The article traces the genesis and content of Directive 2010/64/EU on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings – the first criminal law measure adopted under the Lisbon Treaty and the initial step in the Council’s Roadmap on procedural rights. It outlines the background of failed earlier initiatives, the political dynamics between the Commission, Member States, and the European Parliament, and the negotiations that led to the final text. The Directive sets common minimum standards for interpretation and translation, including communication between defendants and their lawyers, translation of essential documents, and quality assurance. It represents a landmark in strengthening fair trial rights and an early test case for post-Lisbon EU criminal law legislation.

The Lisbon Treaty has opened up a new chapter in the history of European criminal law.
The purpose of this analysis is to guide the reader through the main changes in this area, as introduced by the Lisbon Treaty. Therefore, the present analysis is a follow-up to previous work by the author before entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty − thereby seeking to provide an account of the status of EU criminal law post-Lisbon Treaty. The paper has been structured into seven sections. Section one deals with a short introduction to the evolution of criminal law at the EU level. Section two outlines the framework of the criminal law in the Lisbon Treaty. Section three deals more specifically with the emergency brake and enhanced cooperation procedure as well as the possible establishment of a European Public Prosecutor. Thereafter, Section four looks more broadly at the Court of Justice’s jurisdiction in … Read more

Einleitung Zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts steht Europa innen- und außenpolitisch vor großen Herausforderungen – die Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise, organisierte Kriminalität, illegale Migration, Terrorismus und der Klimawandel sind nur einige Beispiele, die unsere innere Sicherheit, unseren Frieden und unseren Wohlstand in Europa bedrohen. Erstmals wurden die Unmittelbarkeit und die Brutalität dieser Gefahren durch die Ereignisse des 11. September 2001 sowie die nachfolgenden Terroranschläge in Madrid und London deutlich. Konzeptionell zogen die europäischen Mitgliedstaaten bereits 2003 die Konsequenz und verabschiedeten die Europäische Sicherheitsstrategie (ESS)1, in der sie die Hauptbedrohungen für Europa identifizierten und einen sog. "erweiterten Sicherheitsbegriff" definierten: Aufgrund der neuen… Read more

Introduction EU-US counter-terrorism cooperation has been an area of EU external relations with substantial growth in the recent past. The political momentum for such cooperation was boosted post-9/11 and resulted in the conclusion of a number of international agreements between the European Union and the United States. Concluded primarily under the third pillar, these agreements have been subject to considerable criticism in Europe, both in terms of democracy and legitimacy and in terms of substance and the compatibility of their content with fundamental rights. These issues are now due to be reviewed following the entry into force of the Lisbon… Read more

Introduction The processing of personal data has become an inherent part of the daily life of Europeans, for example when booking a flight ticket, transferring money, applying for a job, or just using the Internet for private purposes. Nobody wants to miss out on the advantages of modern technologies. Sometimes individuals provide their personal data simply because they choose to do so. But sometimes data is collected without consent and often without the knowledge of the individuals concerned. The protection of personal data is becoming more and more relevant as technology develops and the possibilities increase to use and misuse… Read more

The very least that one can say or write about the cooperation in criminal matters between the EU and the US is that it has intensified since 2001. The EU and its bodies that deal with criminal matters – Eurojust and Europol – have concluded agreements with US authorities. However, the data protection provisions in several of these agreements have raised eyebrows. The exchange of personal data is a crucial tool in judicial and law enforcement cooperation in criminal matters. The EU as an entity, but also Eurojust and Europol, entered into negotiations with the US in order to regulate… Read more