law Review Today, EU criminal law and justice constitutes a significant body of law potentially affecting most aspects of criminal justice. This book provides a comprehensive, accessible yet analytically challenging account of the institutional and legal developments in this field to date. It also includes full consideration of the prospective changes to EU criminal law contained in the recent Lisbon Treaty . While, broadly speaking, the authors welcome the objectives of EU criminal law, they call for a profound rethinking of how the good of criminal justice however defined is to be delivered to those living in the EU. At present, despite sometimes commendable initiatives from the institutions responsible, the actual framing and implementation of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ) suffers from a failure to properly consider the theoretical implications of providing the good of criminal justice at the EU level. Written shortly before the recent entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, EU Criminal Law and Justice comprises a full overview of the key legal developments and debates and includes a user-friendly guide to the institutional changes contained in the Treaty. This timely book will be of interest to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as to legal practitioners and policy makers at national and EU levels.

This book provides a comparative law perspective on the mutual recognition of judicial decisions in criminal matters. With the aim of creating a clear definition of mutual recognition in the context of criminal law, an internal comparison is made with mutual recognition in other fields of EU competence: the internal market and the field of civil and commercial law.

The EU now possesses a clear legal basis for taking action on criminal law matters and steering the policy and practice of Member States in relation to crime and criminal law. However, for what is now an important area of law, there remains a striking absence or uncertainty regarding its theoretical basis, its legitimacy and its conceptual vocabulary. This book offers a review of the significance of EU criminal law and crime policy as a rapidly emerging phenomenon in European law and governance. Bringing together an international set of contributors, the book questions the nature, role and objectives of such 'criminal law', its relationship with other areas of EU policy and law, and the established rules of criminal law and criminal justice at the Member State level. Taking up such subjects as the application of criminal law across national boundaries and in the broader European context, effective enforcement, and the working out of a new European policy, the book helps to structure an increasingly significant subject in law which is still finding its direction. The book will be of great use and interest to researchers and students of EU law, criminal justice, and criminology.

The growing attention being paid to transnational criminality and the emergence of new models of State cooperation make it necessary to reconsider the traditional features of human rights enforcement. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of how criminal procedural rights are (if at all) protected within the framework of mutual recognition within the EU. The study concentrates on the framework decision of the European Arrest Warrant. The central issue of analysis is the national and extraterritorial responsibility for violations of fundamental rights which occur in the framework of such transnational procedures. Are there any provisions in international or national instruments which aim at effectively preventing or remedying violations? Is there any functioning judicial control? The effect of national legislation and human rights bars to cooperation is discussed on the basis of a comparative study of the legislation and case-law in Sweden and the UK. Further, the roles of the European courts for the protection of due process rights are analyzed. The book focuses on the special features of mutual recognition in relation to State responsibility for an executing and issuing State. Especially, the concept of mutual trust and the justifications for a system of division of labor between the States are critically discussed. Whose Responsibility? offers new and interesting perspectives regarding the specific problems of being a defendant within the EU and provides some new answers to the question of responsibility for transnational defense rights. (Series: Supranational Criminal Law: Capita Selecta - Vol. 16)