News
News found: 2070 of 2070
CJEU: Bulgaria (Currently) Precluded from Issuing EIOs Due to Lack of Legal Remedies
According to the CJEU, the current situation in Bulgaria, which does not provide for legal remedies against investigative measures and the issuance of a European Investigation Order (EIO) infringes the fundamental rights of the Charter and means that Bulgaria cannot issue EIOs as long as this situation is not remedied. Read more
Thomas Wahl
EU
European Investigation Order
Procedural Safeguards
New EP President Elected
On 18 January 2022, Ms Roberta Metsola was elected new President of the European Parliament, having served as its Vice-President since November 2020. Of the three candidates, Ms Metsola received an absolute majority of 458 votes out of 690 cast in the remote secret vote. … Read more
Cornelia Riehle LL.M.
EU
European Parliament
Europol: 2021 Highlights
At the end of 2021, Europol published a review highlighting its most important operations in 2021. A detailed analysis of the threat of serious and organised crime facing the EU was provided in Europol’s Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2021 (→ news of … Read more
EU
Europol
Working Arrangement with Republic of Korea Signed
To strengthen their cooperation against serious crime, Europol and the Republic of Korea signed a Working Arrangement on 22 December 2021. It introduces a secure system for the exchange of information between the parties. Furthermore, the arrangement foresees that the parties can exchange specialist knowledge, … Read more
EU
Europol
Programme of New Trio Council Presidencies
31 December 2021 marked the end of a cycle of trio presidencies. The cycle had started with the German Presidency on 1 July 2020 (→news of 31 August 2020), continued with the Portuguese Presidency on 1 January 2021 (→news of 1 April 2021), … Read more
EU
Council
Programme of the French Council Presidency
On 1 January 2022, France took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months. This also the first Presidency in the new cycle of trio presidencies composed of France, the Czech Republic, and Sweden (→separate news item).Under the title … Read more
EU
Council
AG: Unlawful Appointment of Polish Judges Does Not Justify Non-Execution of EAWs per se
According to an opinion by AG Rantos, national courts cannot refuse executing EAWs only because the appointment of Polish judges was unlawful. Courts must strictly follow the line established by the CJEU in LM. However, the recent judgment by the Polish Constitutional Tribunal that questioned the primacy of Union law may cast doubts on Poland's compatibility with essential fundamental rights and may justify refusals. Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
European Arrest Warrant
Procedural Safeguards
Organisations Tell E-Evidence Stories and Urge to Uphold High Level of Fundamental Rights Safeguards
Civil society organisations published a compendium of scenarios that showcase situations in which the planned e-evidence Regulation would lead to serious fundamental rights harms. Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
e-Evidence
Law Enforcement Cooperation
CJEU: Amnesty Does Not Preclude Issuance of EAW
On 16 December 2021, the CJEU ruled that a European arrest warrant (EAW) may be issued even if the underlying criminal proceedings have been resumed after an amnesty. The case refers to criminal proceedings before a Slovak criminal court which reexamines criminal offences committed by Slovakian security officers in the 1990es. Read more
EU
European Arrest Warrant
Ne bis in idem
Spotlight AG: German, Irish and French Data Retention Rules Incompatible with EU Law
On 19 November 2021, Advocate General (AG) Campos Sánchez-Bordona published his opinion on pending cases before the CJEU that concern the question of whether national data retention regimes are compatible with EU law. The cases concern legislation in Germany, Ireland and France. According to the AG, the answers can already be inferred from the CJEU's recent case law. General and indiscriminate regimes for combating crimes cannot be justified. Read more
EU
Data Protection
CJEU Rules on Compatibility of Romanian Constitutional Court Decisions with Effective Prosecution PIF Crimes
On 21 December 2021, the CJEU (Grand Chamber) delivered its judgment on several issues of the Romanian justice reform in the area of corruption. The referring Romanian courts mainly questioned whether several decisions of the Romanian Constitutional Court are compatible with Union law. The CJEU clarified the obligations incumbent under Art. 325 TFEU and the importance of judicial independent with regard to consequences if case law of Constitutional Courts is disapplied by lower courts. Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
Protection of Financial Interests
CCBE Concerned over Defence Rights in EPPO Proceedings
In a statement published on 10 December 2021, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) voiced concerns over the position of the defence and procedural rights during EPPO proceedings. The CCBE identified four issues of major concern, including the lack of specific provisions on defence rights and the risks of forum shopping. Read more
EU
EPPO
Procedural Safeguards
DAV Position Paper on Commission’s Artificial Intelligence Act Proposal
On 25 November 2021, the German Bar Association (Deutscher Anwaltverein - DAV) published a position paper on the Proposal of the European Commission for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Laying Down Harmonised Rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) and … Read more
Dr. Anna Pingen
EU
CJEU: National Legislation Must Allow Third Parties to Appear as a Party in Confiscation Proceedings
In its judgement of 21 October 2021 (Joined Cases C‑845/19 and C‑863/19 - Criminal proceedings against DR and TS), the CJEU clarified specific provisions of Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime in the European Union. The CJEU … Read more
EU
Freezing of Assets / Confiscation
EP Increases Efforts to Counteract Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)
On 11 November 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on strengthening democracy and media freedom and pluralism in the EU. This follows after several initiatives had called for a regulation of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs):- The study commissioned by the … Read more
EU
Rule of Law
Victim Protection
Pandora Papers: Parliament Calling for Investigations and Improvement of EU Blacklist of Tax Havens
On 21 October 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for thorough investigations to be launched into any wrongdoing that took place in EU jurisdictions as revealed by the Pandora Papers. After the Pandora Papers had exposed tax avoidance on an unprecedented scale, MEPs … Read more
EU
Tax Evasion