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In its judgment of 16 January 2025, the ECJ ruled on the compatibility of national provisions with the requirements for criminal proceedings in absentia set out in EU Directive 2016/343. Specifically, the judgment concerns the compatibility of the provisions in the Bulgarian Code of Criminal Procedure regarding the possibility of conducting criminal proceedings in the absence of the defendant (Case C-400/23, VB II).

This news item summarises the main elements of another piece of EU legislation that seeks to enhance judicial cooperation within the common area of freedom, security and justice: Regulation (EU) 2024/3011, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 27 November 2024, lays down rules on the transfer of criminal proceedings between the Member States with a view to improving the efficient and proper administration of justice.

On 9 January 2025, the ECJ rendered a judgment on the material scope of Directive 201/41/EU regarding the European Investigation Order. The ECJ interpreted the concept of "investigative measure" in the context of a Spanish request to serve an indictment to an accused person.

On 21 November 2024, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) issued recommendations on the implementation of the e-evidence Regulation (Regulation 2023/1543, →eucrim 2/2023, 165-168). They focus on issues which are both relevant and of importance to Bars and the …

On 28 November 2024, the ECJ ruled on the role of the competent authorities in deciding on the "strict necessity" of processing sensitive data in accordance with Art. 10 of Directive 2016/680 - the Law Enforcement Data Protection Directive. The referral concerns Bulgarian law, which …

Directive 2005/35/EC as regards ship-source pollution and on the introduction of administrative penalties for infringements was amended by a new Directive published on 16 December 2024. The Directive updates the 2005 legal framework and incorporates into Union law international standards on illegal discharges from ships at sea. It also aims to ensure that those responsible for such discharges are subject to dissuasive, effective and proportionate sanctions.

According to a special report by the ECA, the EU has strengthened defence measures against harmful tax regimes and corporate tax avoidance, but has not closed all the gaps. The Commission and the Member States failed to monitor the implementation of adequate measures to fight the problem of tax avoidance by aggressive tax plannings.

On 10 January 2025, Council Directive (EU) 2025/50 on faster and safer relief of excess withholding taxes was published in the EU's Official Journal L, 2025/50. The new rules make withholding tax procedures in the EU more efficient, secure and simplified for investors, financial intermediaries …

On 5 December 2024, the ECJ delivered a ruling on the personal scope of application of the fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (Directive (EU) 2015/849). The underlying Latvian proceedings concerned the question of whether a company (a legal person) that provides accounting services for entities affiliated …

On 27 November 2024, the European Parliament adopted the EU 2025 budget. The European Parliament and the Council agreed on the new annual budget within the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 on 16 November 2024. Total commitments are set at €192.76 billion and …