The European Commission convened an experts meeting on procedural rights in criminal proceedings in Brussels on 26 and 27 March 2009.

Members will be familiar with this proposal which had been through protracted negotiations since the issue of the green paper on procedural safeguards in 2003 and resulted in stalemate.  The Commission have resurrected this proposal and the experts meeting was the first step in putting this topic firmly back on the EU agenda.  Click on 'read more' for copies of relevant documents including the agenda and reports.

Agenda
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List of Participants
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Reflection document from the  European Commission for the Experts' Meeting on Procedural Rights
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Proposal for a Council Framework Decision on certain procedural rights in criminal proceeding throughout the European Union (presented by the Commission)
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Observations by the Council of Europe Secretariat on the proposal for a EU Council Framework Decision on certain procedural rights in criminal proceeding throughout the European Union
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Annex
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Information for persons arrested on the basis of an existing arrest warrant
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Preparing for the Swedisch Presidency of the EU - Conference: Justice in the EU - from the Citizen's Perspective, 23-23 July 2009, Stockholm, Sweden
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Final Report of the Reflection Forum on Mulitlingualism and Interpreter Training
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Presentation of a study on Effective Criminal Defence Rights in Europe, Open Society - Justice Initiative, Justice, University of the West of England - Bristol, Maastricht University
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Presentation of 'Letter of Rights'- EU wide Letter of Rights in Criminal Proceedings:Towards Best Practice
Prof.dr. Taru Spronken
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Study on Procedural Rights in Criminal Procedures: Existing levels of Safeguards in the European Union - 2008 Update
Prof.dr. Taru Spronken (Maastricht University) and Prof.dr. Gert Vermeulen (IRCP - Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy)
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Submission on the legal basis for a framework decision on procedural rights in criminal proceedings for the experts meeting 26 and 27 March, Justice, Amnesty International, Open Society - Justice Initiative
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