The European Arrest Warrant and the Sovereign State: A Marriage of Convenience?

Abstract

The article aims to analyse the extent to which mutual recognition and mutual trust in the criminal law area are developing in the EU in the context of the implementation of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). First, an overview of the decisions of the Constitutional Courts in Germany, Poland, Cyprus and Czech Republic will be given. These decisions are evidence of a tension, on the one hand, between mutual recognition and state sovereignty and, on the other hand, between the powers of the European institutions in criminal matters and the fundamental rights of the individual. Second, national case-law in the UK, Belgium, Spain and Italy will be examined. Third, an analysis of the recent decision of the European Court of Justice of 3 May 2007 will be carried out. Finally, aglobal assessment of the EAW will be made. Is this instrument effectively promoting normative mutual trust among the judicial authorities in the EU? Should it be amended or is it the wrong response at the wrong time? Some suggestions will be put forward, in light of what is considered to be the nature of the EAW and the birth of this instrument as part of the mutual recognition agenda.

A Tutela dos Direitos Fundamentais no Âmbito do Mandado de Detenção Europeu: Análise da Jurisprudência do Tribunal de Justiça da União Europeia

“…A primeira no sentido de que as previsões impõem o respeito aos DFs, podendo resultar em recusa de execução. A segunda interpretação seria no sentido de que a DQ previu hipóteses taxativas de não execução por violação dos DFs, não podendo ser ampliadas 25 . tenha ocorrido, no todo ou em parte, no seu território ou em local considerado como tal do EM de execução ou tenha sido praticada fora do território do EM de emissão e o direito do EM de execução não autorize o procedimento penal por uma infracção idêntica praticada fora do seu território; se a pessoa não tiver estado presente no julgamento que conduziu à decisão.…”

Post -Lisbon Criminal Law Competency of the European Union

“…Mutual recognition and harmonization is based on more solid ground with the new Lisbon Treaty (Fichera, 2009; 76; Treaty amending the TEU and the TEC, [2007] OJ C 306/1 0). This could lead to the view that the current ambiguity over the EU's criminal competence will be clarified (Mitsilegas, 2008;166;Borgers and Kooijmans, 2008;379-395).…”

The Lisbon Treaty and the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice as an Area of Legal Integration

“…The former is conceived as a tool to promote the development of the latter'. 92 The creation of such 'mutual trust' by approximation measures in the area of criminal procedure would now appear to be a priority of the Union post-Treaty of Lisbon, and a roadmap for the development of defendants' rights has been incorporated into the Stockholm Programme. 93 Thus, measures such as the recent Directive on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings are justified by the need to increase levels of trust between Member States' legal systems.…”