Cooperation in criminal matters

The Stockholm Programme sets out a new list of objectives for the period 2010-2014:

• to develop instruments implementing the mutual recognition principle in each phase of criminal proceedings;
• to approximate national procedural law and substantive law where necessary to improve mutual trust and mutual recognition;
• to develop common minimum standards to ensure that trials are fair throughout the EU;
• to develop and assist EU bodies or instruments of judicial cooperation such as EUROJUST and the European Judicial Network in criminal matters;
• to improve mutual confidence between EU national judicial systems by developing a European judicial culture through training and networking of legal practitioners;
• to monitor the implementation of EU laws that have already been adopted;
• to take account of external aspects of EU judicial cooperation (for example negotiation of agreements with non-EU countries, evaluation of judicial systems of countries applying for - or considering applying for - EU membership)

The EU has adopted several legislative instruments in accordance with the principle of mutual recognition – please consult relevant subpages to find more information on:

• the European Arrest Warrant,
• the European Evidence Warrant,
• freezing of assets and evidence,
• confiscation orders,
• exchange of information on convictions/criminal records,
• decisions on (non-custodial) pre-trial supervision measures,
• mutual recognition and execution of convictions, both custodial and non-custodial,
• mutual recognition of protection measures,
• mutual recognition of financial penalties.

Three directives have been adopted to develop common minimum standards to ensure fair trial rights:

• Directive on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings
• Directive on the right to information in criminal proceedings and
• Directive on the right of access to a lawyer and the right to communicate upon deprivation of liberty