The recently adopted Directive on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence and the right to be present at trial in criminal proceedings1 (hereafter: Directive on the Presumption of Innocence)2 applies exclusively to natural persons.3 This is in contrast to previously adopted directives of the Roadmap for strengthening procedural rights in criminal proceedings4 which applied to suspected or accused persons and did not explicitly exclude legal persons.5 Therefore, one could argue that legal persons could benefit from the implementation of relevant provisions of the previously adopted directives of the Roadmap6 but that they cannot infer rights from… Read more

I. Introduction Customs fraud is a growing phenomenon, which causes significant damage to the Union’s financial interests. The losses resulting from some of the most common types of customs-related fraud (i.e., misdeclaration of origin, misdescription of goods, and misuse of the transit system) are estimated at around €185 million per year.1 Under Article 325 of the TFEU, it is the responsibility of the Union – as well as its Member States – to protect the EU’s financial interests. Given the scale of the problem, coupled with the growing threat of transborder crime, the importance of combating customs fraud and ensuring… Read more

I. An Unprecedented Problem in EU Law: Inaudito reo Criminal Proceedings The right to personal participation in criminal proceedings and the problem of in absentia procedures have lain at the core of the EU legislative agenda over the last several years. Before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Framework Decision 2009/299/JHA amended, inter alia, the EAW Framework Decision, tightening the conditions under which defendants can be surrendered to other Member States in proceedings instituted in the accused’s absence.1 Although this legislative intervention also contributed to the process of indirect harmonisation of criminal procedure law, initiated under the former… Read more

The article traces the genesis and adoption of Directive (EU) 2016/343 on the presumption of innocence and the right to be present at trial, the fourth measure under the Roadmap on procedural rights. Cras and Erbežnik outline the political debates in Council and Parliament, the compromise reached in trilogues, and the Directive’s main provisions: protection against premature public references to guilt, rules on presentation of suspects, allocation of the burden of proof, the right to remain silent and not to incriminate oneself, safeguards on trials in absentia, and remedies for violations. The Directive largely codifies ECtHR case law while setting EU minimum standards, balancing mutual trust with respect for national legal traditions.

The article explains the genesis and content of Directive (EU) 2016/800 on procedural safeguards for children who are suspects or accused in criminal proceedings, the fifth measure of the Roadmap on procedural rights. Cras outlines the legislative negotiations and comments on selected provisions: scope and definition of children, the right to information, mandatory assistance by a lawyer with legal aid, individual assessment, medical examination, audio-visual recording of questioning, safeguards during deprivation of liberty, protection of privacy, and participation in court hearings. The Directive, inspired by international standards such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, introduces binding EU minimum rules and strengthens child-friendly justice, though compromises mean that some protections remain limited.