Judicial co-operation in criminal matters
In procedural criminal matters, EU members states have agreed to co-operate by way of mutual recognition of judicial decisions, rather than harmonisation of principles. This is largely because member states are reluctant to cede too much of their sovereignty to the EU.
Many instruments now exist to grapple with cross-border crime. The most notable of these is the European arrest warrant, but there are also laws covering financial penalties, freezing of assets, transfer of prisoners and bail to name only a few. Many of these are unknown because member states have been slow to implement them. All this has changed with the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force in December 2009, as member states must implement the instruments passed in the EU through domestic legislation – or face infringement proceedings being brought against them by the European Commission in the Court of Justice of the European Union.
JUSTICE has been heavily engaged in the passage of these laws through the EU institutions, both by briefing in the UK and in Brussels. We regularly attend experts meetings and give presentations on our concerns for access to justice and human rights implications raised by proposals being made.
Read more about the EU and the laws of its member states.