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Editorial Issue 4/2023 28 March 2024 (updated 3 months ago)
Editorial Issue 4/2023 28 March 2024 (updated 3 months ago)
Editorial Issue 3/2023 11 December 2023 (updated 4 months, 1 week ago)
Editorial Issue 2/2023 11 October 2023 (updated 7 months, 2 weeks ago)
Editorial Issue 1/2023 28 July 2023 (updated 11 months, 2 weeks ago)
I. Introductory Remarks: OLAF and the Setting of the EPPO There were certain periods in the past that brought expectations of change in the legal position and powers of OLAF (hereinafter also referred to as “the Office”) together with the entire layout of the system of protection of the Union’s financial interests. Since establishment of the Office, the expected changes seemed to be inextricably linked with the destiny of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (the “EPPO”). The first proposals concerning the project of the European Prosecutor1 were later rejected, however, and had no effect on functioning of OLAF. Discussions affecting... Read more
Editorial for
Issue 2/2017
Dear Readers, The year 2017 has brought and will hopefully lead to further major steps in the development of a true European Criminal Justice Area, particularly but not only with regard to the protection of the EU’s financial interests by criminal law. The adoption of the Directive on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by means of criminal law, the so-called ''PIF Directive,'' is a key achievement in putting an end to the largely outdated 22-year-old "PIF Convention." With its comprehensive catalogue of criminal offences, including fraud, corruption, money laundering, and misappropriation affecting the EU budget as... Read more
I. Introduction Directive 2014/41/EU regarding the European Investigation Order in criminal matters1 was approved in April 2014 and regulates a new instrument for the obtaining of evidence. The main features of the European Investigation Order (hereinafter EIO) are: It covers all types of evidence; It contains time limits for the enforcement of mutual legal assistance requests; It limits the grounds for refusal; It can be used either to carry out investigatory measures in the executing state or to obtain evidence that is already in the state’s possession.2 The obtaining of evidence in criminal proceedings is a highly sensitive matter from... Read more
Introduction The suspect is the key figure in procedural criminal law. To some extent, he is the reason for being of all criminal procedure, since the latter aims at setting up rules in order to protect him from unfounded accusations and arbitrariness. In line with the Stockholm Programme of 2010, the last few years have seen the EU strengthening the rights of suspects and accused persons.1 It adopted a number of directives with the purpose of providing suspects with the means to understand, participate in, and complain about criminal proceedings, so that they are able to defend themselves effectively, in... Read more
Introduction After years of negotiations, the adoption of the Regulation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (hereinafter EPPO) is near. Even if no unanimity can be reached in the Council of the European Union, there seems to be a strong political will amongst most Member States to set up the EPPO, if necessary through an enhanced cooperation procedure.1 The current draft Regulation already provides insight into how the EPPO would take shape.2 The Regulation foresees that the EPPO will be a European prosecution office that is in many ways subject to national courts and legislation. Nevertheless, the... Read more
Editorial for
Issue 1/2017
Dear Reader, As a practising lawyer specialised in the field of criminal law and criminal procedure who is also involved in international cases − and as an enthusiastic European − I feel that we need a new and strong commitment to “our” Europe in these anxious times. We need to strengthen the EU as a guarantor for peace, our common values, human and fundamental rights, and the rule of law in our common area of freedom, security and justice. Since the Amsterdam Treaty and the Tampere Council in 1999, the legal principle of mutual recognition of judicial decisions has been... Read more